Steve’s Genealogy Blog

In grade school I always enjoyed the day that came every year when our teachers would ask what our mothers’ maiden names were. My mother’s maiden surname - Niedziałkowski - always got everyone’s attention because it was so unusual. My own surname - Dańko - hardly raised an eyebrow.

Not until I began studying my family history in the late 1990s did I begin to realize that those names might have some meaning behind them. After all, a name is a name right? Fairly soon after I started researching my ancestry seriously, the second edition of Fred Hoffman’s book on Polish surnames was published, and boy, was this a godsend!

Categories of Polish Surnames

In his book on Polish surnames, Fred Hoffman divides and discusses the surnames according to five general categories:

1. Personal Names and Coats of Arms
2. Toponyms (Place Names)
3. Occupations
4. Features or Objects (including verbs, animals, trees, plants, food, drink)
5. Foreign Names

Polish Surnames in My Family Tree 

The surnames in my family tree span all of these five groups. Here is a list of some of them with their origins and meanings:

Bal: bal- “to tell tales”, first name Baltazar, Hungarian personal name Bal
Bonislawski: village Bonisław, altered name Będzisław
Chmielewski: chmiel “hops”
Chotkowski: place names Chotków, Chotkowo
Chruścicki: chrust “dry twigs”
Dańko: dan- “given” or name element from Daniel
Dymek: dym “smoke” or name element from Dymitr
Dziura / Dziurzyński: dziura “hole”
Głowacz: głowa “head”
Goliński: goły “bare, naked”, golić “to shave”, or place name Golina
Grabowski: grab “hornbeam”, grabić “to rob”, grabie “rake”, old first name Grab, or toponym
Iwaniec: Ukrainian name Ivan = Polish name Jan (John)
Izbicki: izba “hut, chamber”
Jach: name element from Jan, Jakub, Jachym, etc.
Jara: jar- “sharp, strict”, jary “of the spring, robust, young”
Jedliński: jodła “fir tree”
Kolarowira: kolarz “wheelwright”
Malon: mały “small”, or a name root as in Małomir, also popular in toponyms
Marcinkiewicz: first name Marcin from the Latin Martinus (of or relating to Mars)
Markiewicz: first name Marek from the Latin Marcus (Mark)
Milewski: ancient names Miłobor, Miłosław with the root miły “dear, beloved”
Mossakowski: name Mojsław or Mojżesz (Moses)
Muszynski: mucha “housefly”
Niedziałkowski: nie działać “to do nothing”, niedziela “Sunday” (day of doing nothing)
Nosarzewski: nos “nose”
Panowski: pan “master, bridegroom”, names Pankracy, Pantelejmon, Opanas
Pomaski: village of Pomaski
Pszczółkowski: pszczoła “bee”
Ranow: rana “wound”, rano “early”, or name Ranimir
Skowroński: skowronek “lark’ (a kind of bird)
Ślimak: ślimak “snail, slug” or “slow fellow”
Sowa: sowa “owl”
Szymański: name Szymon (Simon) (Hebrew), meaning “Hear my affliction”
Tropiło / Trupiło: trop “trace, trail, scent”, tropić “to track”
Wojnowski: wojna “war, struggle”
Zygmuntowicz: name Zygmunt, Germanic *sigis “victory” + *mundo “protect, guard”

SOURCE: Hoffman, William F. 1998. Polish surnames: origins and meanings. Chicago: Polish Genealogical Society of America.

Evolution of Polish Surnames 

I am often amazed at the number of different surnames used in Poland. Because fixed surnames are a rather recent phenomenon in Poland (and elsewhere), most not being fixed until the 18th century, many surnames have developed through something of a divergent evolution, where a surname such as Markowicz might diverge into Markowicz and Markiewicz over time.

In fact, in addition to Markowicz and Markiewicz, a large number of names derive from the given name Marek and the numbers of individuals with these surnames in Poland in 1990 varied greatly, with only 1 person using the surname Marec, but with 16,202 people using the surname Marek. And, of course, not all the people in Poland with the same or similar surnames are related to each other. Many surnames arose independently all over Poland, resulting in a convergent evolution of surnames.

Many of these Polish surnames present some difficulty for native speakers of English. I’m often asked “How is that name pronounced?” The short answer a native speaker of Polish would give is “Just the way it’s spelled”, but that’s little comfort to most people. My mother’s maiden name, Niedziałkowski, is mispronounced by nearly all native speakers of English.

These difficulties of pronouncing the surname Niedziałkowski has led to a divergent evolution of the surname among my relatives in the United States, resulting in the surnames Niedzialkowski, Niedzialkoski, Niedzial, and even Newman, all in one family line.

My own mother, while in her teens, briefly changed her surname to Nigel.

But that’s another story.

Copyright © 2007 Stephen J. Danko

Alexander Skowronski’s wife, Frances Dymek, died in 1963.  Her death is reported on a Medical Examiner’s Certificate of Death, indicating that the cause of death required additional investigation.

Certificate of Death for Frances Skowronski

SOURCE: The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Medical Examiner’s Certificate of Death. City of Worcester. 1963. Volume Unknown. Page 160. Frances Skowronski. Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Certificate of Death for Frances Skowronski.  The record states:

• Frances Skowronski, of 101 Burbank Road, Sutton, Massachusetts, died in City Hospital, Worcester, Worcester Co., Massachusetts on 22 Jun 1963
• She had been found unconscious in her home and died of coronary artery disease
• She had been in her place of residence for 13 years and at her place of death for 2 hours before death
• The Medical Certificate of Death was signed by Joan O. Ward, M.D. of 978 Main Street on 22 Jun 1963
• Frances was buried in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester on 25 Jun 1963 by Henry Funeral Service by Henry V. Karolkiewicz, 33 Ward Street, Worcester
• The Certificate of Death was received and filed on 24 Jun 1963 by Robert J. O’Keefe
• Frances was a white female, married to Alexander F. Skowronski
• Her date of birth is not provided, but she was 73 years old at death
• She had worked as a housewife at home
• Her Social Security Number was 034-20-0574
• She was born in Poland, daughter of Jozef Dymek and Bronislawa Golas, both born in Poland
• The informant was her husband, Alexander Skowronski, of 101 Burbank Road, Sutton, Massachusetts
• On 24 Jun 1963, G. Frank McGinnis, the Commissioner of Public Health certified that a satisfactory certificate of death was filed

I have some questions about the correct spelling of the maiden name of Frances Skowronski’s mother.  This document states the name was Golas, but I had previously been told the name was spelled Golash.  William F. Hoffman’s book Polish Surnames: Origins and Meanings, Second Edition, Revised lists two similar spellings:

Gołas and Gołaś

SOURCE: Hoffman, William F. 1998. Polish surnames : origins and meanings second edition, revised. Chicago: Polish Genealogical Society of America.

Yesterday, I posted the photograph of the monument on the graves of Alexander Skowronski, his wife Frances Dymek, his daughter Jean B. Sharron Danko, and Jean’s husband (my uncle) Michael J. Danko in Notre Dame Cemetery.  Click on the link for a PDF copy of the map of Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts.

The Cemetery Record, provided by Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester, Massachusetts, reads as follows:

Notre Dame Cemetery No. 04 - Owner: Skowronski, Alexander, Mr.

Lot - Sec-HF Lot-245 Grv-1- =================           12 X 11
       UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA?
       3                            3                           3                          3                           3
       3                            3                           3                          3                           3
       3                            3           3OB         3                         3                            3
       3             4             3              3           3            2           3             1            3
       3                            3                           3                          3                           3
       3                            3                           3                          3                           3
       AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAU
Space  Deceased/Resvd                                 Burial Date       Age    Container
——-   ———————————————       ——————    ——     ————–
1        Skowronski, Alexander, Owner           01/07/1970   82     ASPH
2        Skowronski, Frances, Wife                   06/25/1963   73     ASPH
3        Danko, Jean B., Mrs., Daughter            10/22/1996   79     WILB
3OB   Danko, Jean, Baby, Great Grandchild  09/21/1999  Stillb  COMBO
4        Danko, Michael J., Son-in-law              11/21/1981   68     PALMER

AAAAAAEnd of ListAAAAAAA

I mentioned yesterday that there was one additional burial in this lot that was not inscribed on the monument.  This burial was for Jean Marguerite Danko, granddaughter of Michael and Jean Danko and great granddaughter of Alexander & Frances Skowronski.

Marker for Jean Marguerite Danko

SOURCE: Jean Marguerite Danko grave marker, Notre Dame Cemetery, Holy Family Section, Lot 245, Grave 3OB (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

There is also another marker, commemorating Michael Danko’s service in the US Navy.

Marker for Michael J. Danko, Jr.

SOURCE: Michael J. Danko, Jr. grave marker, Notre Dame Cemetery, Holy Family Section, Lot 245, Grave 4 (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

The marker for Michael J. Danko, Jr. reads:

MICHAEL J DANKO JR
SF1 US NAVY
WORLD WAR II
SEP 13 1913     NOV 19 1981

The SF1 indicates that Michael J. Danko, Jr. was a Shipfitter First Class.  The US Navy Classification Guide describes a Shipfitter as:

Makes repairs to hull and deck structures. Puts ship plates in place, rivets together sections of steel plates and hull framing. Scarfs and closes seams between overlapping steel plates. Cuts, chips, files, and caulks angles, seams, and rivets. Welds. Renews gaskets in watertight doors, parts, and hatches. Installs and repairs pump connections. lays out, bends and shapes sheet metal and metal sections. Threads and fits pipes. Works closely with Metalsmith and Carpenter’s Mate.

To the left of the main monument is a US Flag.  The flag holder includes a medallion that reads:  US VETERAN:

Medallion on Flag Holder

SOURCE: Michael J. Danko, Jr. Flag Holder Medallion, Notre Dame Cemetery, Holy Family Section, Lot 245, Grave 4 (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

The “Rules, Regulations and Policies” of Notre Dame Cemetery and Chapel Mausoleum state:

FLAGS: One (1) American flag is permitted on each grave in which a Veteran is interred. The cemetery is not responsible for placing flags on lots. However, flags may be obtained at the cemetery office.

PLEASE NOTE: Only one flat granite marker is allowed at the foot of each grave. This also includes Veteran markers.

SOURCE: Notre Dame Cemetery and Chapel Mausoleum, Rules, Regulations and Policies (Worcester, Massachusetts: Notre Dame Cemetery and Chapel Mausoleum).

The parents of Adam Skowronski, who birth and death records I posted yesterday and the day before, was Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek.  They are buried in Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Skowronski, Dymek, Danko Monument - Front

Skowronski, Dymek, Danko Monument - Back

SOURCE: Alexander Skowronski, Frances Dymek, Michael J. Danko, Jean B. Skowronski Sharron grave marker, Notre Dame Cemetery, Holy Family Section, Lot 245, Graves 1, 2, 3, 3OB, 4 (Worcester County), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

This marker shows that Alexander Skowronski (1887-1970) and his wife Francis Dymek (1888-1963) are buried here along with Michael J. Danko (1913-1981) and his wife Jean B. Skowronski Sharron (1917-1996).

Jean B. Skowronski Sharron was the daughter of Alexander Skowronski and Frances Dymek.  Jean was also the wife of my paternal uncle, Michael J. Danko.  Jean’s full name on the gravestone reflects the fact that she was married to Robert H. Sharron before his untimely death in 1946.  Robert Sharron is buried elsewhere in Notre Dame Cemetery.

The motto on the front of the monument reads (in Polish) “Proszę o Zdrowaś Marja”, which means “I ask for a ‘Hail Mary’ “.

Alexander is buried in Grave 1, Frances in Grave 2, Jean in Grave 3, and Michael in Grave 4.  Cemetery records show that there is another burial in this lot (in Grave 3OB), not inscribed on the monument.  In addition, the lot contains two additional markers flush with the ground.

Tomorrow: About the additional burial and the two additional markers.