Tricky name change

[mcblondie]

Calling on all you smart intellects out there.

Got a little mystery that needs solving. As most of you know i am having problems trying to locate my Lithuanian relatives who came to Blantyre and Bellshill to live. Our family name is Polockus, but over the years and many misinterpretations and mis-spellings of the name has left me wondering what my family name really is/was? I've seen it spelled as Pollockus, Palokas, Polakas etc...It makes tracing them so much harder. Anyway my g.father Jonas had a brother who lived in Bellshill or surrounding area, we think his name was Juozas as that was his father's name, but might be something else, also i can't seem to locate any BMD certs for this family other than my g.fathers wife and kids. So the other alternative is.... he's changed his name? Now that's where i require your help. I noticed that those with the name Milunas or Miliunas changed there's to Millar, (strangely enough Milunas was my g.fathers Mothers maiden name) and others changed there's to sound more anglified/scottyfied hehehehe. So any bright ideas what my uncle could have possibly changed his too? other than Pollock (which doesn't seem to be the case).

All help welcomed

[DavidWW]

Hi Blondie

Just to clarify, - Juozas is the given name?

Have you made any contact with what I believe is the strong Lithuanian cultural society in Lanarkshire?, who might be able to help.

A quick Google produces

Skotijos lietuviu klubas (Up. 7/27/06)
Scotland Lithuanian Club
79A, Calder Road
Mossend, Bellshill
Lanarks ML4 1PX
Scotland, Great Britain
Phone: +44 1698 745354

from http://www.lithuaniangenealogy.org/organizations/

On a down note, while some folk in this situation changed their name to something similar, it's also well documented that others change their name to something completely unconnected, - just to lighten your day

David

[mcblondie]

Hi David,

Well my g.grandfather's name is Josas on my grandfather's marriage cert, so I assume it's the same. One of my aunts thought that his name was Joseph. When i go through all my grandfathers childrens names e.g. Joseph, Michael, Bernard, Martin etc i do a search on all these names just incase.

As for the Lithy club, yes i contacted them to see if they had any info that they could share with me, but due to the decline of member in there club, only a handful of the elders exist and even then they are not first generation but second and the club also doesn't keep all there old records of who there members where? Although they do still have Lithuanian language classes every Tuesday at 7pm.

If he did change his name to something else simple then it's like "needle and haystack" in saying that, the reason my grandfather didn't keep in touch with his brother was because my g.father married a scottish lass and not a lithuanian one, and Juozas refused contact with him after it. So if he was that adamant and patriotic i can't see him changing his name, just like my grandfather refused to change his!

One day, just one day something will creep up and i'll hit the jackpot.

[DavidWW]

Hi David,

Well my g.grandfather's name is Josas on my grandfather's marriage cert, so I assume it's the same. One of my aunts thought that his name was Joseph. When i go through all my grandfathers childrens names e.g. Joseph, Michael, Bernard, Martin etc i do a search on all these names just incase.

As for the Lithy club, yes i contacted them to see if they had any info that they could share with me, but due to the decline of member in there club, only a handful of the elders exist and even then they are not first generation but second and the club also doesn't keep all there old records of who there members where? Although they do still have Lithuanian language classes every Tuesday at 7pm.

If he did change his name to something else simple then it's like "needle and haystack" in saying that, the reason my grandfather didn't keep in touch with his brother was because my g.father married a scottish lass and not a lithuanian one, and Juozas refused contact with him after it. So if he was that adamant and patriotic i can't see him changing his name, just like my grandfather refused to change his!

One day, just one day something will creep up and i'll hit the jackpot.

All that I can advise further is "keep on truckin' "

David

[joette]

Would you know if the name translates into anything?
Does Polockus tranlate into anything that could be used as an Angliscised surname?Just a thought as I think a lot of what started of as Gaelic names have evolved that way.

Also were they able to spell their name to the sactisfaction of the Registar?
Did he hear what they were spelling or did he write what he thought it "should be"& would they have sufficient english to notice the differences?

[SarahND]

Would you know if the name translates into anything?
Does Polockus tranlate into anything that could be used as an Angliscised surname?Just a thought as I think a lot of what started of as Gaelic names have evolved that way.

Very good idea, Joette! I had forgotten that, but now that you mention it I know I have read somewhere that a lot of emigrants "translated" their names into English when arriving in the U.S., rather than just changing the spelling in the original language. That may be worth a try!

I just tried this online Lithuanian-English dictionary:
http://www.lietuviu-anglu.com

Here are three tries before I go to sleep:

palaikis worn, shabby, threadbare ; second-hand (Hmmm, maybe not that one)

palankus favourable, propitious; auspicious (Much better )

polékis flight (Well, okay, why not?)

But what their English (or Gaelic) surname equivalents would be I leave to those in an earlier time zone!

Good night,
Sarah

[Miss Poohs]

I knew a girl with the surname Polk - would that be a possibility d'ya fink?

[mcblondie]

Hi peeps,

Good ideas on the names I'll certainly give the anglisized versions a try... I don't think my g.fathers english was very good, even although i was only 6 when he died i have a memory of him in my mind and i remember the funny accent. His brother was a tailor/dressmaker or so my aunt says, and at one point i got all excited as i found a Juozas Palokas going to the states and his profession was a tailor but his parent's names didn't match up with my g.grandparents.

Oh well i'll just keep trying.

Thanks again guys.

[Davie]

Hi Pal,
I mind we were oan aboot Blantyre faimilies a while back.
A South African lassie got in touch and we swapped some info.
Nae connection tae oany of your lot that I could see.
She has McGrory connections as well as Polaks.
I have stuck a census return on the Gallery.
Polak 1901.
I cannie mind if I sent you this or no.
You might find it interesting to see a few of the names living thegither.

http://talkingscot.com/gallery/displayi ... p?pos=-941

Davie

Gallery URL added - AndrewP

[Davie]

Thanks again furr yer time Andrew.
As you know a lot o' punters cum oan here but dinnie post.
Ah jist got this on E-mail.
And ah'm sure the Blantur folk'll appreciate this wan.

http://journals.aol.co.uk/lindapaterson ... ntries/788

Davie