Franczeska Harenda - grandaughter looking for help

Hi there!
I am trying to do research on my family history...i keep hitting road blocks. Trying to find out more information on them. My grandmother is polish lives in wisconsin..i need resources on finding background on her mom...name was Franczeska Harenda born we think in 1899. My grandmother remembers addressing envelopes to a city Gmina, Bython(pre-war). She also remembers writing on the enevelope Poczta Piotrkow Kujawski. We think her mom came her in 1910 or 1912. Any information or help on where to begin would be wonderful! Thank you, Chantel

franczeska sounds to Italian for me. I think that the real first name of your grandmother wpuld be Franciszka.


Gmina isn't a city name, but it's more like an administration district. Maybe someone could help you more here.


I think that you are talking here about Bytom.

Thank you! I appreciate any help!!!

Your welcome Chantel. :)

I don't think it's Bytom, since it's Piotrkow Kujawski region, unless you are talking about another Bytom, not the one is Silesia region

hospitalityclub.org/hc/hcworld.php?city=44250
mapa.szukacz.pl/html/kujawsko-pomorskie/radziejowski/6556.html

the first link is not working for some reason, but it's in English,
the second one is in Polish, so check it out for now, and I might be able to help you letter

Actually I thought that maybe there is some kind of a village with this name in Kujawsko-Pomorskie.... but Bytoń sounds definitely more probable.

Is Harenda a Polish surname?

Harenda in Wisconsin: most census records say Poland for place of birth, some Germany, some Galicia, some Russia. Almost all say Polish is the native language.

I found several early Wisconsin Harenda families, no Franczeska or equivalent. I did find an Antoinette Harenda in California, who was born there.

Found several males called Francis Harenda and Frances Harenda in Wisconsin, or Frank Harenda. I know, I know, only one spelling of Francis is "male" but here they seem to use them almost interchangeably and have done so for a long time.

Also found an early arrival for Anna, Czeslaw, Stefania and Bronislaw Harenda, a Polish family group last living in Hulthausen Germany, but departing from a port in Belgium. They came to the US in 1907. Anna's father is listed as Josef Jedrzjezsek??? and her destination is Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Then I found them in the 1910 census for Milwaukee, Wisconsin and they live with their husband/father named Frank Harenda, 37, from Ger-Poland. He is a laborer in a foundry; Annie stays at home, is age 33; they have had 6 children and only 4 survive: Barney and Stephanie, Ladislaus and Teddy. In 1920 they have these children: Chester, Stefania, Thadeus, Edmund Harenda. Walter Jedrzejzak, brother in law to Frank Harenda, lives with them. The parents and children were all born in Posen, Poland, according to the form, as was Walter. Please note that Walter is listed as Walson and the last name is listed as Jedizenzak in the transcription files to this census.

Forgot to add that a Jewka??? and Shmia Harenda, possibly cousins, arrived in the US in 1913, from Galicia. They are both unmarried and are both age 17 in 1913. They list their fathers at home in Austria Ruthenia as Torn???? and Zacks??? Harenda and their nationality is listed as Polish. The names are very hard to read on the original ship manifest but I think these as given are pretty close.

The 1905 state census of Wisconsin also shows a Jos. Harenda already in Milwaukee, possibly there as early as 1895.

based on 1998 Pesel data there were

156 persons living in Poland with the Harenda surname.

85 of them living in the old Bydgoskie Voivodeship where the city of Piotrkow Kujawski lays.

here is city hall contact info. maybe they have information regarding the Harenda family in the Piotrkow Kujawski area

ul. Kościelna 1
88-230 Piotrków Kujawski
tel. 54 265-41-80; faks 54 265-41-80

My name, as well as my mother's name is Franczeska (although I now spell mine Francesca). She was born in Innsbrook, Austria, also the birth place of her mother. Her father was a German soldier whose name I do not know. This is the only info I can pass on because it's all I have. However, I visited Prague and there were so many stores called "Czeska" and I've always wondered if the name was a Czechoslavakian one. Good luck in your search.