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Posts by PolishDaz  

Joined: 9 Oct 2007 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 6 Aug 2008
Threads: Total: 1 / In This Archive: 1
Posts: Total: 5 / In This Archive: 2 		From: Bedford
Speaks Polish?: No
Interests: Polish Family

Displayed posts: 3
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PolishDaz   
12 Oct 2007
Genealogy / Surnames associated with towns or villages [5]

My Gandmother and Grandfather are Polish, and came over after the war as displaced people. Our surname is Pacyna.

I have been told the family came by the name Pacyna (many many years ago), due ot the fact that they lived in the village of "Pacyna" during the cenus. I have also heard that like in the UK surnames in Poland can be traced back to trades/proffesions, and that Pacyna would have meant "police/authority".

Does anyone ahve any information to enlighten me ??

Many Thanks.
PolishDaz   
12 Oct 2007
Life / WHY POLISH PEOPLE DON'T USE THEIR NATIVE FIRST NAME WHEN ABROAD? [136]

This has been a trend for decades, and even centuried if I was to guess.

When my father came to this country after the war, as an infant, his Mother changed his name from Mieczslaw to Michael at an early age. The only reason for this, was so the English people would be able to cope with the pronunciation and spelling on his name, as he grew up. Although he was in a Displaced Persons Camp.

I also know of boys that kept their Polish names as they grew up in DP Camps, as the majority of people there were Polish anyway. However, once they went to secondary school they too changed their name to some more "English" to avoid being taunted or bullied. Now that is a terrible shame.