Looking for Info on "Antonina Petryna" and "Kasimir Szymanski"

I've almost given up researching my father's side of the family because I have been told that our last name, Szymanski, is as common as "Smith" is in America. But here goes.

My grandfather, Kasimir Szymanski, came from Tomaszow Lubelski. His Wife's name was Antonina Petryna. I don't know where she was from, and I don't know for certain, how her maiden name was spelled. She died in the 1950's and was buried in a cemetary in Tomaszow Lubelski - my grandfather was born about 1876 and died in 1952 and was buried in the United States. My grandfather had 2 brothers, one was named Walter, and I do not believe any of them migrated to the U.S. My grandparents and their first four children emigrated to the U.S. before 1915. Their children were Mary (1901), Stanley (1902), Frank (1905) and Katerzina (1907) all born in Poland, and Andrew (1915), Rose (1920) and Albert (1922) born in the U.S. This is everything I know about my father's side of the family, except for the following story my dad liked to tell, and I have no idea if it is even true.

My dad told me that his family were aristocrats, and donated the land that their church was built on, to the town of Tomaszow Lubelski. At some point after a church was built, there was a fire in the town, and many buildings surrounding the church burned down, but the church was spared. If the story is true, it had to have happened before my dad was born.

I have the microfilmed church records from the town of Tomaszow Lubelski, which I obtained from the Mormon Church, and they are written in Polish and Russian (depending on the year of the record).

I am hoping that if someone in Tomaszow Lubelski would see this, and maybe know how I can go about getting information on the names and maybe dates of birth for my Grandfather's brothers, and perhaps where to look for the correct spelling of my grandmother's maiden name, which I think is Petryna, and the names of my grandfather's brothers, I might be able to move forward a little with my family tree, and determine which "Szymanski's" are mine. I would also like to find the cemetary where my grandmother is buries, so that I might get information from her gravestone, such as her correct maiden name and the year of her birth and death.

I would be very thankful to anyone who can give me any information on how to pursue my Polish family tree.

Looks like they were married in 1900. Look at the line around #60. She is listed as Anna Petryna

regestry.lubgens.eu/viewpage.php?page_id=102&decade=190

Try the Russian and the English spellings, too--e.g., "Shymansky".


Given the naming pattern (although "Shymanski" sounds very Jewish for a Polish surname; and Petryna probably comes from "Petra" and could be of Greek or Jewish-maybe Jewish-Greek--origin), you're likely an ethnic Pole and Polish Catholic. Nonetheless, look for burial dates and customs (e.g., whether they had viewings and/or calling hours, or not--Jews and many Anusim do not have viewings or calling hours, though they have memorials and funerals), naming patterns (e.g., Was your aunt Mary named for the Virgin Mary or a relative and not the Mother of Jesus?), and at your dad's mom's side, for example (What were they? Openly Jewish? Anusim? gentiles?).


Maybe; but, kid, my Crypto-Jewish grandparents made up stories, too.

I have the microfilmed church records from the town of Tomaszow Lubelski, which I obtained from the Mormon Church, and they are written in Polish and Russian (depending on the year of the record).


Good luck--and especially if you think that you are a Polish Jew (and one who particularly believes in Jesus), watch out--I'm speaking from experience. I haven't seen my family yet on these forums, and I've seen plenty of attempting-to-be detractors. Your grandma is likely to be "Petrynówna" or "Petrynova", by the way.

Thank you so much for this information; since I have seen Anna's maiden name spelled the same way in two sources, it's probably the correct spelling, and how nice to know that they were married in 1900. Can you tell me the source of this information that you sent the link for?

Our last name was Changed to Shymanski, From Szhymanski........which is not correct either. The records show Szymanski was the name in Poland/

My great grandfather's name was Josepph. (the second "p" has a forward slash (?) in it in Polish I believe.

HIS BROTHERS NAME WAS WALTER. Their father's name was Casimir or Casimier SZYMANSKI. Spellings differ back and forth.

My Great Grandfather Joseph was born 3/19/1849. Born in Provinz Posen, Germany. Died 5/9/25 Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. Buried 5/11/25 Calvary Cemetery Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.

I do not know who was older was older, Joseph or Walter.

I was told Walter attended university in Poland.

The brothers, I was told, Deserted the Prussian army during the Austro-Prussian war, and came to the United States. (accuracy?)

The brothers went to Chicago where Walter open and was in the Home Furnishings Business. He was very successful.

I was told by my father, (he had had a few that night-and I was a teenager) Walter changed the spelling of their name. I was told it was to "Manske" "Manski" "Shyman", or some deriative thereof. (Again the accuracy of the change of spelling or what it was changed to are cloudy, it may have not been changed at all. I believe there were differences that had developed within the family.)

SZYMAŃSKI originating as a pattornymic nick (son of Szyman) or toponymic tag (some from Szymany) is used by over 80,000 Poles all over Poland. But PETRYNA (probably derived from Piotr/Peter) is ratehr rare by comparison. Interestingly, its largest cluster is found in the Zamość area where Tomaszów Lubelski is located.