Looking on information on the name Hreben.

Would like to try to find some information on the family name Hreben. I am in the process of researching this on my own and with the help of others, but would like to know if anybody here had any info.

HREBEN: This is the Czech and Slovak equiavlent of comb (Polish grzebień), except that in Czech it is hřeben and in Slovak -- hrebeň .

I Found out that my family changed their name when they came over in the early 40's. so the spelling is not HREBEN. My uncle said he remembers it sounds something like jebin. They think the spelling was similar

to HREBEN.

If it sounded like jebin than it probably was Polish grzebień. Please be aware that in the confused multilingual cauldron that was East-Central Europe, names got misspelt, shortened and even translated depending on expediency, convenience and sometimes border shifts and poltiical pressure. So a Górski might pass himself off as Berg if a German-sounding name opened more opportunities (or helped avoid discrimination and/or harassment), and similarly a Hreben could well have redefined himself as Grzebień if he wanted to assimialte to Polish society.

Merged:

Family name Hreben

Family Name is Hreben. Information I found so far is the following - Peter Hreben ( my Dad's grandfather )was born in Siegniewichy (Siegniewsky)Poland on June 29th, 1893. Emigrated to America from Bremem, Germany and entered USA at Gateway, Montana 1915. Question I have is the last name Hreben Polish? and where was Siegniewsky located in Poland. This is my first time posting here on this site or any site and hopefully I am giving the correct information. Thank You

I Googled the term "Hreben surname" in Russian («Гребень фамилия»), and the results were pretty unanimous in stating that this is a Jewish surname, indicating an origin in the person's profession - that of a barber. In Russian, just as in other Slavic languages, the word гребень (greben', hreben, etc) means comb. It could also mean the fleshy red thing on top of a rooster's head, or the crest of a wave or mountain, but that surely is not the relevant definition here. It seems it would be unusual for a Pole, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Czech, Slovak, or Russian to have such a surname.

The town, Signevichi (Сигневичи), is located in modern Belarus, in the Brest Oblast. At the time of your ancestor's emigration, however, it still lay within Poland. In 2019, it had a population of 245 people, down from 500+ in the 19th century. Hope this helps.

Wikipedia article for Signevichi in Russian (use Google Translate):
ru.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B8%D0%B3%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%B8

@Bobko
It helps but still questioning if Hreben is true spelling. All papers I found say Peter Hreben was from Poland and I can't find a different spelling.

I am going to travel to Poland next year to visit where my mothers side which comes from siolkowa, Poland.

Okay... Was it at least gratifying to know the correct location of the village?


Very happy for you.

@Bobko
Yes it was at least I know the village now, thank you

Hello Bobko! We chatted before you helped me with some of my ancestry. Sanchuk, Feodosia, Makaruk etc. I was hoping we could somehow connect on ancestry or something that better communicate should you have the time! Thanks!

@Pleuvoir

Hey Pleuvoir,

Apologies for the late reply - time available for PF has been little in recent months. I'm happy to connect here, if there's something I may be helpful with. However, I also wanted to be transparent with you in that I am not from Poland, but from Russia and thus may be of limited assistance. I can't find what it is I helped you with in the past, but likely it was by accident. Locals should be able to be much more helpful in questions of genealogy and general history.

Best,

Bobko

Don`t worry about it - we are really patient. :):):)