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What it means to be Odrowąż?


OdrowazP 8 | 40
31 Aug 2020 #1
In a similar thread, I was asking about how to be Polish, how to reclaim my ancestry, and not let it fall into obscurity. But what about my clan (or ród/ródy) of Odrowąż? I could be breaking my own sense of privacy, by my last name is a (Americanized) variant of Pękalski, apparently adopted into Odrowąż 1302. So what should that mean to me? Should I feel a deeper connection to figures such as Saint Hyacinth (or Jacek Odrowąż)? I could read up more on such notable members of the ródy, but what else? My only other idea is embracing the Odrowąż coat of arms/herb. Perhaps one or two wall art hang ups, especially in the baby room (if any). Little Polish flag flapping outside our home (with or without herb) might be a bit much or embarrassing for Wifey (fair enough, lol). With all that said, I turn it to all of you now: How do I make Odrowąż relevant to my life and the life of my new family?

(reminder: wife is Filipina)
Mr Grunwald 33 | 2,176
31 Aug 2020 #2
First and foremost, what kind of traditions do you have in your family? (Ask this of yourself no need to write it here as it can be private) What kind of ideals are you driven by? What are the ideals you would expect from being part of Polish nobility? There is a general codex of chivalry, while what does it mean to be a Polish noble?
OP OdrowazP 8 | 40
31 Aug 2020 #3
@Mr Grunwald
First, the fly in the ointment, my family didn't have any traditions passed down to me. As for every other question: Nothing. )-:
Me a third-generational American grown person am or feel that alienated from any meaningful connection with the clan, if such can exist.
As of right now, any relation to the Odrowąż is by appearance entirely irrelevant to my life, but is it? Maybe it is?
kaprys 3 | 2,249
1 Sep 2020 #4
@OdrowazP
Hmm, have you actually traced your ancestry back to all the things mentioned in your post?
OP OdrowazP 8 | 40
1 Sep 2020 #5
@kaprys
In all honesty, I've only traced my ancestry back certainly to my great-great-grandparents, uncertainly to my GREAT-great-great-grandparents, surname of all Pękalski, one of the families of the Odrowąż clan. Sadly can't get more specific than that. I may have to wait til next year to pay for genealogical assistance.
kaprys 3 | 2,249
2 Sep 2020 #6
@OdrowazP
Try to dopiero it on your own. There are things you can do for free.
OP OdrowazP 8 | 40
4 Sep 2020 #7
dopiero

Sorry! I see dopiero is a Polish word, which seems to translate "only" "just" & "until".
So "Try to (only/just/until) it on your own" doesn't make sense to me silly American.
mafketis 37 | 10,877
4 Sep 2020 #8
"Try to (only/just/until) it on your own"

Probably autocorrection at work or (translating/interpreting freedly)

See what you can do on your own until (you can pay for professional help).
kaprys 3 | 2,249
6 Sep 2020 #9
@mafketis
Autocorrection. My phone thinks it knows better.

@OdrowazP
Try to do it on your own first.
Check your relatives' death certificates, immigration records etc. A lot of documents are available on familysearch. It'd be best to find their date and place of birth and religion. Parents' names would be helpful too. When you find enough info in the States, you can start looking in Poland. Metrical records should name the social status so you will find out if you come from the nobility.
OP OdrowazP 8 | 40
7 Sep 2020 #10
@kaprys
Metrical records...like Church records?
I did find on a myHeritage.pl family tree the names of my great-great-grandfather and his wife (also correct name) who begot someone with the name of my great-grandfather. The tree goes on two generations later, but not through the man with the name of my great-grandfather; his line seemed to end. My assumption is that he went to America and continued the family to me, but the Polish myHeritage lost him. Also the tree doesn't show my great-grandfather's brother, who was born in America after my great-great-grandparents also moved to America. If my assessment of the family tree is correct, then I may have found my great-great-GREAT-grandparents as well (still named Pękalski). Just wish I could get beyond this guessing under probability and theoretical circumstances.

Once I can confirm the above, THEN "metrical records" can trace back further than even the internet?

PS
I do not assume that I am born of Nobility. I didn't think that's what being part of the Odrowąż clan meant.
Maybe I didn't ask correctly, but I still don't know what it's like being part of a clan.
kaprys 3 | 2,249
7 Sep 2020 #11
@OdrowazP
If you know where and when your ancestors in Poland were born you can get their birth records. After all, they must have got the information on ancestry from somewhere.
jon357 74 | 22,044
27 Jan 2021 #12
After all, they must have got the information on ancestry from somewhere.

It's best to be very wary of 'research' that others have done on ancestry.com, unless scans of documents etc are attached as files. Especially if it's family trees done by people across the Atlantic, in Australia etc. They've often just accepted pop up suggestions from the website and made connections between individuals in the past that are unrealistic but which look interesting/convenient. I've had that issue myself.

It's better not to accept the suggestions that come up, and better not to take other online family trees as gospel.
pawian 222 | 24,370
2 Apr 2021 #13
How do I make Odrowąż relevant to my life

To make it relevant, you need to know more about them first. Were they patriots who contributed to Poland`s development and fought for it in times of trouble? Or were they renegades who oppressed lower classes and collaborated with partitioners and occupants of Poland?

Start here:
oziemblowski.eu/odrowaz/index.htm
Goldenwold
1 Dec 2022 #14
I too am a 2nd generation Pekalski. Great Grandma and Grandma fled the war and ended up in Argentina 🇦🇷 where they had my father. Pretty sure my Grandfather met up with them a bit later and they ended up on NYC. My family always had turmoil so we didn't get to learn everyone in our family's name. But now.. Just browsing the internet I come across a family coat of arms and find out the clan might be Noble. I'm intrigued to continue my research. Thinking about getting the coat of arms tatted but need to make sure they were a clan I can be proud of.


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