Good way to kill someone though. Send a food parcel containing nut products to someone with a nut allergy, in a box printed with a foreign language. Wait for them to come online and ask if it's OK, then leap in and say, "It's fine, nothing to worry about."
I'm just saying, that's all. I'm 94% sure Finck isn't trying to kill you, Dolly. Maybe even 95%.
Thank you Finck.
Actually you may be able to help me with something else; I've been researching my family tree and I have a German branch. But they changed their surname after they settled in the UK (for...er...certain reasons relating to Anglo-German relations) and it's proving difficult discovering their original name. Oral family history has it that it was something like 'swiner', though someone else in the family thought it was Slazenger (as in the tennis rackets).
Are there any common german surnames like this, that I can begin to research?
Danke
Quote: Graham Bandage @ October 6 2008, 12:12 PM BSTGood way to kill someone though. Send a food parcel containing nut products to someone with a nut allergy, in a box printed with a foreign language. Wait for them to come online and ask if it's OK, then leap in and say, "It's fine, nothing to worry about."
I'm just saying, that's all. I'm 94% sure Finck isn't trying to kill you, Dolly. Maybe even 95%.
lol. I'm trying to think who would want to assisinate me ...and so far I've got the list down to be about 37 people.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ October 6 2008, 12:17 PM BSTThank you Finck.
Actually you may be able to help me with something else; I've been researching my family tree and I have a German branch. But they changed their surname after they settled in the UK (for...er...certain reasons relating to Anglo-German relations) and it's proving difficult discovering their original name. Oral family history has it that it was something like 'swiner', though someone else in the family thought it was Slazenger (as in the tennis rackets).
Are there any common german surnames like this, that I can begin to research?
First of all: Dolly, I'm not trying to kill you.
Now to the names:
It's quite difficult to reconstruct the way in which names or words change in oral tradition. Do you know from which region in Germany your ancestors were? That would help a lot.
Swiner could be derived from Schreiner, but there could have been a syllable before that that's been cut off. I don't think that it was a name that begins with 'Schw'.
Slazenger doesn't sound like a German name at all. Maybe 'Salzinger'?
It might be an idea to consider if their chosen English name bears any relation to a trade or profession and then finding out what the German equivalent is. It might provide you with a clue if all else fails.
Of course, they could have just chosen a name that was as typically English as possible, so Finck's idea of finding a regional connection
is probably a better one to explore first.
I have always wanted to trace my family tree. I'm pretty sure we're not German though.
My family is of some German extraction. All very confusing and mysterious though.
Thanks Finck and Ian G. The Anglo name they adopted was Surgeoner, which is quite a rare name and therefore an unusual choice which, as you said, makes me think it sounds like their original name. Theory is that it's a name dervived from the professon of surgeon, but back when they were more like butchers, hacking limbs off on battlefields, rather than like doctors. However the chap in my family was a glove maker.
I don't know what region they're from.
Ellie - it's pretty easy to do now with the internet, give it a go!
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ October 6 2008, 2:55 PM BSTEllie - it's pretty easy to do now with the internet, give it a go!
I'm not sure I want to dig up some dirty secrets... I think I'll leave it like it is. 
You can only go to pretty basic levels without paying on the internet, but it is ace to find out anything you can.
You might find out you're fifteenth in line to the throne in... Moldovia.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ October 6 2008, 2:55 PM BSTThanks Finck and Ian G. The Anglo name they adopted was Surgeoner, which is quite a rare name and therefore an unusual choice which, as you said, makes me think it sounds like their original name. Theory is that it's a name dervived from the professon of surgeon, but back when they were more like butchers, hacking limbs off on battlefields, rather than like doctors. However the chap in my family was a glove maker.
Butcher is Fleischer or Schlachter. Another old translation for surgeon would be Bader, which is quite a common name.
Oh, and I looked up Slazenger. It's the anglicized form of Schlesinger, originally meaning someone from Silesia (Schlesien).
Quote: zooo @ October 6 2008, 3:12 PM BSTYou might find out you're fifteenth in line to the throne in... Moldovia.
Quote: Finck @ October 6 2008, 3:13 PM BSTButcher is Fleischer or Schlachter. Another old translation for surgeon would be Bader, which is quite a common name.
Oh, and I looked up Slazenger. It's the anglicized form of Schlesinger, originally meaning someone from Silesia (Schlesien).
That's fab, Finck, thanks. (try saying that quickly). I shall try and find out more...
I shall neither confirm nor deny.
Princess Aaron? Surely?
You can't beat a good bit of childish humour.