The Melting Pot

Introduction

Pedigree Chart

One of my hobbies is amateur genealogy research and with the help of online tools, it turns out you can venture into the dark recesses of your ancestry, learning perhaps more than you really might want to know.  But I find family names fascinating.  I have discovered that I am related to an Aas … and a Nyren (name change from Pearson, because there were so many Pearsons on the mail route - Nyren = “New Line”) … and Carlsons, Ericksons, Danielsons, Andersons, Nelsons, Pearsons and a whole mess of more “sons”.  Who’d a guessed?

So I’ve decided to take a shot at a (minimal) Lowry genealogy and hopefully inspire you to contribute. Mainly, I have tried to identify the place of origin of Lowry families and the name of the immigrant.  I cannot guarantee the precision of this and I have some gaps as you will see. And I’ve missed names.  The most likely mistake in this list would be switching your family from Swedish to Norwegian or vice versa. A thousand pardons. And the immigrant families often have many branches, so the immigrant and place name may not apply to all holding a particular surname.  

[If you find errors, please submit corrections and additions to the list as a comment at the bottom of this post - or email me @ ussbb62.gmail.com. If there's enough interest, I’ll do a “Part 2” with additions and corrections. Maybe you'll catch the family history bug. ] 


Unfortunately, without more info, the Scandinavian “..son” names are difficult to trace. How many Ole Olsons are there in the world?  My grandfather was an Ole & I have several other "Ole's" in my lineage. "Ole" is actually a Danish form of the Norwegian "Olav" or "Olafr" - an old Norse name. The oldest known form is "Anulaibar" from "anu" which means "ancestor" and suffix "laibar" which means "descendent" or "heir". So Ole means "ancestor's descendant". Pretty generic, eh? What a name for genealogist to find, but you really don't want to find an Ole Olson, if you don't have a bunch more info.

And also, unfortunately, spousal maiden names are not captured here, except by accident.

Notation: In the lists below, I have used the convention of “d:< >" for the derivation of the surname, “e: < >” for place of emigration & "i: < >" for the name of the immigrant.

Lowry Genealogy

In 1957 Lowry seemed pretty homogeneous with two major ethnic camps. And this melting pot has not melted much.

On the one hand, there are the Protestant Scandinavians, most easily identifiable by their naming convention of taking the father’s given name + “son”  (or “dattter”) to produce the surname - a bane to genealogists as the family name changes every generation.   

Lowry had:  Anderson, Carlson, Christenson, Danielson, Erickson, Erlandson, Gulbranson, Hanson, Larson, Johnson, Nelson, Olson, Person, Peterson, Swanson, Swenson, Thompson, ..

(The Scots had the same kind of convention, pre-pending Mc or Mac, hence MacIver=son of Iver. As did the Poles with “ski”.)

The 2nd major group, the Catholic Czechs/Bohemians have more interesting names.

Bartos - Czech 
d: a vernacular pet form of the personal name Bartolomaeus.
e: Bosllec, Trebon, Austria, Czech Republic
i: Frank Bartos / Martin Bartos / Joseph Bartos / Anna Bartos

Benesh - Czech  
d: from a reduced form of the personal name Benedikt.  
e: Pravetice, CZ
i: Joseph Benesh

Bisek - Czech 
e: Vlachovo Brezí, South Bohemia, Czech Republic
i: Joseph Bisek Sr.

Bosek - Czech 
e: Konopiste, Vlachovo Brezi, Bohemia, CZ
i: John Bosek Jr.

Brosh - Czech 
d: variation on Broz - from Saint Ambrose 
e: Konopiste, Vlachovo Brezi, Bohemia,CZ
i: Frank Brosh

Chalupnik - Czech  
d: cottage

Chan - Czech 
e: Konopiste, Vlachovo Brezi, Bohemia & Lipovice, Vlachovo Březí, CZ
i: Jakob Kohn Chan / Frantisek (Frank) J. Chan

Chermak - Czech 
d: nickname meaning ‘redstart’, a robin
e: Rasovice1, Bohemia, CZ
i: Charles Chermak / Jozef Chermak

Chlian - Czech
i: Thomas Chlian (Kline / Chlan)
Dvorsak - Czech 
d: occupational name for a person who owned or worked at a manor

Dynda - Czech
i: John Dynda

Hanzlik - Czech 
d: pet form of Hanzel
i: Mathias Hanzlik

Kalina - Czech 

d: Slavic kalina ‘guelder rose’, ‘snowball tree’

e: Ledec, East Bohemia Czech Republic
i: Vaclav (Wencil) Kalina

Koubsky- Czech
i: Joseph Wencil Koubsky

Koudela - Czech

Hvezda/Star - Czech 
e: Lštení, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic
i: Joseph Hvezda

Landa - Czech
d: short form of the personal name Mikulanda, a derivative of Mikuláš,
i: Thomas Landa
Motis - Czech
i: Anton A. Motis
Mrnak - Czech
Prchal - Czech
e: Koenigreich, Austria
i: Frank J. Prchal / Peter Prchal
Radil - Czech
i: Frank Radil / Joseph Radil
Shermak - Czech
e: Rasovice1, Bohemia, CZ

Svec - Czech 
d: occupational name for a shoemaker 
e: Svata Katerina #2, CZ
i: Joseph Frances Svec

Trousil - Czech 
e: Pravetice, Central Bohemia, Czech Republic
i: Frank Trousil

Tvrdik - Czech 
d: an obstinate or severe person, from Czech 'tvrdy' (hard)
e: Bela, Ledec, Bohemia, Czech Republic
i: Frank J. Tvrdik

Zavadil - Czech 
d: the past participle of Czech 'zavadit' (to touch)
e: Adamov, Moravia, Germany
i: Joseph Zavadil

But, there’s more to the story.

Hopla Mill, Norway

Often Scandinavians appended the name of the farm they lived on to their name.  For example, my great-great grandfather was Olaus Jonsen Risan, Risan being the farm name and when he moved to another farm, his name changed.  More nightmares for genealogists. When these Swedes and Norwegians immigrated to the USA, largely in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, they often took the farm name or the place they came from as their surname. Thus a whole 2nd category of Scandinavian names from place or farm names:  Dahl, Berg, Rosten, Strom, Stedt, Solem, Myhr, Nesjo, ... (It didn’t seem strange then, but it does now.  Why all the names beginning with “Bj”?  Well … those Swedes.)

And there were a few other nationalities sprinkled in the small population.  Here’s a compilation, again with no guarantees of precision.  

Aal - Norway

e: Stodspretejeld, Norway

i: Iver J. Aal

Amundson - Norway
Anderson (Elmer - son of Albert) - Sweden

d: son of Anders

e: Boras, Vastra Gotaland, Sweden

i: Swante Andreasson

Anderson (Harold - son of Albert) - Sweden

e: Boras, Vastra Gotaland, Sweden
i: Swante Andreasson
Anderson (Floyd - son of Edwin) - Sweden
e: Boras, Vastra Gotaland, Sweden
i: Swante Andreasson
Arneson - Norway

Bennett - English (Chester)

d: the medieval personal name Benedict (Latin Benedictus meaning ‘blessed’) 

e: Woodside, Northumberland, England, UK via Canada
i: Robert Bennett (UK), William Bennett (Canada)

Bergquist - Scandinavian 
d: mountain, twig (berg (mountain), kvist (twig)

Boe - Norway 
d: a powerfully built man  

Boyer - Sweden
Bjerke - Norway 
d: ornamental or topographic name from Old Norse birki ‘birch’ 
e. Rudsæter, Nes, Akershus, Norway 
i: Sigurd Bjerke

Bjokne - Norway
i: Jacob Hans Bjokne

Bjorklund - Sweden  
d: dweller at or near the birch grove
i: Lars Svenson Bjorklund

Bjurlin - Sweden  
e: Varmland, Sweden
i: Andrew Bjurlin

Blair - Ireland via Canada
d: one who came from a blair (a plain, especially a battlefield)
e: Ireland via Canada
i: John C. Blair (Ontario), James Blair (Ireland)

Brandt - Germany 
d: dweller on a farm cleared by burning 
e: Pomen, Germany
i: Wilhelm Brandt

Dahl - Norway  
d: valley (variation on dale).  also Ogdahl d: high valley .

Dahlseng - Norway 
d: variation of Dahl

Dahlgren - Sweden  
d: variation of Dahl, green valley 
e: Ljur, Vastra Gotaland, Sweden
i: Johan Axel Rapp Dahlgren

Dingwall - Scotland 
d: one who came from Dingwall (council-field)
e: Culbokie, Rosshire, Scotland
i: Donald Dingwall / James Dingwall

Ekstrand - Sweden 
d: ek (oak) + strand (sea shore)
e: Ryd Sodregard Ekeberga, Sweden
i: Nils Johan Ekstrand

Engebretson - Norway 
d: son of Engebert  
e: Sør-Fron, Oppland, Norway
i: Peder Engebretson

Engerholm - Norway 
e: Haugen, Enebakk, Akershus, Norway
i: Rev. John N. Engerholm

Femrite - Norway 
e: Sognal, Norway
d: farm name in Sogn, fim (early growth in spring) + reit (small field)
i: Nils Inerson Femrite

Flynn - Irish?  
d: a red-haired or ruddy-complexioned man; descendant of Flann (reddish or ruddy)

Gilbertson - Norway

e: N. Etnedal, Valdres, Norway

i: Ola Gudbrandson Bjorkset Gilbertson

Grandstrom - Sweden 

d: farm name , spruce + stream or perhaps large stream

Guderian - North Germany 
d: nickname from a reduced form of guter Johann ‘good John'

Gulbranson - Norway
e: Nordre Land, Oppland, Norway
i: Ole Magnet Gulbranson
Gunness - ?

Hagen - Norway 
d: enclosed pasture
i: Mathias Hagen

Hagstrom - Sweden
d: dweller at a cherry tree by a stream
Hanson (Clarence) - Norway
e: Jarlsborg, Norway
i: Carl Herman Hanson

Hayenga - Germany

d: Frisian: derivative of the personal name Hajo

e: Simonswolde, Aurich, Niedersachsen, Germany

i: Kampe J Klaasen Hayenga

Hedlin - Sweden 
e: Tämta, Älvsborg Län, Sweden
i: Klas Edward Hedlin

Heggestad - Norway 
d: 'hegge' (cherry)  + 'stad' (town)
e: Fjerland, Sogn, Norway
i: John Heggestad

Henderson - Scotland
d: variant  Henry - also Henryson
i: George Henderson
Holden - Norway 
d: deep valley

Hollenbeck - Germany?
d: name from a place so named near Hamburg or from Hollenbek near Ratzeburg.
Holtberg - Scandinavian  
d: wooded mountain

Hoplin - Norway 
d: surname should have been Olausson but Nils used a place name  
e: Hopla Fjord and/or Hopland, Norway
i: Nils Olaus Hopland

Jaeger / Viggants - Latvia (Displaced Persons sponsored by St. Pauli Lutheran)

Jenks - ?
Johnson (Jack) - Norway

e: Fitijar, Norway
i: Andrew K. Johnson

Klimek - Germany
e: Slawianowo, West Prussia
i: George T. Klimek
Klingbeil - Germany
d: kling + beil "ringing axe"
Kluver - Germany
Lenz - Germany
e: Trier, Rhineland, Germany 
i: Frederick W. Lenz
Lida - Norway
i: Syvert Siver Lida
Loftingmoe - Norway 
d: one who lived at or near the heath or lowland

Logan - Scotland/Northern Ireland  
d: one who came from a logan (little hollow)

Loren - Sweden, pronounced Loreeeen

Lundblad - Sweden 
d: lund (grove) + blad (leaf)  
e: Mossen, Östanbäck, Väne-Åsaka fs., Västergötland, Sweden
i: Johan Lundblad Johannesson

Lundebrek - Norway
e: Selje, Sogn Fjord, Norway
i: Ole Lundebrek
Lysen - Sweden

MacIver - Scotland
McIver- Scotland 
d: son of Iver (but ultimately from 7th century Vikings - we were everywhere) 
e: Cullicudden , Ross-Shire,Scotland
i: William McIver

Middents - Germany

Molander - Sweden 
d: placename (Molanda) + ander=man

Mork - Norway 
d: nickname for someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion 
e: from planet Ork

Mortenson - Norway
Nelson - Sweden 

e: Solberg, Frykerud, Sweden
i: Carl Nelson

Newman - ?
Opheim - Norway: 

d: farm name, chiefly in Hordaland, Old Norse Uppheimr, uppi ‘up’ + heimr ‘farmstead’ 

e: Aurdal, Valdres, Norway
i: Nels O. Opheim

Overgaard - Norway
d: upper farm
Person - Sweden
e: Horup, Skane, Sweden
i: Hans Person
Pischke - Eastern Germany 
d: from a pet form of the personal name Pisch, a Slavic derivative of Peter
i: Albert Pieschke

Quitney - Norway 
e: Voss, Norway
i: Aslag Herlugson Quitney

Rice - Welsh/English 
d: descendant of Rhys (fiery warrior) or variation of Reese

Robieson/Owens - Scotland/Wales
e: Duffus Parish, Elgin, Scotland / Llanddusant, Anglesey, Wales
i: Alexander Robieson / Ellen Owens

Rohloff - Germany 
d: descendant of Rudolf (renown, wolf) 
e: Stettin, Pomerania, Germany
i: Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Rohloff

Rosten/Killingberg - Norway
d: farmsteads named Røsten, from rust ‘grove’, ‘ridge
     e: Grong, Overhalla, Nord-Trondelag, Norway / Leksvig, Trondelag, Norway
     i:  Jacob Andreason Rosten / Johanna Killingberg
Rudgren - Norway

Rykhus - Norway 
d: smokehouse  
e: Dovre, Gudbrandsdalen, Norway
i: Peder Siversen Rykhus

Schluter - Germany 
d: one who worked as a doorkeeper of a prison

Sell - Germany
e: Saalfeld, Germany now Zalewo, Poland 
i: Wilhelm L. Sell
Spielman - Germany
d: spiel=game
e: Darmstadt-Hessen, Germany  
i: Philip Spielman
Stavem - Norway 
d: place name 
e: Kjellshus-Stavem, Stavem, Lesja, Oppland, Norway
i: Trond Tostensen

Stivland - Norway 
d: stiv (stiff) + land
e: Ringebu, Oppland, Norway
i: Sven Jonson Stivland

Strandness - Norway
e: Vikedal Parish, Stavanger Amt, Norway
i: Jorgen Strandness
Terhaar - Germany 
e: Epe, Nordhein-Westphalia, Germany
i: Herman Terhaar
Teigen - Norway 
d: farm name from Old Norse teigr ‘strip of land’ 
e: Lesja, Gudbrandsdalen, Norway
i: Iver Jorgensen Teign

Thue - Norway
d: farmsteads named Tue, from Old Norse þúfr ‘hillock’, ‘mound’
Troen - Norway
d: troen means "faith" in Norwegian
e: Tronelogen, Norway
i: Benjamin Troen
Weaver - England 
d: one who wove cloth 
e: Canada

Smith - England 
d: one who worked with metal 
e: Canada

Vrooman - Canada
e: Nova Scotia, Canada
Wagner - Germany 
d: a teamster or wagon driver 
e: Wiesing, Schwaz, Tyrol, Austria
i: Balthasar Wagner
Weisel - Germany
d: place name in Hessen / Rhineland / Wurttemburg - also from wisel (chief)
e: Gamback, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany
i: Tobias Weisel

And one African