Puzzling surname change - house surname?
I am puzzling over a surname change. From 1833 to 1869 my ancestors' surname changed back and forth between Bucskanyin and Falajtar. After 1860 the name stayed as Bucskanyin. Children were named either Bucskanyin or Falajtar and I cannot find an ancestor before abt 1804 that I can definitively link with EITHER surname. Several records are recorded as Bucskanyin /:Falajtar:/ and one is recorded as Falajtar /:Bucskanyin:/
I cannot find a marriage that would explain this so I'm leaning toward the theory that this is a house surname. The house number is consistently 136 throughout in Cziroka Hossumezo, Slovakia.
Is there a way to determine what the actual surname is/was and what was the house name? I tried tracing the house number through the county records (all 500+ pages) but could not find anyone at all in that house prior to 1833 (were houses ever renumbered?).
I am new to genealogy but finding it endlessly fascinating!
Often knowing the period history during which these recordings were made can be helpful in explaining, or at a minimal, create a hypothesis for what's going on.
You don't mention the country, region or village name, which would be extremely insightful. Knowing if we are speaking of a rural village, town or city, along with knowing the family's demographics - ethnicity and religion provide useful tools as well. Behaviour is motivated by environment.
My work, focuses primarily on Slovakia, but I've looked at perhaps thousands of village records over 25 years. I've yet to see a dwelling receive an alias name. People, yes. In small villages with few surnames, common naming traditions and no "middle name", you'll often see the same name repeatedly used. In these cases, individuals often were given nicknames. Nicknames are lost with time since they are not official or legal names and thus almost never appear in church books or census.
Another important clue is to look at other entries included by scribe. You don't disclose what document you sourced this information, which is an essential element that must be included in every discussion. Let's suppose it's a church record. In these cases an official (priest, minister, rabbi) often adds their own color, such as abbreviations or other data not officially mandated. So figure out what years that individual was doing the recording and look through those records for similar patterns.
Census records can also provide clues. Knowing who is living in the dwelling, such as multiple families can help explain things.
People were quick to remarry after the death of a spouse. Married couples were an economic necessity in those times. I would also not be so quick to dismiss lack of a marriage record.
One hypothetical suggestion: Two families living under one roof; the father/husband of one family departs/dies. Might the remaining children take on the other's surname? An odd hypothesis, but one work checking on.
As Dianne said at the conference, developing a chronology/profile of village life is an important tool. It helps you understand what was going on at the time and what customs and traditions were common in that village. Two villages may have significant differences in how things are done. Generalizations don't work across our villages. I've seen cases where customs, words and even superstitions are quite different in two villages three kilometers apart.
Good Luck!
Bill
Hello LMS. Please, feel free to write an email to Education at CGSI dot org. Thank you. IB