LL-L: "Names" LOWLANDS-L, 20.APR.2000 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 20.APR.2000 (05) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Kevin Koch [kkoch at npcc.net]
Subject: personal names

Moin Lowlanders!

I am looking for some answers to names in our family tree and their more
proper or registered forms.  I'm searching for records of Webster and
Lena Koch and descendants of Bunderhammerich, Ostfriesland - Between
Bunde and Ditzum.  My Great-grandfather, Hermann Heinrich Koch was born
there and all brothers and sisters.  My Great-grandmother, Maike
Koenig,  was born in Ditzum and all of her brothers and sisters.  But it
is believed that Webster and Lena lived and died near Bonn after all
children immigrated to US.

Last year I visited the area and went to the archival office in Bonn.
They told me that Webster was not a legal name at that time (mid 1800's)
and they would have had to register under a Christian name considered
legal at the time.  Well, I don't know where that leaves me in searching
unless I find, possibly, other information on the ship's manifest  from
Hermann's immigration to US.

Anyway, can anyone give me the longer and more correct spellings, etc.
of any of the following names in our  family tree?  (All spoke Frisian
and Platt I believe although I would like to know more about the
specific dialects of those towns sometime.....)

Descendants of:

WEBSTER (also written at times as Webb, and Wubbo ???) and
LENA KOCH

Their Children and Spouses:
1.  Hermann Koch  m.  Maike Koenig  -  Hermann was b. Aug 1, 1856
2.  Clausena Koch  m.  Henry Gruis
3.   Lena Koch  m.  Peter DeGrote
4.  Bena  (I recently discovered is short for Jacobine) Koch  m.  Ed
Schnose
5.  Johanna Koch  m.  Hiko Jans
6.  Fred Koch  m.  Kate Bulthuis
7.  Margaret Koch  m.  Ontje Walthoff
8.  Anna Koch  m.  Mike Claussen
9.  Cobus Koch  m.  Dena Niehaus

I appreciate any input and help in advance.

Kind regards,
Kevin A. Koch

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From: R. F. Hahn [sassisch at yahoo.com]
Subject: Names

Kevin,

It looks as though you are dealing with the common problem of earlier
immigrants to the US having their "weird" names changed, oftentime not of
their own choosing.  Obviously, Webster isn't a "German" name, i.e., an
"officially" permitted name.  (I don't know if it is now. -- Unlike in the US,
child naming is regulated in Germany, and foreign names and their orthographic
variants may be used only if they are on the official list or official
representatives of a foreign country verify that they exist and are spelled
correctly.)

I don't know if it helps, but you might take a look at the "W" names on this
list: http://vornamen.com/namen/w_male.htm.  There are some Low Saxon/German
and Frisian names among them.  Although apparently neither Frisian nor Saxon,
"Wibo" and "Wippo" spring to mind as a candidate, also Frisian "Wybren".

Reinhard/Ron

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