Thursday, March 13, 2014

You Win Some, You Lose Some


Having found the patronymic key to connect me with the previous generation in my godmother’s as-yet-unknown Melnitchenko family history, I wanted to race to the closest online genealogical resource of Ukranians-R-Us.

Not so fast, however.

I need to make sure some other details don’t slip through my fingers—before I forget I had found them.

For one thing, there were some documents I had discovered on Lydia, my godmother’s mother. Just like I had seen with my godmother’s naturalization records—where what I had previously thought to be her middle name was actually an Americanized version of a patronymic—her mother’s records had presented the same information.

When I first discovered the index card for Lydia’s Declaration of Intent, I was elated. Not yet understanding the Russian—and eastern European—use of patronyms in their names, I had presumed I had just located Lydia’s maiden name.

The card had printed Lydia’s name as:


Melnitchenko, Lydia Theodore

I instantly decided I had found Lydia’s maiden name! What a prize in a world where women often became invisible upon marriage.

Of course, that moment of elation was short-lived. Once I made the discovery, yesterday, of the patronymic naming tradition of Russian heritage—and that of nearby cultures as well—I saw Lydia shrink back into oblivion.

Well, at least partial invisibility. I do, at least, know her father’s first name. Correct that: I know the Americanized version of her father’s first name. Whatever the Ukrainian equivalent is to the name Theodore, that is Lydia’s father’s actual name.

Now, if only I could locate some Ukrainian marriage records, complete with listing of bride’s father’s first name.

And, oh: compatibility with Google™ Translate. I’m thinking I would need a big assist there, too.

9 comments:

  1. Hmm.. Teodor is the "Russian" (and Ukraine) form. I have been thinking Lydia did not seem very "Russian" - she may have spelled it Lidiya or even Lidiia or even лiдiя

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    1. Lydia may be a challenge to figure out. It's so frustrating to finally find someone in governmental records--only to discover the bureaucrat was suffering from a grave case of typezian or something...

      Thanks for the tip on Theodore = Teodor, Iggy. Makes sense.

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  2. With the husband being a sailor who seemed to "get around," do you think it possible he met her somewhere other than close to his childhood home?

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    1. I am not sure exactly where the two of them met. Because Michael was a sailor, I feel pretty certain I need to stick to coastlands for his residence--and likely, his birthplace. If his livelihood was what brought him to Lydia's hometown, that would mean she'd have to live in a coastal area, too--though you're right: it doesn't necessarily have to be the same place as where he came from.

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  3. Russian equivalents of Theodore include Fedor, Feodor, Fyodor. Patronimics include Fedorov, Fedorova (there's the feminine), Fyodorov, Fyodorova, Fedorovitch, Fyodorovitch.

    And in case you're ever on Genealogy Jeopardy, Anthony Fedorov was in the top 4 of American Idol the year Carrie Underwood won. He was born in the Ukraine.

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    1. Thank you Wendy, I had forgotten the Feodor form. I think the Teodor form would have been used in the Ukraine - but this part of the world loves its variations on the form!

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    2. Ah, all the variations! That's quite a list, Wendy! Thanks for including the patronymics, too...not to mention the American Idol trivia ;)

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  4. Ack..I would call it good, but you are a better more persistent researcher than I am! :)

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    1. ...well, persistent only when there is a paper trail that lets me keep on going. I may have to wait for more of this stuff to get posted online. It's unlikely I'll be heading to the Ukraine any time soon...

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