|
|
|
GIVEN
NAMES ALLISON JEAN
ALLISON: (English)
This given name means "of noble birth; she with a noble mind and
a kindred spirit."
JEAN: (French, Hebrew) means "God is gracious."
I was named ALLISON JEAN at birth, in honour of
my paternal grandparents Alice and Albert Joseph Perkins (London, England). My Dad
picked my name as he was the one to register me at the hospital.
He often insisted that it was a name worthy of a Prime Minister. I have become very proud of my name.
The name ALLISON is derived from a medieval Norman
form of ALICE (my paternal Grandmother's name meaning
"nobility"). Usage of the name was first recorded in Scotland
in the 12th century where it remained popular until the early 19th
century.
SURNAME
WOJTASZEK
The
WOJTASZEK (Polish) surname is taken
from the personal name VOJTEK (Slavic:
Vojtech, Polish: Wojciech or Wojtek, Czech:
Vojtek or Vojtech, Bulgarian: Vojtek), which literally
translats to mean "Consoling the Host" (from voj: 'host',
'army', 'force' + 'comfort' and 'consolation'). Other Varients
of WOJTASZEK include Wojtas, Wojtasek, Wojtak,
Wojtek, Wojtczak, Wojcik, Wojcicki, Wojt, Vojtek, Vojtech.
WOJTASZEK was a popular personal name among Christians
in Eastern Europe, mainly due to the cult following of St.
Vojtech (c.956 - 997 C.E.). Adalbert
Vojtech, professed to the Order of Saint
Benedict (Ordo S. Benedicti), was the first bishop of
Prague from 982 C.E. onwards. In 996 C.E. he was sent by the Pope
on a mission to Poland, where he was martyred in his efforts to
convert the Baltic Prussians in 997 C.E. He was subsequently canonized
two years later and is regarded as the first Polish saint (and
the patron saint of Bohemia, Poland, Hungary, and Prussia). It
is believed that the Bohemian duke Bretislav I retrieved the bones
of Saint Adalbert Vojtech from Gniezno in 1039 and moved them
to be buried in the Saint Vitus Cathedral in Prague, Czech Republic.
However, it is possible some of his bones were left in his silver
tomb in the Cathedral of Gniezno as well, giving him two gravesites
(which set of bones are authentic is not currently known).
The surname WOJTASZEK is a significant part of
the long and complex history that belongs to Poland. The name
likely gained in popularity in the decades after St. Vojtech's
death, but the first recorded legal use of the name was not until
the 13th century when a family with the surname WOJTASZEK
owned land in Leczyca, Poland for the period of 400 years.
First
recorded on the North American continent in c. 1790 C.E. (USA),
the surname WOJTASZEK has become the 44,851st
most popular last name in the United States of America.
In
1946 Canada (Order PC 3112 July 23, 1946) began allowing
"European Displaced Persons" to emigrate. One of the
first group of refugees arrived at Pier 21 in Halifax on Nov 14
1946, consisted of members from the Polish Armed Forces who had
served with the Allies during WWII. Most of them travelled to Alberta via train to work in the
agricultural industry. This is how Duncan's branch of the family came to be in Canada. Today in Canada the surname WOJTASZEK
is much less common than in the USA or Europe - with only 13 Wojtaszek's
listed publically listed in the 411 telephone directory. It seems that since 1920 the majority of immigrating Wojtaszeks chose the USA.
Modern pronounciation: "wa - tas - ick"
My husband and I are currently researching our
Surnames (history and etymology) and as such this page will be updated as we find more
information on the etymology and history of our last name. If you have
come to this page because you are also researching the name WOJTASZEK
and have anything to share please feel free to contact
us. Please note that I did pay for some of the research and the family crest, so it would be very nice if you asked for permission to use it.
You might also be interested in the WOJTASZEK Facebook Group. Other resources can be found here and here.
SURNAME
PERKINS
FAMILY MOTTO: A Honest one of the Sentinels
of Truth
PERKINS is an English patrynomic surname meaning
from Peir or Peter, little Peter, or the son of Peter.
The PERKINS Clan has a long history with it's beginings
as a noble family located mainly in the southern part of England.
The first recorded use of the surname PERKINS was
in Leicestershire when it appeared on census rolls taken by the
King of England circa 400 C.E.
I am honoured to say that this venerable surname is my maiden name;
my Father was Reginald William Perkins (of London,
England) and my Grandfather was Albert Joesph Perkins
(of London, England) who both emigrated to Canada with their families
in 1968.
James Fulton Perkins researched and wrote an essay on the PERKINS
surname. Here is an excerpt from those published results:
"The family name Perkins is one of the most distinguished of
the ancient world during a time of Kingdoms, Kings and Knights.
If we are to believe Bede, the Chronicler of the Saxons, this founding
race of England was led by the Saxon General/Commanders Hengist
and Horsa and settled in Kent during this time and was a Anglo/Saxon
race. However, there is evidence to support the claim that the name
is of Celtic/Welsh origin. Based on British history we know that
after the last Roman Legions left the continent in the early part
of the 5th century the Saxons, Angles and other Low German tribes
settled in Southeastern England around Kent. However, the Ancient
Britons (Celtics) were the true natives of the area and it is an
amalgamation of the Angles, Saxons and Celtic Britons who became
what we refer to today as the Anglo/Saxons. The truth is that the
Angles and Saxons may have "moved in", but the Britons were there
in far greater numbers, thus accounting for the claim that the blood
line is far more Celtic than any other. Therefore it should be concluded
that the origins of the Perkins "Clan" are Celtic/Welsh.
The Anglo/Saxon five-century domination of English society was an
uncertain time and the nation divided into five separate kingdoms.
By 1066 King Harold had come to the throne of England and was enjoying
reasonable peace and prosperity. However, the invasion from France
and their victory at the Battle of Hastings, found many Englishmen
moving.
By the 13th century the family name Perkins emerged as a notable
English family in the county of Leicester, where they were recorded
as a family of great antiquity seated as Lords of the manor and
estates in that shire. They had branched to Ufton Court in Berkshire
and Sutton Coldfield in Warwickshire, later branching to Nuneaton,
Marston and Hillmorton, Warwickshire. The main stem of the family
continued at Orton Hall in Leicestershire, where it remains to this
day. Notable amongst the family at this time was Perkins of Leicester.
For the next two or three centuries bearers of the surname Perkins
flourished and played a significant role in the political development
of England..."[3]
SURNAME
SMYTH
FAMILY MOTTO: Always Faithful
The SMYTH Surname is easily the most prolific surname
in the British Empire and maybe even the western world (with variants
like Smith, Smithe, Smythe, Smitty, Smits,Smithson and Schmidt).
SMYTH is an anglised version of MacGowan, which literally translated
from the original Irish means "son of the smith" (Mac an Ghabhainn)
and it is further derived from the Anglo-Saxon term "smitan" (to
smite or strike). "SMITH," and its derivations thereof, is an occupational
name - as the trades (blacksmith for example) became increasingly
important both to the military and to the overall economy the name
"SMITH" became associated with these skilled workers and their families.
SMYTH was my first married surname and a name I used for 14 years.
It is worth noting that one of my first husband's ancestors rescued
one of my Scottish ancestors (from the Royal Stuart Clan) from drowning
in a lake in Scotland and as such he, and all of his descendants,
were given the honour and the right to wear our STUART
family tartan. It really is a small world!
|
|
|
|
|
