Hello to all, pretty excited about finding and being welcomed into the group. Crazy thing about me posting on this message (at least right now) because my main focus on research has been my maternal side. After almost 10 years of trying to uncover any rock, stone or boulder that could reveal something... anything about them. In the last month or so, my (adult) daughter says to me "Mom, Gma said that GG spoke some sort of German dialect called Shwibian or Shwabian something like that"
Thanks to Googles awesome ability to figure out the incorrect spelling of my dialect search lead me to Banat Swabian and the Danube Swabians. From there I have been running with searches and findings like my hair was on fire, which was how I was fortunate to land here. So now I will get off that rabbit trail which included a mini dissertation and inquire on what I was attempting to do in the first place SMH.
Not wanting to add more confusion to what has already been a little bit of a cluster BUUUT...
Flipping to my Paternal side my maiden name is NAPE, like Moms side little is to be known of the European side. Absolutely no records (paper, digital, online ect...) that I have or am aware of that can take me back to pre 1850 ish. The earliest I have found starts with 2nd GGrandfather Henry Joseph NAPE born b1828 allegedly in Hesse-Darmstadt. the records I've located and feel confident about is a birth record for the oldest son Thomas Henry b1853 in Wilkes Barre PA. From there I have located more US records, not much but enough and with what my mom started back in the early 80's I feel I have a good foundation and for the most part pretty accurate.
My brick wall is the European link immigration and family records and my tingley spidey senses feel that the block is the spelling/orgin of the surname. Mom had quite a few trails but nothing has made sense as of yet. When searching NAPE I have only found with that exact spelling was in England other results gave me similar/sounds like spellings everything else was resulting in different spellings like you stated in another reply KNAB, KNAPP, KNAAB, KNOPP, KNOB, KNAP, KNOP, KNIPP along with NEEB, NEB I think there has even been NEP. Mom's side trail notes to herself included comments how some of the surname spellings could be of Scottish and our specific spelling possibly Norwegian which I understand are considered a northern Germanic group. So where does the Hesse-Darmstadt fit in? Should I start in Norway with what I know the only documented spelling to be? I am also thinking that if in fact the origin is any of the previous mentioned possibilites I think I would probably need to find other groups more geared to that region (not sure because my geography stinks) however I will def pick the crap out of everyones brains in this group for Moms family LOL.
I appreciate any input, direction even clarification I apologize for being so lengthly (one of my true downfalls). Even though this side has not been my area of research at this time I know if I did not inquire now, when the time comes I would have to back pedal. Thank you so much in advance. Kristi
Thanks to Googles awesome ability to figure out the incorrect spelling of my dialect search lead me to Banat Swabian and the Danube Swabians. From there I have been running with searches and findings like my hair was on fire, which was how I was fortunate to land here. So now I will get off that rabbit trail which included a mini dissertation and inquire on what I was attempting to do in the first place SMH.
Not wanting to add more confusion to what has already been a little bit of a cluster BUUUT...
Flipping to my Paternal side my maiden name is NAPE, like Moms side little is to be known of the European side. Absolutely no records (paper, digital, online ect...) that I have or am aware of that can take me back to pre 1850 ish. The earliest I have found starts with 2nd GGrandfather Henry Joseph NAPE born b1828 allegedly in Hesse-Darmstadt. the records I've located and feel confident about is a birth record for the oldest son Thomas Henry b1853 in Wilkes Barre PA. From there I have located more US records, not much but enough and with what my mom started back in the early 80's I feel I have a good foundation and for the most part pretty accurate.
My brick wall is the European link immigration and family records and my tingley spidey senses feel that the block is the spelling/orgin of the surname. Mom had quite a few trails but nothing has made sense as of yet. When searching NAPE I have only found with that exact spelling was in England other results gave me similar/sounds like spellings everything else was resulting in different spellings like you stated in another reply KNAB, KNAPP, KNAAB, KNOPP, KNOB, KNAP, KNOP, KNIPP along with NEEB, NEB I think there has even been NEP. Mom's side trail notes to herself included comments how some of the surname spellings could be of Scottish and our specific spelling possibly Norwegian which I understand are considered a northern Germanic group. So where does the Hesse-Darmstadt fit in? Should I start in Norway with what I know the only documented spelling to be? I am also thinking that if in fact the origin is any of the previous mentioned possibilites I think I would probably need to find other groups more geared to that region (not sure because my geography stinks) however I will def pick the crap out of everyones brains in this group for Moms family LOL.
I appreciate any input, direction even clarification I apologize for being so lengthly (one of my true downfalls). Even though this side has not been my area of research at this time I know if I did not inquire now, when the time comes I would have to back pedal. Thank you so much in advance. Kristi