Genealogy  of      
        Halychyna /
              Eastern Galicia
www.halgal.com





Home About Galicia Vital Records Gazetteers Finding Your Village
Halgal Links           Disclaimer         Contact Photos Bilyi Kamin / Biały Kamień parish
Repatriation and Resettlement of Ethnic Poles Maps Immigration to Ellis Island from Czeremosznia and Usznia
Greek Catholic Records of the Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine, Lviv Emigration from Bialy Kamien through the Port of Hamburg
Roman Catholic Records of the Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine,  Lwów / Lviv   Bielawa Family (of Poznan region, not Galicia)
Great Books: Ukrainian Genealogy: A Beginner's Guide                                                              -Older Bielawa Generations    -Newer Bielawa Generations
Going Home: A Guide to Polish American Family History Research
 
 
 

Vital Records Tour-
Examples of Birth / Baptismal Records

 

In reviewing the 18th and 19th century time period, the structure and layout of the records from Galicia/Halychyna are identical to other regions in the Austrian (after 1867 Austro-Hungarian) Empire.  This fact certainly helps anyone researching other family lines from different parts of the Empire, such as today's Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, etc. 

Sure, vital records all contain basically the same information.  In the case of birth/baptismal records, there is the place of the event, the name of the child, the parents' names (and often occupations) as well as the godparents' names (and again often occupations).  However, reading the records can be quite different.

 

 

 

What's in a name?

 

The column "Nomen" means "Name", and therefore is the place you'll find the name of the child born/baptized.  Sounds easy? 

Sure...but be careful...

Take a look at the following peculiarities.

 

Double Name - "Binominis"

The Latin term "Binominis" or its abbreviations "bin." or "binom." means "double name".  Therefore, it's one child and not two.  This naming convention is more common with members of the higher classes, but became "fashionable" even among the peasants in the later half of the 19th and early 20th Centuries.

Birth Bapt. House No. Name Catholic? Girl Status Parents Parents' Occupation Godparents
4-Nov 26-Dec 1 Carolina Mathilda (binominis) Legitimi Martinus Kądzielski et Carolina Hulewska filia Stanislai et Catherinae Mandatarius Biały Kamień Pantaleon Szneider.
Vilhelmina Malisz
4-Nov 26-Dec 1 Karolina Matylda Legitimate Marcin Kądzielski and Karolina Hulewska, daughter of Stanisław and Katarzyna Policeman from Biały Kamień Pantaleon Szneider.
Wilhelmina Malisz
Obst: Theresia Szablowska
Bapt: Ignatius Dunajewski, Curatus.
Midwife: Teresa Szablowska
Baptized by Ignacy Dunajewski, pastor.

from the village of Usznia, Roman Catholic Biały Kamień parish, 1851.
Names translated into Polish
, my preference since it's a Roman Catholic baptism.

 

 

Triple Name - "Trinominis"

This record is interesting.  A person with three names, born to a father and mother who each have three names.  And check out the father's and mother's titles...Serenissimus Dominus and Serenissima Domina, and her father's title Excellentissimus Dominus!  Definitely no peasant here!

Eustachius Cajetanus Vladislaus born to Joannes Paulus Alexander Prince Sapieha and Severina Maria Caesaria Urusska

from the village and Roman Catholic parish of Biłka Szlachecka, 1881.

 

 

Quadruple Name -- "Quadrinominis"

And just when you thought you wouldn't find more.  Here's a child who's given four names...Maria Cassandra Ludovica Leonarda!!

from the village of Bełzec, Roman Catholic parish of Biały Kamień, 1847.

 

 

 

Twins

The Latin terms for twins are "gemelli" for two boys or a boy and girl, and "gemellae" for two girls.  (Though sometimes you'll still find "gemelli" for two girls even though it's not proper Latin.)  Also note the additional godparents...a set for each child.

 

Birth Bapt. House No. Name Catholic? Girl Boy Status Parents Parents' Occupation Godparents Godparents' Occupations
11-Dec 11-Dec 187 Adam
et
Eva
gemelli





 
Legitimi

Legitimi
Adalbertus Kawałko filius Joannis et Catherinae natae Rewera.
Magdalena filia Barholomaei Czechowski et Agnetis natae Marmulewicz
agricola Hyacinthus Spód.
Rosalia Kawałko uxor Thomae.
Adalbertus Janiuk
Barbara Giza uxor Petri
agricolae


agricolae
11-Dec 11-Dec 187 Adam
and
Ewa
twins
      Legitimate

Legitimate
Wojciech Kawałko, son of Jan and Katarzyna nee Rewera.
Magdalena, daughter of Bartłomiej Czechowski and Agnieszka nee Marmulewicz
farmer Jacenty Spód.
Rozalia Kawałko wife of Tomasz.
Wojciech Janiuk.
Barbara Giza wife of Piotr
farmers


farmers
Obst: Rosalia Majewska
Bapt: qui supra.
Midwife: Rozalia Majewska
Baptized by: Same as above (in previous record entry, not shown here)

from village of Usznia, Roman Catholic parish of Biały Kamień, 1860.

 

 

 

Saint's Full Name

Sometimes, the child is named after a saint's full name, such as "Stanislaus Kostka" or "John the Baptist".  Make sure to note this accurately in your family tree and genealogical records.

 

No. Birth Bapt. House No. Name Catholic? Boy Status Parents Parents' Occupation Godparents Godparents' Occupations
10 19-Nov 19-Nov 120 Stanislaus Kostka Legitimi Ferdinandus Teodorowski filius Lucae et Mariae Łopuch.

Maria filia Thomae Swięś et Agnetis Brodzik
agricola Josephus Pigulski

Barbara Grodecka uxor Josephi
agricolae
10 19-Nov 19-Nov 120 Stanislaw Kostka Legitimate Ferdynand Teodorowski, son of Łukasz and Maria Łopuch.

Maria, daughter of Tomasz Swięś and Agnieszka Brodzik.
farmer Józef Pigulski

Barbara Grodecka wife of Józef
farmers
Obst: Agatha Broczkowska
Baptisat: Ignatius Dunajewski Curatus
Midwife: Agata Broczkowska
Baptized by Ignacy Dunajewski, pastor

from village of Usznia, Roman Catholic parish of Biały Kamień, 1867.

 

Special Names

Once in a while you come across a unique name.  I got a kick out of the name of this boy, born in a rural tiny village way out on the edge of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1868...with the name "Charles the Great" or commonly known in history as "Charlemagne".  I wonder what the laborer parents <laboriosus listed in the record> were thinking!

No. Birth Bapt. House No. Name Catholic? Boy Status Parents Parents' Occupation Godparents Godparents' Occupations
4 15-Januarii 15-Januarii 76 Carolus
Magnus
Legitimi Martinus Moroz filius Joannis et Rosaliae Kłodzińska.

Maria filia Gregorii Swiderski et Anastasiae Sydorowicz
laboriosus Stanislaus Tokarski

Maria Kłodzińska
agricolae
4 15-January 15-January 76 Karol Wielki
(Charles the Great)
Legitimate Marcin Moroz, son of Jan and Rozalia Kłodzińska.

Maria, daughter of Grzegorz Swiderski and Anastasia Sydorowicz
worker Stanisław Tokarski

Maria Kłodzińska
farmers
Obst: Catharina Bałuczyńska
Baptisavit Antonius Vogel
Midwife: Katarzyna Bałuczyńska
Baptized by Antoni Vogel

from the village of Usznia, Roman Catholic parish of Biały Kamień, 1868.

 

Careful reading columns and information

Of course, be careful in reading the records.  Not knowing that the Latin abbreviation "Obx.", which stands for "Obstetrix", means "Midwife" in English could lead to a serious mistake.   In this record below, the name of the child is Apollonia.  The midwife is Agata Wojciechowska.

 

Birth Bapt. House No. Name Catholic? Girl Status Parents Parents' Occupation Godparents Godparents' Occupations
3-January 1864 3-January 1864 87 Apollonia Legitimi Andreas  Poszto f. (short for "filius") Andreae et Sophiae

Catharina Gołębiowska f. (short for "filia") nicolai et Rozaliae Ruczkowska.
agricola de Stare Miasto Nicolaus Wojciechowski

Maria Sulatycka ux. (short for "uxor") Onuphrii
agr. (short for "agricola")
3-January 1864v 3-January 1864 87 Apolonia Legitimate Andrzej Poszto, son of Andrzej and Zofia.

Katarzyna Gołębiowska, daughter of Mikołaj and Rozalia Ruczkowska
farmer from Stare Miasto Mikołaj Wojciechowski

Maria Sulatycka, wife of Onufry
farmers
Obst: Agata Wojciechowska
Bapt: Joannes Gobrewski, Coop. (short for "Cooperator")
Midwife: Agata Wojciechowska
Baptized by Jan Gobrewski, assistant pastor

from village of Stare Miasto, Roman Catholic parish of Podhajce, 1864.

 

 

Name Day / Saints' Feast Days

A common tradition in Galicia/Halychyna, as well as much of Christian Europe, was to name the birth child based on the Saint's Feast Day on or near which the child was born or baptized.  However, this was not a "forced rule" as children could also be named after a parent, grandparent, godparent, beloved saint or personal reason.  But knowing the Saint's Feast Day could be a clue to finding a birth or baptismal record.

Determining a Saint's Feast Day can be tricky.  There is not a one-to-one ratio where every day can be associated with one saint, nor can one saint be associated with only one day.  I use the incredible source First Names of the Polish Commonwealth: Origins & Meanings written by William F. Hoffman and George W. Helon to determine the Saints' Feast Days.  This one source lists all the days associated with the saint.  For example, the entry for Bogdanus (which is Latin; in Polish it's Bogdan, in Ukrainian it's Bohdan) lists the following saint's days for the Catholic Church: February 6, March 19, July 17, August 10 & 31, September 2.

 

Examples of naming children after a Saint's Feast Day

Here, you can see that girls born in the middle of December were often named Victoria (which is Latin,  Polish is Wiktoria, Ukrainian is Viktoriia).  This is not merely a coincidence since December 23 is St. Victoria's Feast Day.  Here are two examples from two different years.

For translations, see numbers 1 and 2 below.

 

from village of Usznia, Roman Catholic parish of Biały Kamień, 1850.

 

from village of Usznia, Roman Catholic parish of Biały Kamień, 1852.

 

Example where Saint's Feast Day not used

July 17 is the Feast Day for Ignacy, which is illustrated by the second two births below.  However, the first Ignacy born, on June 20, is not named based on the Saint's Feast Day.  (This Ignacy, my great-great grandfather, could have been named after an uncle on the father's side or another personal reason that will never be known.)

For translation, see number 3 below.

from village of Usznia, Roman Catholic parish of Biały Kamień, 1867.

 

Also, keep in mind the Catholic tradition of celebrating one's "Name Day" (in Polish "Imieniny"), on the Saint's Feast Day after which the child was named.  Therefore, someone named Czeslaw may have been born on January 1, but celebrated his "Name Day" on July 20, which is St. Czeslaw's Feast Day.  So, you may find July 20 listed as Czeslaw's "Birth Day" on forms and documents.  This is no longer as common a practice as it was in earlier centuries.

 

Translation of #1 from above ("Victoria" example #1):

Birth Bapt. House No. Name Catholic? Girl Status Parents Parents' Occupation Godparents Godparents' Occupations
13-Dec 13-Dec 106 Victoria Legitimi Michael Piątkowski et Catharina filia Andreae Kawałko et Mariae natae Czajkowska agricolarum agricola Stanislaus Tokarski

Maria Graniczka uxor Pauli
agricolae
Obst: Francisca Bednarczuk
Bapt: Ignatius Dunajewski, Curatus
17-Dec 17-Dec 125 Victoria Legitimi Thomas Bojakowski et Agnes filia Josephi Zuryk et Theresiae agricola Andreas Kwiecień

Francisca Gierusz
agricolae
Obst: Maria Kwiecień
Bapt: Albinus Hauptmann, Cooperator
22-Dec 22-Dec 138 Victoria Legitimi Hyacinthus Peremybida et Catharina filia Stanislae Piasecki et Annae agricola Thaddaeus Marmulewicz

Barbara Zaręba
agricolae
Obst: Maria Kwiecień
Bapt: Albinus Hauptmann, Cooperator

English translation with Polish first and last names since they are from the Roman Catholic parish books and most likely ethnic Poles.
13-Dec 13-Dec 106 Wiktoria Legitimate Michał Piątkowski et Katarzyna, daughter of Andrzej Kawałko and Maria Czajkowska, farmers farmer Stanisław Tokarski

Maria Graniczka, wife of Paweł
farmers
Midwife: Franciszka Bednarczuk
Baptized b
y: Ignacy Dunajewski, Pastor
17-Dec 17-Dec 125 Wiktoria Legitimate Tomasz Bojakowski and Agnieszka, daughter of Józef Zuryk and Teresa farmer Andrzej Kwiecień

Franciszka Gierusz
farmers
Midwife: Maria Kwiecień
Baptized by Albin Hauptmann, Assistant Pastor
22-Dec 22-Dec 138 Wiktoria Legitimate Jacenty Peremybida and Katarzyna, daughter of Stanisław Piasecki and Anna farmer Tadeusz Marmulewicz

Barbara Zaręba
farmers
Midwife: Maria Kwiecień
Baptized by Albin Hauptmann, Assistant Pastor

 

Translation of #2 from above ("Victoria" example #2)

Birth Bapt. House No. Name Catholic? Girl Status Parents Parents' Occupation Godparents Godparents' Occupations
13-Dec 13-Dec 106 Victoria Legitimi Michael Piątkowski et Catharina filia Andreae Kawałko et Mariae natae Czajkowska agricolarum agricola Stanislaus Tokarski

Maria Graniczka uxor Pauli
agricolae
Obst: Francisca Bednarczuk
Bapt: Ignatius Dunajewski, Curatus
17-Dec 17-Dec 125 Victoria Legitimi Thomas Bojakowski et Agnes filia Josephi Zuryk et Theresiae agricola Andreas Kwiecień

Francisca Gierusz
agricolae
Obst: Maria Kwiecień
Bapt: Albinus Hauptmann, Cooperator
22-Dec 22-Dec 138 Victoria Legitimi Hyacinthus Peremybida et Catharina filia Stanislae Piasecki et Annae agricola Thaddaeus Marmulewicz

Barbara Zaręba
agricolae
Obst: Maria Kwiecień
Bapt: Albinus Hauptmann, Cooperator

English translation with Polish first and last names since they are from the Roman Catholic parish books and most likely ethnic Poles.
13-Dec 13-Dec 106 Wiktoria Legitimate Michał Piątkowski et Katarzyna, daughter of Andrzej Kawałko and Maria Czajkowska, farmers farmer Stanisław Tokarski

Maria Graniczka, wife of Paweł
farmers
Midwife: Franciszka Bednarczuk
Baptized b
y: Ignacy Dunajewski, Pastor
17-Dec 17-Dec 125 Wiktoria Legitimate Tomasz Bojakowski and Agnieszka, daughter of Józef Zuryk and Teresa farmer Andrzej Kwiecień

Franciszka Gierusz
farmers
Midwife: Maria Kwiecień
Baptized by Albin Hauptmann, Assistant Pastor
22-Dec 22-Dec 138 Wiktoria Legitimate Jacenty Peremybida and Katarzyna, daughter of Stanisław Piasecki and Anna farmer Tadeusz Marmulewicz

Barbara Zaręba
farmers
Midwife: Maria Kwiecień
Baptized by Albin Hauptmann, Assistant Pastor

 

Translation of #3 from above ("Ignatius" example)

Birth Bapt. House No. Name Catholic? Boy Status Parents Parents' Occupation Godparents Godparents' Occupations
20-Jun 20-Jun 102 Ignatius Legitimi Valentinus Gulka filius Hyacinthi et Victoriae Pokutycka.
Cunegunda filia Antonii Lechowski et Sophiae Bojakowska
agricola Thaddeus Dómański

Irena Jureczko uxor Joachimi
agricolae
Obst: Catharina Bałuczyńska
Baptisavit Ignatius Dunajewski, Curatus.
19-July 19-July 17 Ignatius Legitimi Antonius Frontkiewicz filius Bartholomaei et Mariae Birecka.
Klara filia Timothaei Bubnowski et Victoriae Kądzielska
laboriosus Joannes Peremebida

Agnes Bojakowska uxor Josephi
agricolae
Obst: Maria Kłodzińska
Bapt: qui supra.
25-July 25-July 72 Ignatius Legitimi Ferdinandus Moross filius Philippi et Mariaenatae Bałuczyńska.
Dorotha filia Nicolai Balkiewicz et Catharinae Szatkowska
laboriosus Joannes Pokutycki

Eva Graniczka uxor Georgii
agricolae
Obst: Maria Olejnik
Bapt: qui supra.

English translation with Polish first and last names since they are from the Roman Catholic parish books and most likely ethnic Poles.
20-June22-Dec 20-June 102 Ignacy Legitimate Walenty Gulka son of Jacenty and Wiktoria Pokutycka.
Kunegunda daughter of Antoni Lechowski and Zofia Bojakowska
farmer Tadeusz Dómański

Irena Jureczko wife of Yakym (Ukrainian for Joachim, since he is a known Greek Catholic)
farmers
Obst: Catharina Bałuczyńska
Baptized by Ignatius Dunajewski, Pastor.
19-July 19-July 17 Ignacy Legitimate Antoni Frontkiewicz son of Bartłomiej and Maria Birecka.
Klara daughter of Tymoteusz Bubnowski and Wiktoria Kądzielska
worker Ivan Peremebida (Ukrainian first name since he is a known Greek Catholic) farmers
Midwife: Maria Kłodzińska.
Baptized by: same as above (from previous entry)
25-July 25-July 72 Ignacy Legitimate Ferdynand Moross son of Filip and Maria nee Bałuczyńska.
Dorota daughter of Mikołaj Balkiewicz and Katarzyna Szatkowska
worker Jan Pokutycki

Ewa Graniczka wife of Jerzy
farmers
Midwife: Maria Olejnik
Baptized by same as above (from previous entry)

 

 

 
 

www.halgal.com            Questions and Comments to Matthew Bielawa
Copyright
©2002     All rights reserved