We’ve looked at proper pronunciation before, but today we’re going to examine the proper spelling of common Russian Mennonite surnames. I know it’s hard to believe, but some of you are getting your own names wrong. Maybe it was an immigration officer who changed it upon entry, or maybe your ancestors wanted to sound more Anglo. Whatever the case, here is way you really should be spelling it according to Elder Goertzen (yes, with a T) in Steinbach.
The Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO) lists these as “alternate spellings,” but we’re just going to go ahead and say they’re incorrect. That’s a lot more fun.
Correct: Berg – Incorrect: Barg, Baerg, Bark, Barck, Barch
Correct: Bergmann – Incorrect: Bergman
Correct: Braun – Incorrect: Brown, Bruhn, Brun, Brunss, Bruens, Bruyn
Correct: Broesky – Incorrect: Braysky, Brayskee, Broski
Correct: Bückert – Incorrect: Bueckert, Bieckert, Bickert
Correct: Buhler – Incorrect: Bueller, Buler, Boular, von Bulaer, BuBullaret, Buhlet, Buylar
Correct: Claassen – Incorrect: Claasen, Classen, Cleasz, Claussen, Klaassen, Klassen, Klaeszen
Correct: Dirksen – Incorrect: Dircksen, Dirks, Duerksen, Derksen, Doerksen, Dyrksen, Dirssen, Dirck, Dircks, Derks
Correct: Driedger – Incorrect: Driediger, Drudger, Dridger, Driger
Correct: Dyck – Incorrect: Dueck, Dück, Dick, Dieck, von Dyck, van Dyck, von Dick, van den Dyck
Correct: Enns – Incorrect: Ens, Entz, Enss, Enz
Correct: Friesen – Incorrect: Friese, Friessen, Fresen, Froese
Correct: Giesbrecht – Incorrect: Giesebrecht
Correct: Goertzen – Incorrect: Goerzen
Correct: Gröning – Incorrect: Groening, Greening
Correct: Hamm – Incorrect: Ham
Correct: Hiebert – Incorrect: Huebert, Hubert, Hübert
Correct: Höppner – Incorrect: Hoeppner, Heppner
Correct: Janzen – Incorrect: Jantzen, Janssen, Jansson, Jansen, Jansz, Jans, Jantz
Correct: Kehler – Incorrect: Kayler, Kailer, Keller
Correct: Koop – Incorrect: Coop, Kopp
Correct: Kroeker – Incorrect: Kroecker, Kreker, Krueger, Kröger
Correct: Loewen – Incorrect: Löwen, Loewens, Leewen, Leewens, Liewens, Lieuens
Correct: Neufeld – Incorrect: Neufeldt, Newfield, Nieufelt
Correct: Penner – Incorrect: Panna
Correct: Pries – Incorrect: Priest, Preeze,
Correct: Reimer – Incorrect: Reemer, Rhymer
Correct: Sawatzky – Incorrect: Sawatsky, Sawadsky
Correct: Thiessen – Incorrect: Thiesen, Tiessen, Tyssen, Tieszen
Correct: Toews – Incorrect: Töws, Taves, Toevs,
Correct: Unger – Incorrect: Ungar, Ungerer
Correct: Van Vogt – Incorrect: Vogt, Vote
Correct: de Veer – Incorrect: De Fehr, Fehr, Defehr, Devehr, Dever, Devaehr, Du Verre
Correct: Warkentin – Incorrect: Warkentine, Warkentein, Workentyn
Correct: Wiebe – Incorrect: Weeb, Wieb
