The Opelousas courier., 1891-10-17
HUMORS OF A DIRECTORY
MUCH TO AMUsE AND INTEREST
IN NEW YoRKS NEW ISSUE.
The City Boasts of 5000 Smiths,
25S C~hristened joint Georga
Uo.h; ntape-08 Nap,as

The City Boasts OF 5000 Smiths,
25s Christened joint Georga
Nashfngtons-Odd Names.
The New York City Directory for
1891 is out, and persons who read
light literature will find in its pages
much to amuse and instruct. The new
Directory contains 379, 81 names, a
large increase over last year, and, as
usual, the Smith family is the largest.
| The Smiths came to New York when it
was a small village, and they have mul-
tiplied until twelve pages of the new
| Directory are filed with the 5000 names
of the various members of the family.
The John Smiths number 25A and oc-
cupy one page in the Directory. AAll the
professions and all classes of tJde and
labor are represented by the 25S John
Smiths.
There are only half as many Browns
| as Smiths. The 1900 Browns named oc-
cupy six pages, and next in point Of
numbers come the Jones family. They
number 700 and lead the Roblnsons by
200.
Of the 379, 971 names in the Directory
6100 are taken up by the four families
of Smith, Jones and Robinson. This
settles the disputed question of which
arc the first families of New York.
Thesfour named are first in point of num-
bers.
The Zwoster, Zwissler, Twink, Zwie-
fab, Zwickl, Zwicky, Zwiech, Zvicke
Zurl, Zust, zumbush and Jumbo families
are among those that have only n name,
each in the Directory.
One of the shortest names is Ely, and
one of the longest is Pfeiffensehneider.
The families with the long and short
names are small.
There are eleven George Washingtons,
and most of them are laborers. There
are only three Thomas Jeffersons and no
Daniel Webster. There are fifty persons
whose names are Gold and as many with
Silver names, while almost a hundred ale
Golden in name at least.
Odd names eau be found on almost
every page of the Directory, but one of
the oldest in the books that of Sacob
Phoebe, a driver, who lives at 6l2 East
Thirteenth street. Pieczonka. Pielstick-
err and Piepho, are fair samples of many
names that begin with P.
There is only one man named Sick,
and he is a policeman. There is n
Moth.
A Hester street tailor answers to the
name of Hyman Ashpies, aud an East
side plumber is named Sniff. Closely
following the name Of Mr.. Sniff come
Sniggs, Snitken, Snitzer aud snizek. .
Following the large Snyder family
come a collection ofnames of which these
are fair samples: Soagrio, Soar, Scat,
Sober, Soberer, Socks, Sold, Sole, Son,
Sonenshine, Sonnet, Sons, Soons, Sopp
and spick.
George Space is a painter, and the
Spades are engaged in various occupa-
tions.
Speed, Sped, Speeding might mea
the particible, etc., of the verb speed,
but they are proper names on page 1899
of the Directory and in the same order
come the names Spell, speller, SPELL
ing.
There are several persons named Tam
many who are not members Of the society
of the same name. There are three Tricks,
one Trig, but no Triggers.
John Freedloye is a butler, and is the
only man of the name. There is only
one Tubb, and he is a painter. Theirs
is only n Trust, and unfortunately he
is not a merchant or banker. James
Trusty is a messenger and probably
carries only confidential messages.
Persons who enjoy %pronouncing hard
names can practice on such tongue twist
ers as Tschopik, Tuschudy, Tshoten,
Twirschulk, fwohy and Twohig.
There are plenty Of good persons but
only one Twogood. The latter is a car
penter.
There are two Vines and one Fig, but
no Figtree.
There are Summers, Winters. Falls,
Springs, Moons, Moonshine and Stars.
Rain, Wind, Storm, Snow aud Hale are
common names.
There is one man in the Directory
whose name is Muda, and So whose
name is Dennis.
The first Directory in New York City
was published in 1856 aud contained
S46 names. Since that tune the number
has steadily increased, reaching 16, 504
in 1910, $50. 303 in 1859, 360, $50 q
year ago. During the last fifty years
the number of physicians in town has
increased from 400 to 1916; of lawyers
from 1909 to 5026; of bakers from 400
to 1925, and Of grocers, from 1000 to
1925. The increase has thus been much
larger among professional men than it
has among those engaged in ordinary
business occupations-Ne@ York Sun.