New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-03
NEW NAMES FOR EAST SIDERS.
CHANGES MADE FOR THE BENEFIT OF
AMERICANS
tNrHONOUNcEABLE RUSSIAN AND HEBREW
WORDS UNCONCERNEDLY CHANGED.


sian and Polish Jews the East Side Of New
York. The names with which they are burdencd
when they come to this country made pro-
nounccabl, by the children or the teachers
when the second generation goes to school. and
while in some instances the new names sound
like the original. they are written differently and
in most cases bear no resemblance to the roots
from which they were taken. This is true not
only OF the family names. but Of the 'front.'
names. A long bearded pushcart man was asked
in court recently. What is your Nance
"Yaikcf Rabinowski." he answered.
The magistrate evidently thought that was
the mans family name. and asked: what's
your Christian namc?'
The man became indignant at being suspected
OF having anything "Christian' about him. and
front name" has been the proper expression
at that seat Of justice ever since.
Yitschok. the Hebrew Of Jacob. has been made
Hitchcock. and old man whose neighbors
know him Cheskel has assumed the more cu-
phonious name OF Elwell. There many
similar OF evolution. but there more
American Erglish and even French names
among the jewellers in the ghetto which the
result Of accident as much as anything else.
Children are sent to school and their names are
placed on the records by the teacher. who does
and after the children have been in school a
short time they and their parents become known
by the name given TO them by the teacher.
An example OF this kind was mentioned re-
Gently by young women who had been
teacher in A school where many Russian chill
drcn we're pupils. "A man came one day she
said. with two boys who could not say a word
in English. Their names were impossible ex-
ccpt for those who had acquired the East Side
jargon. When the man was gone made one
understand that his name would be John ana
the other that he would have to answer to the
name william and in some way or other their
family name. which was full Of twists and
turns. and ended with a witch. became Holz.
Within "A few weeks John and William Hoiz
made themselves und rstooj in fair English.
and within "A year they were star pupils. one
day the father called at the school to
about his boys. and introduced himself as Mr.
IIoz! He seemed 10 b. IS much at home with
the name az though he had been born with it,
and there are hundreds in our district"
In many instances a sign bought at a bar,
gain has caused men To assume "A new name
and the changes are made without the least
feeling in the matter. one East Side patriarch
said We honor our fathers just much. even
II we drop their names. Nothing good ever
To Us while we bore tnelu, possibly We IL
have more luck with the names"
But there are cases where men changed their
names because they wanted to obliterate their
foreign origin. Thus family came to New-York
with the name Of Neuberger. Presently the
name became Ncwburger: then it was changed
to Ncwburg and now the two remaining broth
ers are known one as Mr.. New and the other
as Mr. Berg
rh.,, ant tIp n OF -
the name Katzeneenbogen. and his neighbor
LeworoSlnsk continue to do business. despite
the numerous syllables in their names, but not
SO Mr. Bochowitz. His son changed his name To
Buckley: and even this too long for thu
second son. who cut II down peg and made =,
Buck The father and son. it is said. are in
business under the firm name OF Bochowitz K
Buckley. and they send checks signed that way
to the young Buck. who is still at school
1T does some people good TO change their
names said an East Side observer and |
doubt whether Mr. Gladstone would ever have
been the great man he was if his ancestors had
not dropped the Freudensten for Gladstone. Or
whether other German names would have been
as well received As their Americanzed substi-
tutes" Tho man could not he convinced that
Gladstone was not originally Freudcnstein.
one group Of names on the East Side is al
ways recognized by the knowing ones as Bohe-
milan To this class belong the names Yeiteles.
Ahcles. Karpeles. Kakeles. and number of
other names ending with les" When the own
crs Of some of these names outgrow the East
Side and move uptown they drop one Of the es
in their name and then blossom forth rs kar-
pcls Kakels. etc
One Bohemian said that his countrymen were
proud of the les" names. because they show