Evening star., 1909-02-28
By John Elfreth Watkins

boom of late, in our courts,
as result of the recent immigration act, which
provides that any alien may take q new name
If he likes. when naturallZed. Ihe decree OF
the court thus rechristening the immigrant
now becomes a part of the naturalization proc
ess and his naturalization papers are filled IN
with the new appellatlon.
All this opens up new field for the study OF
an interesting phase of the AmerICanlzatlon OF
the alien. The court records of some States
already supply interesting data.
Gillowskv Israel for example, lately be
came Alexander Shedlovsky-" for simplicity,
he explained Then there was Samuel lsak
Dominitz who became Isaac Dammit. Gary
falos Noitsides made better progress by becom-
ing Garry Noisson; but ones heart went out
to Aron BOcshen, who reChrlstened himself
Harry y. Bell Samuel Tomnltz wanted to re-
turn to Austria under his old name of Llllbomlr
Tonic.
But these changes have not been repented
in court: Arguier to Newton. Nideto to Bates.
Jocobs to Treat, Goldberg to kaplan and
Munier to Miller tits English equivaent).
Also there four of the surname Bubler
who changed it respectively to Whitney, Thomas,
Rose. and Donnel But the nation owes a
vote of thanks to Thomas de Prarar de Lebott
Marae Fearengins de Lacazar who became
plain Thomas Adams. However, the process
reversed in the case OF one Underwood,
who became La Brettern.
Even as far back as 1881 names were
changed in Massachusetts, by act OF legislature.
II
eemers generally taking such appellations as
they chose, without seeking any authority.
Thus within few Years many MclvorS from
Scotland settled in one New England neigh
boThood that they became designated by their
respective occupations, as John MClvor Mason,
John McIvor Smith, etc. But as law got
ffrmer foothod under more completely organ
lied government, it so fell that many acts per-
formed under names arbitrarily assumed be-
came legally void, and the people awoke to
he NJ hay he 1t 1epI
latuTeS or courts to such alterations.
Women Want Euphony
RUPHONY seems to be largely factor in the
changes OF the Christian names OF women.
For example, Young woman burdened with
the prenomen EunCy went to court and had
il changed to Caroline But Ruth Wedge did
not improve matters so much by becoming
Sophronia Bradford nor did the change of
Mary to Aravilla. Betsy to Malvina. Sally to
Phideha, Alice to Alvina with Calista added),
Nancy to Alneda, and Martha to Sabrina.
More does one approve of Naleria and Serene
tina, each of whom chose to become Mary, and
ct Typhen, who had herself renamed Frances,
and Ann Hussy, who became Ann Howkes.
Choices of high flown are not, how
ever peculiar to the fair Here, for
ample William Ingalls,, who had the official
nomenclator dub him Cyprus Babylon But. on
the other hand, Ham was changed to Mitchell,
Blood to Boyngton, Coon to Calhoun Bragg
TO Clark, and Fogg to Randall. But why one
Knight should wish to become Fogg which
sounds almost murky, is mystery. Nor
it be understood why one appellated as
Wren should wish to become Fogg or why
Coffin should choose to become Cross. And
one Fitzgerald, by becoming simply Fitz, forces
a suggestion remarkable of possibilities. Then,
fourteen Onions in locality changed their
patronyms. part of them to Warren and part
ef them to Ashton.
The Smiths Joneses. and Browns
A \ interesting class of Americans who are
ever hankering for names, is Smiths,
Jeneses and Browns. In Massachusetts alone
one hundred and fourteen Smiths, one hundred
and nine Browns, and fifty-three Joneses had
sought relief when the statistics last COM
piled, and in other States these three families
have generally shown like activities.
Thus Enoch Smith was changed to Enoch
Smith Marshall Ezra Smith to Ezra Smith
Brodlee. Daniel Talcott Smith to Daniel Smith
Talcott and In many cases Smith is
adhered to as Patronymic; but a middle
name IS added for surer identity, other Smiths
OF the same first name evidently having the
same postofhce address Thus three plain John
Smiths become respectively John Warren Smith,
John Haskell Smith, and John Bourne Smith
And often the John has been changed as where
John Smith became William Peter Smith, or
Franklin Smith. But the addition OF a middle
name is not peculiar to the Johns. Thus,
Thomas Smith becomes Thomas Irish Smith.