Ellis Island Name Butchering

Something TypeRyan said in the 4th of July thread peaked my curiosity.

How many people on TNL have/had family that immigrated through Ellis Island? Did your family name get changed upon arrival in this country, and if so, how?

I can tell you my great grandmother came in on a boat from Greece in 1919. At the time she was unable to write her name in english. Instead of Dialecti Katinas she became Tula Katinas. On the other side, my great great grandfather's last name was Papasouterîo and they changed it to Pappas.

Mine aren't huge differences but I've heard of whose names were changed completely thus losing connection with distant relatives over the years. Whose family got it the worst?

My name was changed to Cocoros from something even more unpronouncable. I don't even know what the fuck it was.

Something about roosters. I don't know.

My family got here way before Ellis island (mid 1700s), but there's not much you could do to shorten "Fahs" anyway. I did visit Ellis Island and I saw the name Fahs on that wall they had so I guess some distant cousin of mine made it with the name intact.

Some people did this voluntarily anyway. I have a friend whose dad came here from Egypt and changed his name from something really cool sounding that I forget to "Allen" just to assimilate.

My name is butchered enough pronunciation wise by enough people here.

Plus my name is very welsh and there's lots of em Gwyther so I figure it's accurate.

We went from Dallessio or something of the like to D'Allesio

My Vietnamese friend was William Wong when he moved here and they changed it to Bieu Huynh. Wtf at that.

He got lucky imo

Colajanni split in Italy to a bunch of different last names, Colaianni (I think) being the name my immigrant family had, which became Colianna at Ellis.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Josh

My name was changed to Cocoros from something even more unpronouncable. I don't even know what the fuck it was.

Something about roosters. I don't know.

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He's a chicken chaser.

Irish Clan named COLMÁN.

They changed it to Coleman when they came over.