Jarosz, Szewczyk, Tomczak

[LadyMarilyn]

I am researching these surnames. I am also interested in history and origin info on thses names. Jarosz and Szewczyk are from Urycz, Styj, Ukraine. Tomczak is from the posnan/ Wroclaw area. Thank You

[Hannia]

Your surnames look to be ethnically Polish.

You can ask experts on these links.

PGSA - Selected Polish Surnames (Index)
http://www.pgsa.org/nazw_index.htm

PolishRoots - Surnames: Origins & Meanings
http://www.polishroots.org/surnames/surnames_index.htm

Poland Border Surnames - Genealogy - http://maxpages.com/poland
http://www.maxpages.com/poland/
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An important key to your search is a historical perspective of area in the time frame you are researching. Becoming familiar w/WW2 time frame is also helpful.

The History Of Poland
http://www.kasprzyk.demon.co.uk/www/HistoryPolska.html

Galicia
http://www.polishroots.com/genpoland/gal.htm

Second World War
http://www.polish-combatants.ca/second_world_war.htm
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At turn of century -
village Urycz>Sub-District Skole>District Stryj>Eastern Galicia>administered by ethnic Poles for Austro Hungarian Empire (late 18th century to 1919, when it became Poland until 1939)>post WW2 Ukraine SSR>Today Ukraine.

According to this map from 1970, Urycz existed as an entity.
Red star indicates exact location of village.
MapQuest: Maps: print
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/print.a...%2 bsZo6Qo%3d

After checking the latest Ukrainian Postal Code Index, Urycz is not listed!
It is possible that because of proximity to Skole, it has been absorbed and no longer exists as an entity. In a few weeks a friend will be in that general area. Feel free to tug on me then to do a follow up for you, and inquire what happened to village.
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Knowing the religion practiced, is very important . Were the families you're researching, Roman Catholic, Greek Catholic or Christian Orthodox?

This link will help with locating archival info.
HalGal: Vital Records
http://www.halgal.com/vitalrecords.html
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Poznan

Under births there is a Stanislaw Tomczak born 1876 in district Bartshin>Poznan?
http://www.rootsweb.com/~deupru/civi.../bartschin.htm

Silesian Genealogical Society (of Wroclaw, Poland) (under construction)
Polish CROSS-INDEX
http://feefhs.org/pol/indexpol.html

PolishRoots - Projects
http://www.polishroots.com/posen_indexing.htm

Breslau Genealogy & Information
http://www.angelfire.com/de/breslaugenealogy/

PolishWorld: Regional: Poland: Wroclaw
http://www.polishworld.com/pwenglish...wroclaw_1.html

Dolnoslaski Urzad WojewСdzki
http://www.uwoj.wroc.pl/

Wroclaw (Breslau) city : Poland : Europe
http://www.greatestcities.com/Europe...slau_city.html

Posen-L (Official website of the Posen-L mailing list)
http://www.posen-l.com/
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PS>Be patient. There are several Poznan projects under construction that will be helpful to you in your search.
Sorry for the delay in responding. I was hoping to find something more substantial for your search.

[Hannia]

Roman Catholic Records for Bartschin -

Genealogical records of Greater Poland
http://www.polishroots.org/genpoland/szu_r.htm

[josephfl]

My stepfather's surname is Szewczwk. He pronounces it ph. "Seff Chek". He and his 7 siblings were born in Scranton, Pennsylvania from the late 1920's to early 1930's, and he maintains that his ethnicity is Polish. He and his brothers changed their last name to Schuster.

joe

[Hannia]

Joe,

Your name is a what is referred to as a Polish Border Surname. Church and politics got mixed up in the Galician (1772-1919) & later independent Polish (1919-1939) time frame, and many of these surnames could be either Ukrainian (formerly Ruthenian) or Polish.

Szewczyk & Schuster, both mean SHOEMAKER. Szewczyk/Shevchyk could be Ruthenian or Polish and Schuster is German.

This is strictly stab in the dark. Could your family be Prussian Polish???

[smcdon1]

My father's last name was Harpas. His mother's maiden name was Skirej. I know they were from somewhere in the Carpathian region but that is all I know. Any help to find relatives would be welcome

[Hannia]

smcdon-

Both surnames appear to be from what was called Upper Hungary>Austro-Hungarian Empire @turn of the century>Carpathian Mtn area.

Who was the first Harpas immigrant? Appx when did he immigrate? Where did he settle upon immigration? Was Grandmother Skirej an immigrant? What are the given names?

PS>Set yourself with a NEW THREAD, using surnames you are researching UNDER SUBJECT. That will insure that your inquiry will not be lost in the shuffle.