BellaOnline Forums Travel and Culture Polish Culture Dabrowski/Dombrowski why and where did this change

To the full group,

Are you either a Dabrowski, or a Dombrowski, and can you be family? Please contact me, if you think you could be, at mrdinvestigations@att.net

Michael Dabrowski

Yes, this is all exactly what I have experienced. I was born Dembrowski, Grandfather was Dembrowski, His father Dombrowski, his brothers, were Dabrowski, Dombrowski, and Dombrower. I found Great grandmother on the same ship line with siblings coming to the USofA in 1909 then names changed through Ellis. Vallarian Dombrowski became Wallery (Walter) Dembrowski, my fathers father. That does not matter at present. One great aunt was married to a Klein. However, I cannot find Great Grandfather or Grandmother in Poland. It was rumored in the family that they came from somewhere near Krakow. But . . I have no heritage I can follow and no lineage to leave my daughter. Dabrowski, I understand is a very common name in Poland. I have no doubt that many centuries ago we came from the same stock and are related. It is also a name of blue bloods (according to my grandfather) Somewhere I was looking up translations of names and the closest I could come to what our last name meant as was "the brothers house". Something like the word Smith originally meant Blacksmith.

My two cents worth.

Bunny

Bunny,

On my past two visit to Poland, I find not many with the same name, Dabrowski, in fact just a few. I am still working on this, and hope to some day know more.
Thank you for your time, and yes, we could be cousin's.
I live in Valparaiso, Indiana, where do you live?
On my, mothers side, the Roszkowski's I did find out much, even got to visit with many in Warsaw, and around.
Don't give up, someday, someone will give you some information you need to hook up, I know I will.

Michael Dabrowski
Valparaiso, Indiana

Most people had to sign their names which were usually written and not printed out. They probably did not ask them to spell their names. You also have to keep in mind that both sides probably were not so educated and so reading the hand writing and transfering information had much to do with it. Even today...my first name is Christiana. I can not tell you how many times it comes back to me as Christina or Christine. I now make them correct it when I catch it. I guess it is just human nature but when you are trying to locate someone or something...one letter is a HUGE difference.

I've just come back to the Polish Culture forum after a long absence. To your question...my guess is that the 'a' in Dabrowski had a hook under it. The Polish alphabet has an 'ą' which is pronounced as a nasal 'on' or 'om' depending on the following consonant. The word dąb in Polish means oak.

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Hi,

Do you think you can help me find any and all information on where my family came from in Poland, and if there still is family living in Poland, and who they are, and where there are, and if I have family, unknown to me here in the U.S.A.?
I have been working on this for some time, and still come up with a dead end. Can you help? Please advise, with any information you may have, or where I can find more.