like o shay osullivan ofoley
2006-06-09 13:54:03 · 7 answers · asked by chuck s 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Genealogy
Not only Irish immigrants did this, immigrants from other countries Americanized their names to fit in when they moved here. immigrants were and are sadly still looked down upon in many areas of our culture, which never made sense to me since we are a county made by immigrants. Because of this, people would do their best to fit in, and if dropping a letter or two made it easier for them to get a job, or find housing, that is what they did.
2006-06-09 14:00:33 · answer #1 · answered by Josie 5 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Some of the Irish families did this to fit in others felt that their name sounded funny. My family never had an o at the end but half of the family thought that our name sounded funny and they changed it. Others had to change their name to get work because people did not like the Irish.
2006-06-09 22:50:57 · answer #2 · answered by Amysue 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have heard it was a error by the records offices on ellis island when they first came to America.
Haven't you seen the Godfather, that is why their last name is Colrione (not sure if I spelled that right). They took that name for him because that was the area of Italy that he came from.
I'm sure there are other reasons. Like Johnson, Johnston, Johnsons, Johannson... all from the same origin. Just look in your phone book.
2006-06-09 21:01:20 · answer #3 · answered by AG 33 & A Third 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A lot of people (mine included) had their names changed when they got to Ellis Island. It was not something they did or wanted done. The workers who were filling out the paperwork did it.
My grandfather and his brother were there together. One brother went to one line, the other brother to another. When they were through, they had different names. Simply because one was allowed to do his own papers and the other had his papers filled out for him. Lots of names got changed that way.
2006-06-09 21:00:04 · answer #4 · answered by beekiss 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
alot of the time the officals taking the information dropped the O or E' .They also miss spelled alot of names and then they were stuck with the change
2006-06-10 08:58:21 · answer #5 · answered by Brenda O 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I guess their name changed overtime to adapt to their new life...same as when a language evolves...
2006-06-09 20:59:19 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would like to know that, too. It sure makes searching difficult.
2006-06-10 09:49:28 · answer #7 · answered by ladygardeenya 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋