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Help[Facts] German Names: Johanna & Ernst
I am going to strike while the iron is hot. You were so helpful and speedy in answering my previous query! In my family history project I have discovered several references to "Johanne" and "Ernest". This is despite the fact that I know that the parents of these people were born in Germany. I have not seen copies of birth certificates, but do you think I can safely assume that their born names were in fact "Johanna" and "Ernst" and the references I have seen are just English versions of their names? I know that there is an old saying that you mustn't assume anything in life, but I have checked several sources and the names "Johanne" and "Ernest" do not, and have never existed as German "vornamen"(first names).
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As albowin says: JOHANNE is a rare variant of JOHANNA. Wilfried Seibicke in his Historisches Deutsches Vornamenbuch does not separate the names when he lists the records through history. However, he lists a Johanne for 1515 and one in the 17th century (and a last one in 1983).
For ERNEST, he claims a French background rather than English. His oldest records date back to the 19th century and he suspects that these are actually "parish register forms of Ernst". Later examples obviously are genuine, so you certainly cannot say that the name never existed in Germany.
Andy ;—)
For ERNEST, he claims a French background rather than English. His oldest records date back to the 19th century and he suspects that these are actually "parish register forms of Ernst". Later examples obviously are genuine, so you certainly cannot say that the name never existed in Germany.
Andy ;—)
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Ernest is actually a pretty common french name. Not in this current generation, but it's something that is quite common to hear.
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This message was edited 11/9/2014, 8:59 AM
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