New Post
Search
Help
ArchivesMessage to Davidh...
Hey, Davidh, I saw that a while ago you were giving the meaning of a few last names. If it's not too much trouble, could you see if you can figure out the meaning of mine? It's Duchek. Pronounced like the words Do and check. I do know that it used to be Dubchek, but when my gg grandpa come to America from Czecholslavakia (sp?) he dropped the b so that we wouldn't be associated with Alexander Dubchek. Anyone else that can help is welcome to, as well. Thanks!!!
Sarahjeanne
Sarahjeanne
1
Replies
Hey SJ,
I was gonna be stubborn and wait til you spelled my name right, but decided I probably won't live that long *grins*.
Actually, your surname in either spelling is tough. I've checked all around the 'Net but no luck. Maybe someone with better up-to-date Slavic connections can help. ANYBODY OUT THERE FROM CLEVELAND?
Is "Duchek" a real surname spelling (Slovak?) or just something your gggrandpa synthesized to rid himself of "Dubchek" (was it that spelling or Dubcek?)?
I don't want to sound really really old, but was your ggg something like 70 or 75 when he arrived here? Dubcek only rose to prominence in the late-mid-60s, and the famous reform period of The Prague Spring was in '68. This was not exactly the Napoleonic era; a few of us are still alive who remember it distinctly.
And I'm curious why your ggg would want to disassociate himself from Alexander Dubcek. The guy was a Commie turned good and was bringing some really open democratic reforms to the country until the Warsaw Pact rumbled the T-55s into town and spoiled the party. Twenty more years of bread lines and potato vodka followed...
Guess I'm sayin if my last name was Dubcek back then I would've been proud of it. But maybe Gramps had his own reasons. Go figure.
Later,
Da.
I was gonna be stubborn and wait til you spelled my name right, but decided I probably won't live that long *grins*.
Actually, your surname in either spelling is tough. I've checked all around the 'Net but no luck. Maybe someone with better up-to-date Slavic connections can help. ANYBODY OUT THERE FROM CLEVELAND?
Is "Duchek" a real surname spelling (Slovak?) or just something your gggrandpa synthesized to rid himself of "Dubchek" (was it that spelling or Dubcek?)?
I don't want to sound really really old, but was your ggg something like 70 or 75 when he arrived here? Dubcek only rose to prominence in the late-mid-60s, and the famous reform period of The Prague Spring was in '68. This was not exactly the Napoleonic era; a few of us are still alive who remember it distinctly.
And I'm curious why your ggg would want to disassociate himself from Alexander Dubcek. The guy was a Commie turned good and was bringing some really open democratic reforms to the country until the Warsaw Pact rumbled the T-55s into town and spoiled the party. Twenty more years of bread lines and potato vodka followed...
Guess I'm sayin if my last name was Dubcek back then I would've been proud of it. But maybe Gramps had his own reasons. Go figure.
Later,
Da.
1
I left out the "i". I'm sorry. I have none of the answers to any of your questions. :) I just remember my grandpa telling me something about it when I was little. I'll ask him again and let you know. Thanks for checking it out, though. Very cool of you. :)
SJ
SJ
1