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ArchivesAnother less likely, but plausible, possibility...
in reply to a message by Lu
Any chance your family is of German origin? I grew up near a largely German-ethnic US city and there were many examples there of families whose forebears had Anglicized their German names during the First World War.
At the time there was a lot of prejudice against people of "enemy" descent and the easy way to avoid it was often to change your surname to a corresponding English meaning (the German-spawned Brit Royals did this, among others). "Ritter" is one German name that was changed to the equivalent "Knight" for this reason.
Like I said, it's much less likely, but a valid possibility.
- Da.
At the time there was a lot of prejudice against people of "enemy" descent and the easy way to avoid it was often to change your surname to a corresponding English meaning (the German-spawned Brit Royals did this, among others). "Ritter" is one German name that was changed to the equivalent "Knight" for this reason.
Like I said, it's much less likely, but a valid possibility.
- Da.
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