Identity, association & genealogy.

[FBS]

Well, if you ever decide to do so, I would be the first one to read your book since I do not have time to do the research on my own (sorry for being selfish). Hope you will post your findings on Eupedia regarding your two projects at FTDNA as well.

 

[FBS]

A question: do you know anything about Caradja, Karadja or Caragea (Karaxha in Alb.). Have you come across their Y- DNA? They seem quite interesting.

 

[Dorianfinder]

Their DNA has not been tested yet. What is your interest in this family if I may ask?

 

[Dorianfinder]

A question: do you know anything about Caradja, Karadja or Caragea (Karaxha in Alb.). Have you come across their Y- DNA? They seem quite interesting.

I see that the Caradja (Caragea) family had a branch that 'ruled' the principality of Wallachia. Similarly, the Ghica, Cantacuzino, Callimachi, Ypsilanti, Soutzo (Sutu), Maroussi (Mourousi, Moruzi), Mavrogheni, Mavrocordat (Mavrocordato) and Duca families also ruled the principality.

Interestingly, from what I can remember reading is that although these families are viewed as Phanariot Greeks from Constantinople's Phanar (Lighthouse) district, the Ghica, Cantacuzino and Duca families each had a branch of their families that were viewed by some historians as Albanian or Epirotic.

The Balkan principalities of Albania, Moldavia and Wallachia seem to have a history of occupation by families with a connection to Constantinople.

 

[FBS]

There are families with Karaxha surname in Kosovo, it is rare surname and it was quite interesting to find out their history. All in all the Balkan history is quite intertwined as you mention the connection with Constantinople.

 

[MtDNA]

Sometimes surnames have meanings which indicate the occupation, hobby, or skill of the original ancestor that had it first.
My surname, for instance, is an Arabic word for "one who devotes their life to helping others". In the time that surnames were first given to Iranians, many people spoke Arabic, especially those that would give surnames to others. There was even a proffesor who had a surname which means "one who is rude and impolite". However, his family originally came from a small village, and didn't have a clue about what their name actually meant.

Sometimes surnames are based on descent from famous historical figures.
Saieds have names that indicate which descendant of Fatima Zahra they are from (Mousavis, Hosseinis, etc.)

Sometimes surnames tell geographic origins.
For example, Afganis come from Afganistan, Esfanis from Esfahan, Arabs from Arab states.

 

[Dorianfinder]

Sometimes surnames have meanings which indicate the occupation, hobby, or skill of the original ancestor that had it first.
My surname, for instance, is an Arabic word for "one who devotes their life to helping others". In the time that surnames were first given to Iranians, many people spoke Arabic, especially those that would give surnames to others. There was even a proffesor who had a surname which means "one who is rude and impolite". However, his family originally came from a small village, and didn't have a clue about what their name actually meant.

Sometimes surnames are based on descent from famous historical figures.
Saieds have names that indicate which descendant of Fatima Zahra they are from (Mousavis, Hosseinis, etc.)

Sometimes surnames tell geographic origins.
For example, Afganis come from Afganistan, Esfanis from Esfahan, Arabs from Arab states.

Names of geographical origin are often wrongly classified as such and are in many cases names given to a particular person who spent time in a different part of the world and returned home where he and his descendants became known by the 'nickname' that later became a cognomen or surname. Many examples of this are to be found in Roman families where a soldier, prefect or ruler of a province or region had the geographical name incorporated into their names which later became their cognomen or last name. There are a few cases however where surnames such as this were given to emigrants who originally came from the region in question.

In addition, such as the feudal system would have it in medieval times. Many people were known by the estate or land to which they were associated. Whether a lord or serf and often even slaves were known by their estate. As in the southern states of the USA (including some northern states), Australia, South Africa and many other new world colonies ... the French and British colonialists named their lands after lands in their home countries. Similarly we find many places named Georgia or Armenia to name but a few. This does not mean however that the people from Georgia were in fact from the the country Georgia.

Lastly, the spelling of names and their meaning changed over time as foreign names were difficult to pronounce. As a result, a name that changes its spelling over time may begin to sound like a region or geographical location when in fact it isn't. This is especially prominent in countries where one finds two or more communities with a different alphabet or writing style. In my own experience Greek is a language that is notorious for deceiving many Greeks in believing that their surnames mean something in Greek when in fact their names were transliterated or corrupted from Arabic, Turkish or French/Italian.

DNA testing is an important tool that can be used to eliminate or confirm hypotheses or theories that may have arisen in an erroneous manner.