Re: Janke/Jahnke spelling significance?
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In reply to:
Janke/Jahnke spelling significance?
Jim Janke 7/08/07
Jim,
My great-grandmother was Lydia Janke (as records show). Although my mom wrote Jahnke in my baby book for her visit.
Anyway, the short answer to your question is no. There is no real difference in spelling. Just like with my name Moeller, it is often spelled Moller (that's the umlaut though). The "h" in Jahnke only highlights the sound. The longer ahhh sound. Back in the 19th cent., there was no real spelling issues, especially in the working class people. Many people did not even know how to really spell their name. The codification of names comes about in the 1910s and 20s with ethnic names in America and Europe. Prior to that people "wrote down" what they heard the name to be.
I can go on if you like ... especially if we can find a connection with our Jankes!
Rick Moeller, Ph.D.