Χαραλάμπος Γιακουμής → Charalambos Giakoumis

[zorba0332]

Hello
Respectfully I write to request help with understanding a name. I am far from even being considered a newbie and I struggle with this further as it is hand written.

In my journey to find ancestor information I have located a document with my Grandfathers Greek written name. This is from a baptismal for my father which stated my Grandfathers name, written by a Greek Orthodox Priest. Hopefully it is as his name truly is.  For many years no one even knew his real name and I am hoping that this will further my research. I am understanding the necessity to learn more of the language and without this knowledge, I will not get too far.

I am now realizing the beauty of this language and only hope that I can find some good teachings that might help me to learn to read and write and hopefully speak it.

I have scanned the name and included a link to the image. It is on Yahoo. Feel free to download and print if needed
Picture On Yahoo

I would really like to know how it is spelled in Greek so a lamer like me can understand it.  I would like to feed it into a translator so I can hear how it would be said in Greek. Also, if it can be translated in any way to an English pronunciation or an English name. As it is written, is it a first name and a surname or a surname and then a first name?

If I am asking a bad question or something I am not supposed to, please forgive me. I mean no disrespect to anyone by any means.

Thanks for any help and I am sure I will be visiting these board attempting learn quite often.

Thanks

Sam from Pennsylvania, USA
(Grand Father from Leonarisso, Cyprus born 1896)

[aleka]

The name of your grandfather is pronounced Yiakoumis and his surname is Charalambou or Haralambou (which means that his father's name was most likely Charalambos). It is often the case with Greek surnames to denote either the name of the child's father or a particular characteristic of the person bearing the name.

Good luck with your search!

Aleka

Oh, I almost forgot. In Greek the name is spelled Γιακουμής Χαραλάμπου
Hope this helps!

[zephyrous]

Although both are used (Yiakoumis and Yakoumis), I would go for the second one, since this is the way I spell my own name (not Yakoumis, but Yannis).

[banned8]

I'm afraid I'll have to differ. The name here seems to be in the genitive case, probably from some certificate.

It reads: Χαραλάμπου Γιακουμή, which is the genitive of: Χαράλαμπος Γιακουμής.

I believe Χαράλαμπος (Charalambos) is the first name and Γιακουμής (Yakoumis) is the surname.

I've attached the compressed version of a wav file so you can hear how it's pronounced. (I hope you know how to unzip and run it.)

[aleka]

Nickel is right because that would explain why the stress is placed near the π
Χαραλάμπου and not Χαράλαμπου...

I apologise for my mistake.

Aleka

[banned8]

Not your mistake, Aleka. We were both wrong. I've just seen the passenger record (slide 1).

Now that gives us Yakoumis as the first name (spelt Giakoumig by someone who probably misread a final -s) and Hambis as the surname. And the plot thickens.

Is Hambis someone's misspelling? Of Charalambis? Let me give it some thought, probably sleep on it...

[banned8]

In Cyprus, Χαμπής (Hambis) is a common short form for Charalambos. So could the passenger record be wrong? Or did your grandfather select this short form of his surname as a simpler form for use in the States? Give us a hand here, Zorba. Was his surname Yakoumis? Or not?

[wings]

Nick, Hambis often appears as a surname too in both Greece and Cyprus.

Also, Charalambous is very common Cypriot surname.

Sam, please help us out with the surname.

[banned13]

The passenger record could indeed be wrong, putting the surname in the place of first name.
A similar thing has happened to my son in London (at the Royal Academy of Music graduation ceremony brochure) and in another country (I don't remember exactly, Romania, I think), where he participated in a piano competition, where they put his first name as surname and vice versa.
It appears that the name Yakoumis stays unchanged in both records, while the Haralambos becomes Hambis on the passenger record, so it most probably is the diminutive of his first name. Also, in Cyprus, very often a person's diminutive name is used on official papers. I know of Cypriots who have on their official papers Yannakis, Nikos and Koula, instead of Ioannis, Nikolaos and Kyriaki.

[wings]

Hi Alexandra.

Then, most of us agree that Yakoumis is the surname and most probably Charalambos (or Hambis) is the name, don't we?

[banned13]

Yes, that's what I think. It wouldn't appear normal to have diminutives of the surname.
But it remains to be seen, after Sam gives us more information about his grandfather's surname.

This is from a baptismal for my father which stated my Grandfathers name, written by a Greek Orthodox Priest

Sam, it would greatly help if you gave us your father's (your) surname, even it has been americanized.

[zorba0332]

WOW!!!!
Never in my dreams did I think I would get any response such as this! The ladies and gentlemen on this board are truly wonderful and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!

More information is needed from me for all of you to determine what it was my Grandfather was doing. Grab a cup of Java and sit back and I will give you all I know.

First off, I will post additional documentation on the Yahoo web site with the rest of the slides. What I have might help
This is to the album... Again feel free to download. These are all scanned at high resolution so they can ne zoomed in.

My Library Pics to View

The Baptismal Certificate that I found for my father has one side in English and one side in Greek. The English side has my fathers parents listed as Anna Harris and Harry Giakoumis. The Greek side is listed as the name I have listed on the internet and again my grand mother as Anna Harris. I did not want to list the entire document as the English side does not give justice to the Greek side. But If so needed, I will be glad to list it! Having found this and realizing that the Greek Orthodox Priest would have know how to not only write Greek but would have spoken it fluently with my Grand Father, I assumed that this would be the actual spelling and actual name. This very well could be the closest thing to actual name I have ever seen.

My Grandmother’s Maiden name was Anna Balazsova and she was from Hutki Czechoslovakia. I did find a birth certificate (Rodney List) and I have her Parents names. I talked to a person in the Chez that I might hire to find additional information as well. I think the Greek side will be a bit more interesting for now

I have my Grand Fathers Naturalization papers as well. Even as he came to USA in 1912 he did not file these papers until April 13 1939, after he was married and had 6 children. Still, he could not write English, could not sign his name and the majority of the dates listed are incorrect. The date my Grandmother was born, the date she migrated to the USA etc.. But, all the children listed are correct and the dates of their births are listed correctly.

On this Naturalization document it states, “I Haralambos Giakounis” now residing in Pittsburgh Pa etc…
Race - Greek, Nationality - British
Was born in “Lionarisso, Is. Cyprus Greece

His Lawful entry into the United States was at New York, NY under the name of “HAMBIS, GIAKOUNIS” (it is listed just as it is written with the comma)
On the original ship manifest, it is written that his family name is “HAMBIS” and his Given name was “GIAKOUNIS”
It also states that his nearest relative was his father “”GIAKOUNIS”
I will scan the areas of this document and post theses as they are written as well.

Talking to my uncles, the surname we have been given was derived at Ellis Island when no one could pronounce my Grand Fathers name. I don’t know if that story it is true or not but my surname given is HARRIS. My Grand Father's name when he died, listed on his tombstone is "Michael Harris"

As I am attempting to find any historical information about my family as it was in Cyprus, I needed to find the actual name to be looking for. There was so many different spellings and so many alterations I just did not know what would be best researched. As I am a Newbie to this language and seeing how many different ways it can be derived, I can see I am pretty far over my head when it comes to researching hand written information. I know now I am in for a long haul…

Is there anyone that does any research in Cyprus that would be able to do some leg work for me? There is a chance that some of the documentation has made it to the states as Micro Film but it is very unlikely. I would really like to know any history of my family, Birth Certificate of my Grand Father, was there brothers and sisters, His Father and Mothers names, Cemetery information etc… I honestly think that after I have something to go on or something to see I will try to bring my Dad and Uncle to Cyprus to see where it is and what it is like. To walk where my Ancestors have been.   Perhaps a dream, but something I would love to do.

I am so very thankful for the interest that this thread has been given. It is truly nice to be here and I am very thankful for the help.

I can hope that someone will need something from the states that I might help with. I would truly love to try and assist if I can.

Nickel - The Wav File was FANTASTIC!!!!!!!

Again everyone, THANKS!!!!

Sam from Pennsylvania, USA
(Grand Father from Leonarisso, Cyprus born 1896)

[wings]

Hi Sam.

Nickel was right. As shown in the certificate from the Archdiocese of America, your grandfather's full name wasQ

Charalambos (name) Giakoumis (surname).

Cheers,

Vicky

[banned8]

The person who filled in the "Certificate of Birth and Baptism" was a Greek-American, probably second-generation who had been to school in the States (judging from his handwriting), and therefore was able to communicate perfectly with your grandfather and get his Greek name spelled out correctly as well as the English version thereof, with Charalambos shortened to Harry. My guess (and therefore the wav file) was correct, your grandfather's full name was Charalambos Yakoumis (and I agree with the transliteration Giakoumis, which would still be the correct one, though it wouldn't give you a correct pronunciation of the name), affectionately known in the States as Harry Giakoumis. There followed a number of official errors and he ended up as Michael Harris.

Good luck with the rest of your quest!

[zorba0332]

Thank you everyone for your help in my discoveries!