Family name "Olejarz"

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Mar 16, 11, 20:29 #1

Hello,
I am a 23 year old student. I have always been extraordinarily fascinated by my Polish culture, but sadly I know little about it. The only information my father gave me was that my great-grandfather and his family left Krakow in the early 20’s to work at the mills in Massachusetts. The last name Olejarz is very uncommon here, and when most people see it they assume it’s Spanish and pronounce it as “Olaharez”. It’s rather sad because my brother and I are the only ones who will carry the family name since my father does not really have other family here (at least where I live). Is Olejarz a widely common last name in Poland? Have there been alterations to the name in the past?

Also, I have read the MANY forums regarding the “typical” Polish appearance. I think its clear there is not one distinct look, but I do like to pride myself on the idea that I have “common Polish features”. With that, I wanted to post some pictures and say “Hello”. I’m hoping when I graduate (2012) I will be able to visit Poland, especially Krakow! :D

♂

Edited by: Polonius3 Mar 16, 11, 21:59 #2

OLEJARZ: occupational nick; root-word olej (oil); olejarz and olejnik were oil-makers, someone who pressed hemp, rapeseed, linseed, poppyseed, etc. to produce cooking oil. Some 2,700 users in Poland. Patronymic of-shoot: Olejarczyk, Olejarski, Olejnicki...

KUSTOSZ: another occupational nick for someone in charge of safekeeping a library, art collection, church valuables; guardian of royal insignia; chapter custodian = cathedral prelate, etc.; as a surname used by around 900 Poles.

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Mar 17, 11, 06:33 #3

Micheal Olejarz
Home in 1930: New Bedford, Bristol, Massachusetts
View Map
Age: 54
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1876
Birthplace: Poland
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary Olejarz
Race: White

John Olejarz
Home in 1930: Acushnet, Bristol, Massachusetts
View Map
Age: 50
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1880
Birthplace: Poland
Relation to Head of House: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary Olejarz
Race: White

Without a given name I am looking at pretty much all the surnames in Mass.

Lawerence Olejarz
Home in 1930: Chicopee, Hampden, Massachusetts
View Map
Age: 47
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1883
Birthplace: Poland

Joseph Olejarz
Home in 1930: Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts
View Map
Age: 44
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886
Birthplace: Poland

The cencus shows 120. but these are also family members included.

if you give more information I might be able to get you started in the right direction of finding
your grandpa's past documents. At least I will try. ;)

sophia423Threads: 1 Posts: 4 Joined: Mar 16, 11 ♀	Mar 17, 11, 15:38 #4
Thank you so much for looking that up for me! I just spoke with my father and he said the names were Micheal and Mary. However, he claims that they always lived in Lowell,MA. He also said his wife, Mary, died very young. Other than that, he has no other information.

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Edited by: Patrycja19 Mar 17, 11, 15:49 #5

sophia423:

Micheal and Mary. However, he claims that they always lived in Lowell,MA. He also said his wife, Mary, died very young. Other than that, he has no other information.

well I will get you something to get started on..

so I am going to say the first name I found would be him?

you cant say they always lived.. because they lived in poland and moved..

family stories cant be misleading, they help, but sometimes they are not always correct
since 2001 I have found numerous decrepancies in my familys recollections.

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Mar 17, 11, 16:18 #6

Name: Michal Olejarz
Titles & Terms:
Event: Marriage
Event Date: 23 Nov 1907
Event Place: Lowell, , Massachusetts
Gender: Male
Age: 27
Marital Status:
Race:
Birth Date: 1880
Birthplace: , , Austria
Marriage Registration Year:
Marriage Registration Place: Lowell, , Massachusetts
Estimated Birth Year: 1880
Father: Jan Olejarz
Father's Titles & Terms:
Mother: Maryanna Kowilska
Mother's Titles & Terms:
Spouse: Katarzyna Murzwska
Spouse's Titles & Terms:
Spouse's Race:
Spouse's Marital Status:
Spouse's Father: Wojciech Murzwska
Spouse's Father's Titles & Terms:
Spouse's Mother: Maryanna Golda
Spouse's Mother's Titles & Terms:

there is also a sister of michal.. named agata

Here is the information
Groom's Name: John Moranski
Groom's Birth Date: 1883
Groom's Birthplace:
Groom's Age: 21
Bride's Name: Agata Olejarz
Bride's Birth Date: 1886
Bride's Birthplace:
Bride's Age: 18
Marriage Date: 08 May 1904
Marriage Place: Lowell, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Groom's Father's Name: George Moranski
Groom's Mother's Name: Mary Kondiolka
Bride's Father's Name: John Olejarz
Bride's Mother's Name: Maryanna Kowalska

they have same parents so this is his sister..

I just recieved a phone call from my manager asking me to come in early to work because
its very busy and many sick people. so duty calls :)

I will try to get back later tonight or tomorrow with some more information.
if you would like I can just email it to you
sometimes I find documents and save them, I will email any I find so your father can look
at them :)

have a great day

sophia423Threads: 1 Posts: 4 Joined: Mar 16, 11 ♀	Mar 17, 11, 19:27 #7
wow, thank you SO much! i really appreciate the time and effort you have put into this. have a great day as well! :D

sophia423Threads: 1 Posts: 4 Joined: Mar 16, 11 ♀	Mar 18, 11, 00:31 #8
i found out michael was born in 1884 and his wife mary was born in 1882 if that helps at all?

Patrycja19Threads: 79 Posts: 3,974 Joined: Oct 31, 06 ♀	Mar 18, 11, 05:17 #9
sophia423 ashley, one thing I will tell you there will be decrepancies in most documents. dates can be off by two years or so with the information you gave me, I would give it a 90% the above is them.

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Edited by: tayloradk Sep 6, 11, 02:37 #10

My Grandfather's name was Andrew Olejarz. He was born in either Poland or Austria in 1883 and lived in Poland. His wife Anna Pieczko was born in Poland in 1881. I do not know what city they lived in or what year they got married. They had two daughters born in Poland, Julia in 1909 and Sophie in 1911.
Andrew Olejarz immigrated to the United States around 1912 and left his wife and daughters behind. When he came through Ellis Island, as happened to so many, his name was changed, and spelled phonetically as OLASH. He settled in Acosta PA in Somerset County and his wife and daughters joined him shortly thereafter. They had six more children, Helen, Walter, Frank, John, Stanley and Mary. Stanley was my father, (1922-1996) He married Anna D Knopp in 1942 and they had five sons of which I am number four. My name is Donald Olash. My father and all of his siblings are deceased. I am attaching three of the photos I have.
1. The large sepia family photo was taken in Acosta PA around 1925. They are from left to right, Walter, Sophie, Andrew (seated), Stanley (between his knees), Julia, John, Anna (seated with Mary in arm), Helen and Frank.
2. The small black and white is Andrew, Anna and Mary Olash circa 1928. This photo was taken at the old Monaca home on 8th Street.
3. Photo of Andrew and Anna tombstone Saint John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery, Monaca, PA

Olash (Olejarz) family Acosta PA circa 1925

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Sep 7, 11, 07:39 #11

Andrew Olejarz immigrated to the United States around 1912 and left his wife and daughters behind. When he came through Ellis Island, as happened to so many, his name was changed, and spelled phonetically as OLASH

Ellis Island search :

Andrzy Olejarz arrived Feb 16, 1912 from Jadlowka Galicia, passengers traveling with him are Antoni Gorski & Anton Piesko, also from Jadlowka

Anna Olejarz arrived March 12, 1913- her name is mis-transcribed as Anna Clejarz in the Ellis Island database- passengers with her are 2 daughters, Cecylia & Zofia, their destination was Andrzy Olejarz, Raphelton? Pa

maksymThreads: 1 Posts: 37 Joined: Mar 21, 07 ♂	Sep 7, 11, 08:23 #12
Andrzy Olejarz arrived Feb 16, 1912 from Jadlowka Galicia The correct spelling of town looks to be Jodłówka At Google type in Jodlowka and Olejarz, there are matches listed for search results, and also for Pieszko?

tayloradkThreads: - Posts: 3 Joined: Sep 6, 11 ♂	Sep 9, 11, 04:41 #13
THANK YOU SO MUCH for this information. I do have a copy of Andrew Olash's Certificate of Citizenship #3537176 and Petition #2702 for the Beaver County Courthouse, Beaver PA Thank you, my family will be so very pleased to learn this! Donald

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Sep 9, 11, 04:53 #14

THANK YOU SO MUCH for this information. I do have a copy of Andrew Olash's Certificate of Citizenship #3537176 and Petition #2702 for the Beaver County Courthouse, Beaver PA.
YES, Pieszko was my grandmother's (Anna Olash) maiden name. Ironicly, my Mother (Stanley Jr.'s wife married on June 29 1942) was also named Anna (Dolores Knopp). The Knopp family came to the US in 1636 from Germany. My Father, the late Stanley Olash Jr. next to the youngest child of Andrew and Anna, discovered at age 62 when returning to his birthplace, Acosta, PA in Somerset County, upon recieving a copy of his birth certificate, his name was listed as Andrew!
Thanks again.
Thank you, my family will be so very pleased to learn this!

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