Zurek is Sour Soup, not a city in Switerland!
Thanks to Ancestory.com for sponsoring today’s discussion on What Does Zurek Mean?
My Husband is a Zurek
During the course of my life, my last name has begun with ‘B’, with ‘M’, and now ‘Z’. I love being a ZUREK, it is such fun family to marry into, as Walt has 4 siblings, 92 first cousins, and a whole slew of distant relatives.
Walt has spent a considerable amount of time researching his family history on both his mother and father’s side of the family. He has researched his father’s side, the Zurek’s, back to the 1700s. Yes, there are still a few names and dates missing along the way, and some supporting documents still to collect…but that’s half the fun of the research. And it all started with a trial World Explorer Plus membership that I won about a year ago!
Walt’s family tree on the Zurek side, as you can see his research goes back to the 1700s. Some names have been removed to protect privacy. This capability to make a family tree is a part of the features on Ancestry. com
I think when Walt first started researching his family, he had no idea where the search would take him or that he would become so immersed in the search for his roots. I certainly had no idea when we attained the membership how many things we would do around the research! Consider a trial Ancestry. com membership for yourself!
For example:
Ancestry.com helps find where relatives lived and died
Based on the knowledge we gained via Ancestry. com we have visited family grave sites and local surrounding towns in Parisville, Mi. which is the oldest Polish Settlement in America. We found several relatives buried in the local Catholic Cemetery at St. Mary’s Church. We even discovered the burial cross of Walt’s 2nd great grandma. Because the museum was closing, they gave the cross to Walt! This was all because of the knowledge he gained on Ancestory. com
Ancestry.com leads you to experts, databases and other searchers who can help discover who you are
Via the hired experts, databases and others who had already researched the Zurek tree, Walt was able to locate documents such as this passenger list from the SS Hyram-Hamburg, Germany to Quebec, Ont (April 1886) which confirms his 2nd Great grandmother’s passage to North America. Via the “Hire an Expert” tab, he hired an expert in Poland who greatly helped in finding documentation to verify relatives on the Zurek family tree. You can also view the trees of other relatives and people who are Ancestry .com members. If their tree is public, you can grab parts of their trees and paste the relevant parts into your tree!
You can find out about your family Last name meanings and origin on your first visit!
As you can see the Zurek last name means Sour Soup. Now isn’t that funny that discovering your last name meanings can lead you to find out a fun fact like that!
Here’s what Zurek Soup looks like!
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Ancestry is the world’s largest online resource for family history. Ancestry strives to fill the fundamental desire people have to understand who they are and where they came from. With a unique collection of billions of historical records, including handwritten historical documents and state and local government archives, Ancestry is the perfect place to learn fun and interesting facts about your family’s tree.
Sandy c says
Great site!! Found it because I received a msg from SWZurek thru ancestry: looking for Mathew Peplinski’s parents. I replied today but not sure it went thru. I was pretty active with ancestry last year. I lost my husband then son then interest in everything. Thank you Shelley and SWZurek!! I have woke up!! Thank you
Dorothy Hubbard says
Thanks for the interesting family info. My daughter has started a family tree, but I am not sure how far she has gotten. when I talk to her again I will have to ask.
Deb P says
Had my family write down a lot of information about the family history.
Nat says
That looks really good actually
Nathan says
This looks really good right now…
Sherry Compton says
Wow! How beautiful and extensive. All that paperwork and how amazing that he was able to travel to some of the places. I have done some ancestry work, and some of my relatives have done a lot of research. While we don’t have all that, it is fun and amazing to trace your line. To see where they traveled and think about how they lived. It really is a living history that you are a part of. I’m glad there are sites and people out there to help us.
Cathy Jarolin says
I have used Ancestry.com and have found a lot out about my family.. moms side and Dads side. A little more difficult with my Dads side. His real father died when he was 2 or 3 yrs old. his mom remarried. He somewhere along the way took his Step Dads last name which I was born with. However he was never adopted.. So for Blood relatives we have to use his real dads name which legally should have been my Birth Name. It actually gets kind of interesting! I enjoy using ancestry.com never know what you find out!
Shelley Zurek says
And adoption or name change adds a whole other twist doesn’t it? My grandma was adopted which we didn’t know for years. The Chief Blonde
Sarah L says
I have documents that my grandmother had as a member of the DAR.
Cheryl says
It was interesting to read about your family name. I don’t remember what ours means, but my father had a large family too.
Kaycee @ My Crafty Zoo says
I comment your bravery for putting your family names out there. I’m too chicken. I do enjoy ancestory .com but didn’t do anything beyond the trial as it’s too expensive for me.
rochelle haynes says
Nice to know nice name
Judith M. says
Ancestry and the free site Family Search are the best for doing research.
Karen Propes says
I have wanted to go on there and research my family. My husband’s family has everything written down and with detail. I feel bad, I would love to know my history also. I always have something to do. I’m going to get my information together and do it next month. I can hardly wait. Thanks for sharing about your husband’s family. wow 92 cousins. Bet that’s a large family get together. Also love your picture of the family, it’s beautiful.
ranadurham says
shelly love the personal photos on your article. i learned alot about your last name. i am so glad you cleared up evrerything.
Elizabeth B says
I have always wanted to do research on Ancestry! Fortunately, my entire family tree (in the US and back into my ancestral countries) has been completed on both sides of my family. This was done decades ago before we had the internet at our fingertips! Now it would just be a matter of finding out personal information of everyone in the tree. I’m sure there will be a few surprises!
Barrie says
I have a cousin on my father’s side who has done a lot of family history. I tried ancenstry.com several years ago and found it very helpful and intersting!