PA chapter Third Tuesday Zoom PROgram

The Pennsylvania Chapter’s series of Third Tuesday Zoom programs continues. Presented at 7:00 PM ET, they are free and open to all. Join us for our March program:

What's in a German Name?
Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Have you ever wondered whether a German surname in your lineage has some significance or meaning? What about how your ancestors named their children? This presentation will explore German naming customs of both forenames and surnames to help you better understand how your ancestors got their names, the importance of naming customs, and how names evolved over time.

As a native Pennsylvania Dutchman, Ken Weaver can trace most every line of ancestors to an 18th century German-speaking immigrant, so it was only natural that he learned to speak German and did so in high school under the tutelage of an inspiring immigrant German teacher. Majoring in German at Millersville University, he also studied during his junior year at Philipps-Universität and upon graduation began a career as a German teacher. He went on to become a principal but continued his language studies by earning certification in ESL. Upon retirement from the public education, he taught at the university level until retiring to Florida in 2014. Now he works on his genealogy, and as a member of several different societies, spends considerable time teaching language tips to any genealogist who’ll listen, as well as transcribing and translating their old German records.

Register here to join us for this program. If you have a question that you want to ask, feel free to email us in advance at info@pennpalam.org or pennsylvaniapalatines@gmail.com.