| Levari: Re: Sternthal | Hello,
I am writing in about the Sternthal surname. My family is also sternthal, but as far as I know and can trace, my family comes from the Carpathian mtn region of what is now the Romania/Moldova/Ukraine border, in particular the town of Khotin, Romania. Do any of you know if the Sternthals of Romania were at all connected with the Sternthals of Hungary.? Also, while the name in yiddish means "star valley," I am curious to know how this surname was given and by whom. As far as I know my family on the Sternthal side has no German/Prussian blood and wonder if at some point if they were conquered and given this name. Also, I was under the impression the name came from the region my grandfather (zeyda) came from but now I'm curious to know if it originated in Hungary as I've never heard of this branch of the family. Was it a common name or uncommon. Always under the impression that it was uncommon as I have run into very few Sternthals in my travels. Any information you could offer would be greatly appreciated.
My grandfather, Jack Sternthal arrived in the United States in 1919. He did not go through Ellis Island but arrived in Philadelphia by way of England. He lived and died in Philadelphia in 1989 at 87(?). He and his wife Yetta Schwait gave birth to three sons including my father. Most of these Sternthal still live in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S.
My family going back to Eastern Europe were in the Linen and wine business...In the States my grandfather started a business in Doylestown, PA called County Linen Center which was open for over 50 years and recently closed. It seems the wine making part of my family was left in Europe. I was interested to hear about the glass and window making Sternthals, though, it sounds very interesting as I get the picture they are now a large construction firm in Florida.
In doing research I've found the town my family came from was filled with Jews, Gypsies and Armenians (most wiped out by the various pogroms and purges, including by the infamous Romanian warlord Ion Antonescu who history records as a symbolic little brother of Hitler) but, although it is somewhat heretical to whisper in my family, I often wonder how much 'mixing' went on between these various groups in my grandfather's town along with any intermarriage that might have taken place. Physical similarities to these various peoples within my own family lead me to this question that will most probably never be answered.
Anyway, thanks for sharing and I hope you all find this little history somewhat interesting.
Best,
Levari Sternthal |
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