Hi Everyone,

With the help of a few people from both here (USA) as well as in Croatia we have been able to trace my surname back to my 5G Grandfather.

My family was from Zdala, Croatia north of the Drava on the border of Somogy County, Hungary. Their town was close to Berzence, Hungary.

I am looking for info on where he was born as we could not locate his birth record from this area. His name was Matija Kendjelic (Kengyelics on death and mariage record). He died on Nov 4, 1829 and we estimate him to be born around 1759. He married Ana Bosnjak born on Jan 26, 1759.

We pretty much hit a road block and I have a feeling that he may have been born somewhere in Hungary as I could not locate a meaning to our surname. The closest I found was "Kengyel" - meaning Stirrup in Hungarian or also could be derived from an area there? This is just my uneducated guess.

Any help would be great!! Thanks, Brandon

My father was born in Barcs in Hungary in around the 30's with this surname - it's not common in Hungary. You got the stirrup bit right, but I was told it is closer to stirrup-master. I live in the UK, my father and grandmother have been dead a while. There was another family around the Drava area with our surname - related to us, but I can't remember the village. I am guessing with this surname we are related somehow (small world!) I have a number of very old photos from around the turn of the last century showing family members - no idea now who they are. Please feel free to contact me - I'm on facebook and could post the pictures for you to have a look at. Any info from you side would be very interestign, how did you trace so far back?
Regards
Steve Kengyelics