RÓD SPRUTH - SPRUTA - SPRUTTA
THE
SURNAME
HISTORICAL
SETTING
THE SPRUTHS IN POLAND
LINEAGE
CONTACT
|
THE SURNAME
Jan de Vries, who is the author of “Old Norse Dictionary of Etymology”,
states that the word “sproti” means the same as Zweig in German
nowadays, i.e. trunk, stump, branch, root. The word “sproti” was well
known in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea basin:
– sproti – New Icelandic
– sprote – New Nordic
– sprut – Shetland
– sprota – Old English
– spruta – Old Frisian
– sprut – Scotch-Gaelique
– sprate – New Swedish
There exists a word “spruta” in Swedish which means syringe. I asked
the University of Uppsali if it has ever been a personal name – it was
not. The word sounded spruth (root, limb) in Old Norwegian, and exists
as sprout in English.
HISTORICAL SETTING
The SPRUTH family (another spelling SPRUTE) comes from Westphalia. It
almost certain that MOSEBACK in Lemgo district is the “family” village.
Such an information is provided by Dr. Herbert Spruth, who is believed
to be the best expert in this family history, and Sir Wilhelm Spruth.
The information is confirmed by I.A. Eickmeier, who states the
archival data of the family to be in Arnsberg collection, Detmold &
Münster since 1660. W. Spruth states that Johann SPRUTE is listed in
the Estates Registry from 1488 as the agrarian owner in Moseback. The
Johannes name was the most commonly used in the family. The son /the
oldest or the youngest/ was the one to inherit in Westphalia – he had
to repay to the rest who settled elsewhere. This is how the SPUTHS
come to Pomerania (Pomorze) and Great Poland (Wielkopolska).
Christian HAKEN published /page 44/ the names of the citizens of 1294
in “the History of Koszalin” which was brought up in 1767 – there is
SPRUTH senior and his son JOH. SPRUTH /Dr. Herbert Spruth states they
come from Moseback/. There is an information in the footnote: “He
ordered to become 14 wloks (about 252 000 ha) in Jamno in fee, its
become a property of a Glasenapp later on, who gave it up to the city
in 1356. It is plausible that Fredeland advanced some money to buy a
lake from the Jaschons and the 14 wloks were mortgaged. Although it
was Spruth to deal on behalf of himself, the city was responsible for
it.” Since that very moment Koszalin was a sea city with a port in
Unieście and become a Hanza member /since 1386/. J.E. Benno states in
“History of Koszalin” from 1840 that a citizen of Koszalin – Johannes
Spruth – purchased in 1333 half of the Jamno lake from Duke of Darłowo
and Sławno. Koszalin become the owner of the whole water region in
1353. Kolobrzeg disliked this expansion and in 1446 occurred a clash
at Tatowskie Lake /Koszalin won/. The numerous Spruth family used to
live in Pomerania (Pomorze) till 1945. They live besides Germany also
in Russia, Scandinavia and America nowadays.
After Germany was united the migration of the German population to
Great Poland increased. The members of SPRUTH family leaved for these
terrains as well. The history of the Polish offshoot of the Westphalia
SPRUTH family is strongly connected with Great Poland and Babkowice
village in Roman-Catholic parish of Pepowo in Gostyn district.
Babkowice belonged to Klucz Chocieszewice /part of Pepowo nowadays/.
The Konarzewscys where the owners of the Klucz in 17th century. It
belonged to the dowry of Weronika Konarzewska in 1715 when she married
Maciej Mycielski. The MYSIELSCYS coat-of-arm Dolega from Mycielin near
Kalisz formed due to affinities and marriages one of the most powerful
family in Great Poland. One of the most eminent members of the family
MACIEJ MYCIELSKI/*1690 +1747/ brought the family to most significant
dignities of Republic of Poland due to the marriage with Werionika
KONARZEWSKĄ/*1699 +1762/– the daughter of Wisniowiecka princess. The
two joined fortunes made the magnate palaces opened for him (he become
a headman of Konin – estate's guard - due to favouritism of his
mother-in-law) – that is how the Sprutts arrived to Izabelin in
district of Konin – the first trace in the parish register of Lichen
originates from 1832. Joseph Mycielski /*1733 +1789/ was the one to
inherit the estates and his oldest son Michael Mycielski/*1760 +1815/
after him. The Mycielscys brought craftsmen, they were tolerant to
newcomers and infidels – Jan of Nepomuk Mycielski (the owner of Gostyn
of those days – the Maciej's youngest son) formed an edict of
tolerance.
THE SPRUTHS IN POLAND
The authors of monograph “History of the district of Gostyn” and Dr.
Joseph Pieprzyk – the author of monograph of Babkowice village – state
that it was Westphalia which was the motherhood of the settlers. Also
today so called “through the window guests” (westfalocy) are invited
to the wedding. It is worth mentioning that in Poland /but not only
here/ it was the mother to raise the children. A Polish mother raised
Poles – a German mother raised Germans. That is why many inhabitants
of Great Poland with German surnames were patriots – insurgents of
Great Poland. Looking at the plaque of executed Poles during World War
the second.
At 3.05.1776 in Chocieszewice Wojciech SPRUT was born, a son of Maciej
and Jadwiga. The “first” Maciej SPRUT was a free peasant. The surname
was spelled as it sounded in German where the “H” was soundless.
There was 20-25% of free peasants in Poland before the second Poland's
partition (1793) and half of them were called “Oledrowie” - incomers
from the West. In the description of Klucz Chocieszewice from 1731
Maciej Sprut appears as a so called “polrolnik”.
There appear few families with the surnames SPRUTA, SZPRUTKA, SZPRUTA
at the end of 18th century – these are probably the brothers or sons
of Maciej. They keep the family ties e.g. they participate in baptisms.
It is a Catholic polonized family. I did not find this surname in any
register of Scotch immigrants, neither in Protestant Church register
of Kobylin. One cannot deny, however, the Spruts (Sprutts) could have
Celtic roots: Pictic or even “Scoti” who migrated from Ireland (Scoti
means Irishman in Latin). It is very interesting how the second “T”
appeared in the spelling – the majority of the descendants of the very
family bear a name of Sprutta (adds Mariusz Sprutta).
I will answer to Mariusz – the SPRUT surname was polonized by adding
“A”, and germanized later on by adding “T” - the opinion of the
language experts and historians is that it was dependent on the
attitude of the registry clerk.
LINEAGE
It is possible that in 1791, in Gebice, Siedlec and later on in
Babkowice, used to live the second son of Maciej: WINCENTY SPRUTA with
his wife Regina and children
Jan * 05. 07.1791 Gembice
Julianna * ? 1798 Siedlec
+ 23.10.1853 Siedlec
Wawrzyniec * 10.08.1803 Babkowice
MICHAŁ * 09.09.1806 Babkowice
+ 21.01.1874 Babkowice
Ca 90% of the family originates from Wincenty and Michał
JAN SPRUTA with wife Petronala and a son lived in Pepowo around 1795 (possibly
a son of Maciej – Wincenty's brother)
Wawrzyniec * ? 1799 Pepowo
+26.02.1869 Zalesie Wielkie
Plausible Jan and Jadwiga had sons:
Feliks SZPRUTKA *07.01.1800 Pepowo
Lukas SPRUTTA *03.10.1802 Chocieszewice
Karol SPRUTTA *04.10.1804 Chocieszewice
Wojciech SZPRUTA *20.04.1806 Chocieszewice
/ he moved to Izabelin, and his son to America in 1907 /
MACIEJ SZPRUTA +5.10.1828 lived in Babkowice with his wife – Agnieszka
Robaczynska and children in 1800:
Mateusz *11.09.1800 Chocieszewice
Elżbieta *08.10.1802 Chocieszewice
Urszula *17.10.1804 Chocieszewice
Maria *04.07.1807 Chocieszewice
IGNACY SZPRUTA lived in Babkowice with his wife – Ludwika and children
in 1818:
Wiktoria *20.12.1818 Babkowice
Józef *10.03.1821 Babkowice
WOJCIECH SZPRUT /the son of Jan and Jadwiga/ lived with his wife
Karolina Hankowna and son in the estates of Koninski district, managed
by Mycielscy, inhabitants of which had family and economical
connections with the Chocieszewscys till the end of 19th century, in
Izabelin in the parish of Lichen.
Maciej *27.01.1832 Izabelin
A huge part of the SPRUTA family lives in Konin and its surroundings.
The SPRUTS, SPRUTTS and SZPRUTS live only in Babkowice, Chocieszewice
and Pepowo at the beginning of 19th century. They moved to another
estates belonging to the Mycielscys such as: Siedlec, Zalesie Wielkie,
Anielin, Elęcin, Górka, Sroki, Krzyżanki and Izabelinie.
There live (not only in Poland) over 600 persons – close and
collateral relatives bearing the surname:
SPRUTTA (ŚPRUTTA) – ca 250
SZPRUTA – ca 220
SZPUTA – ca 160
The changes in pronunciation and wrong spelling altered the surname.
It happened also that whole brothers had different spelling of the
surname, and their sons another (it happens still nowadays). Our
descendants, though free peasants, belonged to the grange poor of
homeworker status (they owned own cottages), bailiff status (owned a
chamber in four-flat building). They were carters, sheep-breeders and
could dig the ditches and raise the dikes. The Sprutts were men of the
world, they were enterprising and courageous. They were called
“karbowy” and “polowy” (a person responsible for the work of another
peasants) – they organized field working. They were able of working on
imported machines such as steam machines (the oldest members of the
family told so), they were hot-tempered and liked alcohol. One can
find in the census of Babkowice from 1851 MICHAŁ SPROTA (in parish
register – MICHAŁ SPRUTA), who farmed as a “half-quarter-farmer”
together with Karol Kopec. He did count in the village as his children
were hold during baptism by rich half-farmers. He is the ancestor of
80% of the family. His fields are cultivated by great-great-grandson
Tadeusz Sparta (his father is listed in the census as SPRUTA).
LINEAGE was elaborated on the basis of the query of Archiwum
Archidiecezji Poznanskiej (the Archive of Archdiocese in Poznan) ,
Archiwum Panstwowe w Poznaniu and Leszno (National Archive in Poznan
and Leszno), parish registers of Pepowo, Kobylino, Lichen and another
registries. The list is not completed and needs to be researched. I
limited the list to the progeny of “2” Wincenty SPRUTA and his wife
Regina (note: “2” is the number on the family tree which is still
under construction).
Generation III
„ 3 ” MICHAŁ SPRUTA (żył 68 lat) s. Wincentego i Reginy z żoną
Agnieszką Szkudlarek (żyła 62 lata) mieli ośmioro dzieci, z tego dwoje
zmarło w wieku kilku lat, a sześciu synów miało potomstwo:
Generation IV
„ 4 ” MICHAŁ SPRUTA (lived 88 years – reposes on the cemetery in
Domachowo with his wife Juliana Michalak (77) (six children)
„ 5 ” IGNACY SPRUTA (69 – reposes in Pepowo)
with wife – Rozalia Kedziora (7 children)
„ 6 ” FRANCISZEK SPRUTA (89 – reposes in Zytowieck) with wife Marianna
Szczepanska and second wife Franciszka Kubs (9 children)
„ 7” WOJCIECH SPRUTA (70 – reposes in Pepowo) with wife Marianna
Markowska (7 children)
„ 8 ” PIOTR SPRUTA (68 – reposes in Nieparta) with wife Zofia
Lukaszewska (92) (5 children)
„ 9 ” FILIP SPRUTA (64 – reposes in Pepowo) with wife Franciszka
Krajka and second wife Marianna Halongowska (5 children)
All of them beard the name SPRUTA (although my great-grandfather Piotr
baptised with the surname SPROTA) and all the changes were made in
1874 as the registries were organized.
Generation V
„ 10” MARCIN SPRUTTA son of Michał (79) with Franciszka Kwinecka (79)
(12 children)
„ 11 ” PETRONELA SPRUTTA daughter of Ignacy who gave birth to Kacper
„ 12” JAN SZPRUTA son of Franciszek (81) with Marianna Owsianna and
with second wife Rozalia Jankowiak (6 children)
„ 13” ANTONI SZPRUTA son of Franciszek with Jozefa (4 children)
gave birth to (among others) Franciszek * 1900 in Poniec w Poniecu –
insurgent of Great Poland who reposes on the cemetry in Domachow
„ 14 ” MARCIN SPRUTTA son of Franciszek (91) with Jadwiga Krzyzanska
(6 children)
„ 15” MICHAŁ SPROTTA son of Franciszek (76 – reposes in Bojanow) with
Elzbieta Oczak and second with Franciszka Pazola (7 children)
„ 16 ” JÓZEFA POLASZEK daughter of Franciszek (90) – died in Gostyn in
1993, with Jan Polaszek (4 children)
„ 17” JOANNA BOROWIAK c. Franciszka (89 lat) – zmarła w 1994 r. w
Żytowiecku (2 children)
„ 18” JAN SPRUTTA (SZPRUTA) son of Wojciech with Agnieszka Walenska
and seconed wife Mairanna Hoffman
„ 19 ” WALENTY SPRUTA son of Wojciech with Rozalia Pawelska (7
children)
„ 20 ” KAZIMIERZ SPRUTA son of Wojciech with Marianna Lewandowska (8
children)
„ 21 ” JAKUB SPRUTTA son of Piotr (76 – reposes in Kobylin) with
Wiktoria Krys and Rozalia Ulatowska-Krzekotowska (19 children)
My grandfather is unbeatable as far as number of children is concerned
– 14 of the were brought up
„ 22 ” MICHAŁ SPRUTTA son of Piotr (80) with Stanislawa Szulczyk (7
children)
„ 23 ” FRANCISZEK SPRUTA son of Filip (90) with Jadwiga Walorska (12
children)
Generation VI
The members of the family can be found in many cities and towns all
over the country nowadays, among others in Warsaw, Szczecin, Koszalin,
Sopot, Bydgoszcz, Konin, Poznan, Leszno, Rawicz, Gostyn, Wroclaw,
Katowice, Krakow, Wałbrzych, Lublin, Wagrowiec, Szamotuly,
Leczna and many others. Katty and her brother Jimmy Sprutta/ son of
Jozef of Kobylin - district of Krotoszyn/ - live in Chicago, USA, and
Jean- Paul-François Sprutta/branch from Konin/ in Montrealu.
There are also several hundreds of SPRUTH and SPRUTHE families members.
I am looking forward to any remarks concerning my establishments.
Józef i Cezary SPRUTTA
ul. Daleka 16
75-373 Koszalin
POLAND
tel.: (0-48-94) 347-11-17
tel. kom.: 048-601-999-124
fax: (048-94) 341-11-00
www.sprutta.pl |