Themistoklis Hatzopoulos

JimLoomis1

I am trying to find when and how my Grandfather, Themistoklis Hatzopoulos arrived in the USA from Greece. Born 1886. Birthday is July 10th or April 29th. Can you help. Jim Loomis, 603-224-9710

Patty K R O

@JimLoomis1, thank you for your question. I have a couple of thoughts regarding your question.

First, since your question is in regards to Greek genealogy, you may want to post it at this group's page: https://community.familysearch.org/en/group/90-greece

Secondly, this wiki article gives a lot of information about Greek Emigration and Immigration: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Greece_Emigration_and_Immigration. According to this article, you may want to try searching the New York Passenger Arrival lists at https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1368704.

Also, there is a paragraph stating that some things have changed since the modern Greek state was created. You may actually need to search a different country according to the wiki article (copied below). I hope this information at least helps you get started. If you need more information, I suggest you go ahead and post in the Greece research group since you will find people there with more expertise in Greek research. Good luck!

"Greek Boundary Changes Affect Immigrant Status

"When the formation of the modern Greek nation took place the boundaries of Greece were including only a small part of what today is Greece. With the years the boundaries were expanded. How these changes affect research and accessing records:

• If your ancestor was born in Crete and emigrated to the U.S.A. in 1907 the Ship Manifest will state that he was born in Turkey.
• Also if your ancestor moved from Crete to Athens before 1913, you may find information about him/her on records of “immigrants” to Greece!
• Or if he was born in Athens and moved to Crete before 1913 you may find information about him/her on Passport Lists."

--Lica Catsakis, Geographic and Administrative Boundary Changes

Surname changes were made when an area of a different country became part of Greece, and the ethnic Greek citizens wanted to change their names to the Greek form."

Hyde, Andrew John_1

Hello Jim,

You could also search Migration and Immigration records. I did a quick search and found several records that may be of use to you

JimLoomis1

Thanks for the help and tips. The records found were entered into Family Search by me. I think he was raised by the Monks in Athens. he may have been an orphan.

Julia Szent-Györgyi

I have nothing useful to contribute, but I just had to say it: that is one Gloriously Greek name.

Re Searching

There is at least one person living now with that name.

@JimLoomis1

This appears to be the same person as in the 1920 census, but under an Anglicised version of Themis.

[ Edit: - oops: typo corrected above. was 1820 ]

"https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FL8Q-QWL"

"https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPM6-T3NL"

For those interested, the letter 'h' following a consonent acts to 'soften' the consonant and in Russian especially, this puts it together with a very short 'yee' sound after it. So Themis would be pronounced Tyemis, which indicates roots to the precursor name which eventually led to those like James and Seamus.

Just out on a limb, Is it possible that they were actually from Russia/Poland and fled to the US under Greek Passports to escape the pogrom.

UPDATE: If they are the family in the 1920 census in New Hampshire, then the above suggestion is not likely. Records pertaining to the couple in 1920 have associated marriage and other family connections to show that Sophia's parents were Greek.

JimLoomis1

I am pretty sure my Grandmother, Sophie Selbeiskie was fround Warsaw Poland. I have not been able to find out how she arrived in this country. Thanks for the help and tips.

Re Searching

@JimLoomis1 Any chance she could be the Sophia Hatzopoulos nee Smyrnakis in the aforementioned Census ? It shows her birthplace as Poland, but her parents were greek.