How Last Names Change

There are different alphabets in the world - and not all have the same sounds associated with them.

Before my mother’s family immigrated to Canada from a farming community the Ukraine, they spelled their last name Gohl. But on their Canadian immigration papers, it was spelled “Huhl.” Was it a typo or a problem reading the Russian documents in Canada? (Once in Canada, they spelled it Guhl...)

When my son got a visa to visit Russia, a number of years ago, his last name also came out looking different on the visa...

If Terry’s family had immigrated by ship from a Russian port, like my mother's family did, their last name might have been changed to Hatkins... or perhaps Vhatkins!