The Laniosz's of Skopiv

Look also at the USA Laniosz's site

This site is under continual development

Last update: 02/03/08

The story so far...

In 1998, Brett Laniosh from Worcestershire in the UK used the internet search engine to find "Laniosz". Laniosh and Laniosz are both correct transliterations from the Ukrainian Cyrillic alphabet where |_|_| is sz in Polish and sh in English. The name is possibly derived from lania, which means roe deer. The suffix -osz or -sh is added to yield nicknames which in turn often become surnames. Interestingly the US laniosz's pronounce the name LAN-KNEE-OS (last syllable rhymes with MS-DOS) whereas the UK Laniosz's pronounce the name LAN-KNEE-OSH (last syllable rhymes with posh)

Thanks to Lavrentij Krupnak for the above

From Yahoo, Brett found a group of 5 Laniosz's all living in Illinois, USA. In October 1999, he wrote to three of the group, George, Peter and Paul to find if the UK and US sides of the Laniosz's were related. Following a rather exciting exchange of emails, the Laniosh's are now, courtesy of the internet, in regular correspondence.

So are the two families related?

Eugene Laniosz is the father of the Illinois Laniosz's.
Petro (Peter) Laniosz is the father of the Worcestershire Laniosz's.
Both originated in Skopiv (alternatively spelt Skopow or Skopiw), Poland, near Przemysl and very close to the Ukrainian border. Today's maps show Skopiv to be a really small village.
Both referred to themselves as Ukrainians rather than Poles.
Both share similar facial characteristics - dense swept back hair, a high forehead and a long upper lip.
Both left Poland via Germany around 1939-42, Eugene for the US and Peter for the UK.
Eugene was born in 1920, Peter in 1918.
Eugene's parents were Andrew & Mary, Peter's were Theodore and Ann.
It could be that Andrew and Theodore were brothers.
Sadly both Eugene and Peter are deceased so lines of enquiry are going be more difficult.
It

Photographs (thanks to Elwina & Peter Laniosz (US family) for the translations)

	P1 Peter (2nd from left) and his brothers. I think their mother is first on the left. I suspect the three other women are their wives. Is the woman second from the left the same woman holding Peter's hand in the Wedding Photo?
	P2 Peter (enlargement from the above)
		P3 I think this is one of Peter's sisters. "In memory" (and her name)
		P4 I think this may be one of Peter's sisters. "In memory       giving this to Peter" (and her name)
		P5 I think this may be one of Peter's sisters. I think it the same girl as in the wedding photograph (front row second from left) "For good memory I give you this photo Petriky (pet name for Peter or Petro) (signed)  Wasilina                                 Skipiv   July 26, 1943"
	P6 Peter's family were certainly musical. It looks as though the Laniosz's are front row, first on left and maybe third on left; back row; second from left.
	P7 The Wedding Peter is middle row, far right. He is holding hands with the girl I think is in P1. I think Peter's brother's are front row, first from left and fourth from left. Is the girl on the front row, second from left the same girl in P5? Could one of these be Eugene?
		P8 "In the memory of a friend (His name)  Oprobtkut Steven July 23, 1945 (probably written by his friend while they were in Germany. Either Peter was leaving Germany or his friend Steven was going home to the Ukraine after the war. The word in front of the date is German, probably a town or village.  This may have been added later."
		P9 Written in Polish. Stamp is from a Polish town.
	P10 Some of these girls could be Peter's sisters. I have an enlargement of the girl second from the left, back row. Can you recognise any of them on other photos?
	P11 We think this was one of Peter's sisters
	P12 Could some of these people dressed for a festival or party be part of our family?
	P13 Peter Laniosz

Brett Laniosh