I have a similar experience in my family, which is well documented.
My MGGF Aron Dovid BARAK (17 years old) and his family were living in
Khotin, Bessarabia in 1860 when he received a draft notice >from the
Czar's army. Nearly the entire family fled the Russian Empire --
the part most closely related to me going to Storozynetz in Bukovina,
which was then an Austrian "Crownland." Upon arriving in Storozynetz,
they changed the name to KANTORJI.

According to Beider's Dictionary of Jewish Surnames in the Russian
Empire, BaRaK >from Khotin and the towns around it is an acronym for
Bar Rabbenu Kalonymus. I have been searching for a long time to try
to learn to which of the many KALONYMUS family's famous rabbis this
acronym may refer.

The changing of the name to Kantorji and the frequency of the name
Smuel (Samuel) for first born sons has led me to wonder if this
appelation may refer to Smuel ben KALONYMUS HaHazan, who was a
famous cantor and the rabbi of the Jewish community in Erfurt, Germany.
He and about two dozen other Jews were murdered by crusaders in 1221, CE.

Any thoughts on this chain of speculation?

Marc M. Cohen,
Palo Alto, California

COHEN, DINOVITZER, GOLDENBERG >from Dunayevtsy, Ukraine.
BARAK, KANTORJI >from Khotin, Bessarabia; Chernovsty and Storozynetz, Bukovina.
FACTOR, KORNITZKY, CHOMITZ OR HAMETZ >from Kiev & Stepantsy Ukraine.
CHOMITZ, HAMETZ >from Kiev, Stepantsy, Ukraine; Ioninna/Jannina, Greece.
COHEN, ROSENBERG, SCHLEICHER, GOLDENBERG >from Tirgu Frumos & Roman, Romania
WEININGER, RIBNER, HEISRIGGER, HEITNER, HESS, SCHEFLER, SHAEFFLER >from Chernovtsy, Costinetz, Costestie, or Storozynetz, Bukovina.