I found my great grandfather's birth record in the all Galicia database. It listed Moses and Elkie Parnes as Godparents 1 and 2 (given names and surnames). I didn't think Jews had Godparents.  And they have his surname: Parnes. Is it a translation faux pas that's really grandparents or great grandparents? I found Elka Parnes death record in the same town of Brzezany. She would have been 67 at Hersch Leib Parnes birth in 1856. Another thing I don't understand is Hersh Leib birth record listed him as son of Uscher STAHL and Freude (that's how it was listed, without the surname Parnes) and then the Godparents names. I know that surnames were not always used and that many times children would take their Mothers maiden name. Can I infer from that, that Freude was Hersh Leib Mother and she was a Parnes? (And daughter of Moses and Elkie Parnes, so Godparents is grandparents)? I'm trying to find names of farther back generations.  Hersh Leib Parnes was Father to Netti Parnes who married Ernst Drescher who had my Father David Drescher.  Hersh Leib Parnes married his first wife's sister after his first wife died of consumption.  With his second wife he had Toni Parnes who married Bernard Schmeer who had my Mother Anne Schmeer. (Bernard was really Parnes. His Father was Oskar Parnes,  Hersh Leib brother but Oskar divorced Bernard's Mom (Hinde) Rose Schmeer and took his Mom's maiden name). Please help me understand the translation/meaning of Godparents.  Thank you. (And if my guess is right about the birth record saying son of Uscher STAHL and Freude as being another example of taking the Mother's maiden name). My name at birth, maiden name (for genealogical research; after my Dad legally removed the C from our last name to Americanize it) N

ikki Renee Dresher. My email is: nikkinashmusic@....