Hungarians in NZ

[Burrow Digger]

Hello. Haven't been here for a long time.

I have finally done a DNA test and the ethnicity came back as 3/4 British and 1/4 Eastern European.

I did some checking to see what Eastern Europeans might have been in Invercargill in the 1930's and I came across this wikipedia page which named a few families who settled in Southland.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_New_Zealanders

My mother was born out of wedlock in Invercargill in 1937, and she was later adopted out when she was 2 or 3 years old. (I call it being thrown away - and if that is how she sees it, no wonder she doesn't want to know anything about her biological family.)

MY DNA test says I am 1/4 East European - I have yet to upload my raw data to My Heritage, but I will do that soon - and this wikipedia page mentions Hungarians in Invercargill Southland around the right time.

I am hoping my mother will be able to do a DNA test by the end of this month, but I am still working on that.

In the meantime, I was wondering if any Kiwis here have any connections to the following Hungarian names - Szivak, Racz, Kokely and Kollat, (as mentioned in the wikipedia page above) and any other Hungarian names that might have settled in Southland before 1936.

Thank you.

Edited to add - I guess I should add my GEDmatch number - T076658

[minniehaha]

Hello and welcome back to Rootschat......


Mention is made on our Archives website of three of those names:

Szivak, Racz, Kollat.

https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/

Just put the name in "Simple Search"


Minniehaha.

[minniehaha]

Hello again,

Rather than the name of "Kokely" that you have mentioned, perhaps the name should be Kokay as shown in the article? If so, Kokay can also be found on the above Archives website.....


Minniehaha.

[Burrow Digger]

Hello again,

Rather than the name of "Kokely" that you have mentioned, perhaps the name should be Kokay as shown in the article? If so, Kokay can also be found on the above Archives website.....

Minniehaha.

You're absolutely right - My bad. That should be Kokay. Thank you.

[minniehaha]

Racz & Kollat names are still in Southland (and elsewhere) & Kokay names in Dunedin, Otago (and elsewhere).......

https://whitepages.co.nz/

Minniehaha.

[minniehaha]

Mention is made here of all four names (Otago/Southland newspapers).......

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers


Minniehaha.

[Burrow Digger]

Thank you!!

 I see there are some names from the same location my maternal grandmother was from, so that may be the family I am looking for.

So I just need to get my mother tested and hope that someone from these families has also submitted a DNA test.

I will go through Papers Past to see what I can find.

Thanks again.

[minniehaha]

It may be helpful to have a look for those names on our BDM website........

https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/


Minniehaha.