Advice/Opinions on English Name from Prussia

[ALAMO2008]

I am researching a Cooper who married a Widow Alice Ferguson née Hughes on 14 May 1883 at St John's Toxteth Liverpool as Charles Novak they had 5 Children- 2 died within 3 weeks 1892/3

He was born in East Prussia in 1854 - I find it unlikely he was born as Charles in Prussia -  is it likely?
I think when he came to England in 1880 ? he Anglosized his Christian Name?
The 1881 Census as Boarder at Pitt Street Liverpool shows him as Charles Nawaik
I think He and his Wife were illiterate hence their Children Surnames Registered varied and the Informant had to sign the Birth Certificate for the Registrar as declaring the Correct Surname
 When WW1 broke out He aged 60 and Resident in England for 34 years he was Interned in the Isle of Man POW Camp then Ware Hertfordshire because he was born in Germany- he Died in Ware POW Camp- September 1916 aged 62 and Buried in Local Churchyard but 100 years later he was exhumed and reburied on 30 March 2016 in Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery in the Internee Section

The Puzzle for the Ancestors is what was his Real Birth Name in Prussia and his Family Surname

[fiddlerslass]

First name could be Karl or Carl. Surname Novak, or can be spelt Nowak if Polish.

[Rena]

One of my ancestors born 1854 came to the UK from the European mainland, which at that time was divided up into small Princedoms/principalities, Kingdoms and States.    I too was seeing Karl and Carl until I eventually discovered that my ancestor lived in the British "Kingdom of Hanover" where the given name was written the English way with a "C" = Carl  and not the Germanic/Russian/Slavic spelling of "Karl".

I often used the familysearch website to view the map showing the dispersal of surnames around the world.  I see the website has changed but it might be useful to you.

https://www.familysearch.org/en/surname

He arrive d in England in 1864 when he was 10 years 1 day old.  died in 1942.

He married an English wife, who in those days was a "chattel" and owned by the husband, thus she too was termed the same nationality as the husband which was "German".   So during WWI whilst his three sons served in the English army (!) he had to report to the police station every day.  When he retired aged 65  he moved into the countryside and again during WWII he had to report to the local police station.  The last days of his life, the local police visited him in his home and the police report stated he couldn't remember the name of his mother.

[tonepad]

His name is spelt Charles Nowark on the Parish Register for the marriage, with father Daniel Nowark, Labourer. But he signs his name Charles Nowak, he could at least write his name.

On the 1881 Census, Charles Nawaik is born in Braslow, Prussia - perhaps meant to be Breslau, modern day Wrocław in Poland.


Tony

[KGarrad]

So during WWI whilst his three sons served in the English army (!) he had to report to the police station every day. 

You did, of course, mean the British Army.
The English Army merged with the Scottish Army, to form the British Army, after the Act of Union 1707.

[Rena]

So during WWI whilst his three sons served in the English army (!) he had to report to the police station every day. 

You did, of course, mean the British Army.
The English Army merged with the Scottish Army, to form the British Army, after the Act of Union 1707.

Thank you.

I was actually trying to emphasise the fact that even though their father was still classed as an "alien" from another country, his sons were welcomed into the local barracks.