The genealogy of the Szparaga House - facts and hypotheses

The tree of the Szparaga House dates back to the second half of the eighteenth century. At end of the eighteenth century the Szparaga name was noticed in three places in Poland: in Broniów in the vicinity of Szydłowiec, Boniewo by Izbica Kujawska and Strzemkowo, that is near the city of Inowrocław. According to the files that may be found in Broniów there was a whole family consisting at least of two brothers that have numerous offspring. Kazimierz established his family in Boniewo, which is two hundred kilometres in the north-west direction from Broniów, in 1777. There can not be found any information whether Kazimierz has any blood-relatives in the register offices of the local parish or the ones in the vicinity. As an addition, when his son, Antoni, was baptised, the priest wrote 'a newcomer' while filling in the birth certificate. Forty kilometres farther, in the north-west of Boniewo, in the Strzemkowo village, since 1787 there was Wojciech Szparaga living alone. Where did Kazimierz and Wojciech descend from and what were their vicissitudes?

The 'Szparaga' name differs from other Polish surnames as it is not derived from any name of a place or any commonly used word (noun or adjective). Why do I create such a theory? We do not have to thing for long to come to conclusion that the name is derived from the name of a plant known as 'szparag' ('asparagus'). Scientific plant literature states that, 'Asparagus had been grown in Poland since the half of the eighteenth century, but it was commonly known in the nineteenth century' and this leads to conclusion if my theory is right. The question raised deals with the beginnings of the usage of 'szparag' word form. It is very likely that initially not the Polish but Latin form of 'asparagus' was commonly used. The conclusions are that our ancestors were bearing the 'Szparaga' name when the word 'szparag' ('asparagus') did not exist in Polish language. Kazimierz when getting married in 1777 introduced himself as 'Szparażka'. His grandson, born in 1801 by 'Marianna Szparażka'-unmarried mother, was known as 'Kacper Szparażak.' At that times there was a rule of naming children after their parents with a diminutive form of the surname. Kazimierz, when reached the age of 20, did not even dare to think that he was the Szparaga one as he was called 'Szparażka' and only his father was known as 'Szparaga.' Since Kazimierz was born around the year 1757, it may be believed that there were the times when the 'Szparaga' name existed and was used by his father, not known by his given name.

Does the 'Szparaga' name take its origins from Broniów? Is it possible that in eighteenths century in Broniów our name was created? Was there asparagus grown in Broniów at that time? I doubt that. The name could not originate from Broniów. I think that had it not been for the fact that the Szparaga family had moved there nobody would have known the word. Broniów at that time was a village belonging to the church and was owned by the Cracow Bishop. This fact may influence the lives of our forbearers.

So what is the genealogy of our name and where do we come from? To answer all questions only hypotheses may be constructed. But this is necessary for carrying on further, if any, studies on our roots. The hypothesis that is most likely for me, although of a literary character to some extend, starts with our forefather of Sparago name, who came to Poland in the seventeenth century from Italy among many other builders and masons. They came to Szydłowiec to build a town hall there. The construction lasted for years, during which our Sparago got married to a local girl and decided to settle down in Poland. The history of his family was not a happy one as there were many epidemics at these times. In 1776, in a derelict church town of Jastrzębie as a result of another epidemic, his great grandson died. He left his children: the oldest twenty-one-year-old son, whose name I do not know, nineteen-year-old Kazimierz, sixteen-year-old Wojciech, twelve-year-old Sebastian and other most likely female children. After their father funeral, children decided to move out. A local priest suggested moving to Broniów. Kazimierz decided to continue on searching for better life taking Wojciech with himself. Their decision required a lot of courage as they did not know what the future might bring. They had never been further than at the market in Szydłowiec. At the end of their migration they split and Kazimierz - after unsuccessful quest after his brother - decided to set in Boniewo. Wojciech, looking for his brother, reached Inowrocław.

There are arguments that may be proved by the parish register offices, that may support this hypothesis. We know that:

Szydłowiec used to be an Italian migration centre at these distant times.

In the Chlewiska parish register office, that Broniów belonged, it was written that on 28th December 1811 Katarzyna, the daughter of Michał Sparago and Marianna nee Szymonczykówna was born.

Currently a family of Sparago lives in Campania region, in the city of Caserta

If it is true that a man with the name of 'Sparago' has come from Italy to Poland, is it possible that this name has not changed at all? What process of polonizing would it undergo?

Jacek Szparaga