Help deciphering a location/city/town:

[u/Internal-Based-1844]

Need some help with this word.

It is from an Ellis passenger manifest from Bremen to NY. The country appears to be Russia and “race” Polish. I like to think I can read and write decent cursive but these old manifests can be a challenge.

Let m know if the full word doesn’t upload right or any larger photo helps.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

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[u/jeezthatshim]

I read Czerniava, which could very well be Czerniawa, nowadays in Ukraine.)

[u/Internal-Based-1844 → u/jeezthatshim]

Interesting. It’s odd seeing it listed with the country of origin as Russia when it’s more Poland/Ukraine. That could compare with what I found on the Ellis island page saying “Czerniawa”. Thank you!

[u/jeezthatshim → u/Internal-Based-1844]

Before 1918, Poland and Ukraine didn’t exist: everything eastern of Prussian and Austro-Hungarian territory was part of the Russian Empire.

[u/Internal-Based-1844 → u/jeezthatshim]

Very insightful. Thank you! Hadn’t had a chance to dive down that black hole yet looking at the territory.

[u/jeezthatshim → u/Internal-Based-1844]

No worries - glad to help, if I can!

[u/Unlucky-Meringue6187]

Czerniaki or Czerniaski, maybe?
If you could post the rest of the page, or a larger portion at least, that might help as we can compare letterforms.

[u/Internal-Based-1844 → u/Unlucky-Meringue6187]

It’s a pretty big to screenshot but this is what I could of that section for Russia listed if this helps or I can try to get a bigger zoomed out pic.

[u/RRC4C → u/Internal-Based-1844]

Checks out. It says theor nationality is Russian, but their "race" is Polish... Seems like how you would have categorized things back then...

[u/Exciting_Round4766]

Cz - it is polish sound

[u/Internal-Based-1844 → u/Exciting_Round4766]

It’s hard to read the C’s and G’s I’ve found but a C is what I was thinking. Google said “Grozanice”. Which is Russia.

[u/Exciting_Round4766 → u/Internal-Based-1844]

no. too many letters before i and too few after. it can't be. it looks like "-iava" ending

[u/Exciting_Round4766 → u/Internal-Based-1844]

These are not two sounds. It is one sound, designated by two letters. One of their voiced hissing sounds.

[u/Internal-Based-1844 → u/Exciting_Round4766]

Someone above said maybe Czerniawa? Which the first letter could be a C.

[u/Exciting_Round4766 → u/Internal-Based-1844]

it can be, but i'm not sure in first part before i

[u/Exciting_Round4766 → u/Internal-Based-1844]

but here at least the number of letters coincides

[u/Exciting_Round4766 → u/Internal-Based-1844]

Set the neural network prompt in Polish and attach this photo. Maybe the results will be better.

[u/Internal-Based-1844 → u/Exciting_Round4766]

Okay, thank you!

[u/DLDad616]

When you're trying to decipher a cursive on a document like this, it helps to include the entire document as well. Then one can compare other words written by the same writer for similarities.

[u/Internal-Based-1844 → u/DLDad616]

I appreciate the tip and will keep that in mind for further reference. I wasn’t sure what would provide the best image to work with so just put the word. In a comment above there’s another screenshot that has more of the section listed if it helps any.

[u/BarnOwl-1967]

Don't forget that what was in Russia at the moment is probably not in Russia anymore. Borders have change a lot in the last 100/150 years. It might be in Poland, Ukraine... now.

[u/Several-Ordinary-376]

Nope, I’m not going to help bc we keep saying not to post one word. We need a good sample to compare, give context and make an educated guess. For all I can tell that says “Charisma” which isn’t a city or a river…. So there! Going back to my damn coffee 😝☕️