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Gurzyński Family (pronounced Gurzinnskee)

SURNAMES & THEIR ORIGINS

BUCA (Pol) buczec. Meaning: to hum, drone, buzz or < buk a beech tree.

CIESZELSKI (Pol) ancient compound names such as Cieszybor, Cieszymir with the root ciesz. Meaning: comfort, joy.

GURZINSKI/GURZYNSKI (Pol) gora. Meaning: mountain/hill or a name for someone who lived on a hillside or in a mountain district or gorzec to burn or gorzki meaning bitter.

NEUMANN (Ger). Meaning: a newcomer, a "new man", e.g. new guy in town, convert to Christianity - Polish nowak.

TALENSKI (Pol) possibly taledac sie. Meaning: to loaf, loiter, be a tramp.

• Joseph Gorinski:
  Mathias Gurzinski married Magdalena Behrwald. Todate we have located three children being: Anna (1807) & Magdalena (1808) both in the village of Damerau (Dabrowka Tczewska) in the Parish of Muhlbanz (Milobadz), West Prussia, in the ethnic region Kociewie in the district of Danzig (Gdansk), Poland. Their third child, Peter (1812-1847) was born in the village of Liebenhoff (Zajaczkowo) also in the Parish of Mühlbanz.

Peter Gurzinski married (1835 Mühlbanz) Francisca Cieszelska (1815-1882). While residing in the village of Liebenhoff they had four children being: Martin (1836), Johann (1837-1838), Barbara (1839) & Joseph (1841-1909).

The family moved south to the village of Malsau (Malzewo), in the Parish of Liebschau (Lubiszewo Tczewskie) for a short time where they gave birth to Anna (1844-1852). The family moved to the village of Mestin (Miescin), where they had Rosalia (1847).

Joseph Gurzinski married (1866 Mühlbanz) Anna Catharina Klass (1845-1923), the daugher of Johann Klass & Apolonica Buca. Joseph & Anna Gurzinski moved southeast to the village of Schliewen (Sliwiny), in the Parish of Dirschau (Tczew). Here they had their first born named Franz Bernard (1867-1946). They returned back to the village of Mestin where they gave birth to Johan Andreas (1868-1880). Returning to the village of Schliewen, they give birth to their third child, Franciszka Rosalie (1870).

The family left the village of Mestin for Hamburg, via Gdansk. They left Hamburg on the 29th of July 1872 aboard the ship "Palmerston", the third ship with assisted and nominated Polish immigrants to New Zealand sent on behalf of the Vogel Scheme. They arrived at Port Chalmers, Otago, New Zealand on the 6th of December 1872. The family aboard ship were Jozef 31, Anna 27, Franciszek 5, Johan 4, & Franciszka 2. Also on board ship were Anna's sister, Paulina Klass & new husband, Franciszek Rogacki. They had been residing in the village of Stenzlau (Stanislawie), in the Parish of Liebschau.

• Anna Catharina Gorinski (nee Klaas):
  Along with other Polish immigrants they accepted work on a contract to build a section of the Main Southern Railway Line. In January 1873 the family were housed in wooden-framed tents at Greytown (Allanton), and here the Gurzinski family decided to remain. Joseph & Anna had their remaining children being; Bernard (1873-1954), Rose (1875-1953), August (1877), Joseph (1879-1939), Peter Paul (1881-1973), Annie (1883), Mary (1885), Thomas (1886), Antony (1887) & James (1889).

In the 1882 Freeholders Joseph is listed as owning 80 acres to the value of Ł280 in the town of Greytown. Joseph Gorinski was naturalised as a New Zealand Citizen on the 14th of November 1893 as a farmer residing in Greytown. Joseph Gorinski died on the 6th of July 1909 aged 64 & Anna Gorinski died on the 28th of September 1923 aged 78. Both are buried at the Allanton Cemetery. Grave

Martin Gurzinski (brother to Joseph), married (1859 Mühlbanz) Carolina Neumann. While residing in the village of Mestin they had; Johan Jacob (1859), Anna Marianna (1862), Peter (1866) no record found & Maria Nora (1867) no record found. The family moved to the village of Kohling where they had a further two children being: August Valentin (1870) & Anna Marianna (1873).

Later the family returned to the village of Mestin where they left for Hamburg setting aboard the ship "Fritz Reuter", along with some of the Klass family, on the 16th of December 1874, arriving in Napier, New Zealand on the 18th of March 1875. The family aboard ship were Martin 38, Caroline 44, Johann 15, Anna 12, Peter 8 & Maria 7.

Photos kindly provided by Kathleen Gorinski.

• Sod Cottage of Peter Gorinski, Allanton:
  The family finally settled in the settlement of Norsewood, Hawkes bay in the North Island. Martin Gurzinsky was naturalised as a New Zealand Citizen on the 20th of September 1876 residing in Norsewood where he is listed in the 1882 Freeholders as owning 39 acres at 195 pounds.

Their son, Johann Gurzinsky, in 1896 was one of the first directors of the Co-operative Dairy Company in Norsewood, a predominately Norwegian settlement. Their daughter, Maria (Nora), became Mrs. Tong, also of Norsewood.

Photo provided by "History Of The Polish Settlers In New Zealand" pg.80-81

Editorials

Gurzinski Family Tree