Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2004

All of them relatives of mine (mostly cousins). Uncle Dan, who has run
the "cobbler's shop" on Roncesvalles (a classically "Toronto" part of
Toronto) for my entire life (and then some), is a real character.
Google also finds a paper my late Dad wrote back in the sixties on
"Measurement of Metal Creep Under Fast Neutron Irradiation".

My family name is not that unusual, the unusual thing is the
particular transliteration into English (from Greek). The same
situation probably exists for some Russian names, for example. Here's
a travel agency on Kefalonia that would be run by someone with the
same family name: http://www.postmehome.com/pages/pefanis/pefanis.htm

On the other side, my mother's maiden name was a good stout German
name, but they bastardized it during the unpleasantness of WWI, to
something far more rare (but still somewhat German-sounding).
I don't think there are any heirs to carry it forward (lots of kids,
just no male ones with children). There is, however, a historic house
and museum on Canada's East coast that bears their name.

Thanks for posting this, Mark. I wasn't aware of the article (or their
impending retirement).  

Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany