[Ger-Poland-Volhynia] Grenke surname alternative

[Jan Textor]

Hi Rose,
You wrote:
>Is the Osowski the Polish surname alternative for Graenke or Graehnke or 
>Grenke. <

I think it is quite possible, because the Polish word "osowial~y" means 
"dejected; mopish; glum; depressed", while the German word "(sich) graemeln" 
means "(to be) despondent; dejected; depressed; downcast; etc."  I am not 
saying that the original meaning of the name Graenke was to describe a 
depressed person, there is also the difference of "n" versus "m" in Graenke 
versus graemeln, but for the person who Polonized the name it could have 
been close enough.

Hope this helps.
Jan Textor