When my ancestors first immigrated to the United States, they found themselves in Cincinnati, Ohio. Like many immigrants of the time, their last name was changed upon inspection for entry to the country. They were from Ireland, and their last name, O’Keefe, had an Irish origin. However, our understanding of this origin was blurred as their last name became the more Germanic, Keif. 

This change in last name has contributed to confusion within my family. For many years, members of the family questioned our German last name, as they knew that their ancestors had come from Ireland. Things were not adding up and more research needed to be done.
My item Is the culimination of this, as my family may still be questioning our history to this day had it not been for our Bible. The Bible was first printed in 1898, making it around 120 years old. It has been passed from generation to generation all the way to me. Within the Bible are names of the members of the family who owned it. There are also a number of documents included that contain research conducted on these previous owners. The comprehensive research compiled in the Bible, as well as the names within it have cleared up any misconceptions or confusion about our origins, revealing that while our name may be German, our roots are in Ireland. 

– RL.

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more