Variations include: Kanna, Kanja, Kanya, Kania, Kaňa
The surname Kanya (also spelled Kanja, Kánya, or Kania) for a family branch rooted in Jarabina (historically Berkenyéd in Hungarian, Orjabyna in Rusyn) carries a meaning shaped by the unique Rusyn (Ruthenian) and Hungarian history of this specific northern Slovakian village.
In West Slavic and Rusyn dialects, the word Kania (or Kaňa) refers to the kite — a majestic bird of prey belonging to the hawk family The Kanya surname "bird of prey: kite". It originated as a nickname for an ancestor who shared characteristics with a kite. This could mean someone with incredibly sharp, piercing vision, a fierce or observant nature, or a hunter who lived up in the high crags around Jarabina, Slovakia. (Ancestry.com)
In Hungarian, Kónya (pronounced very similarly to Kanya) is an ancient descriptive nickname derived from the word konyul, meaning "to curve," "to bend," or "to droop." It was used to describe someone with "lop-ears" (ears that curve or hang down) or an ancestor who walked with a noticeable bend or stoop. (Familysearch.org)
Kolodzey Connection
In addition to autosomal DNA matches, the origin of the Kanya family in Jarabina is the same small village that Joannes Kolodzey & Maria Tokarszky lived in 1858 - perhaps that is a clue to the connection.
Motto
Slovak: „Bystrý ako vták, múdry ako zajac“
English: “Keen as a bird, wise as a hare.”
Crest Description
Arms Vert, upon a mount proper a hare sejant guardant proper, its right ear erect and left ear lopped down; above, a kite volant Or, wings displayed and head turned to dexter, clutching a sprig of rowan berries Gules in its talons; in base, a rowan branch fructed Gules fesswise.
Crest upon a helm affronté with mantling Vert doubled Or, a kite rising proper, holding a golden key — symbol of vigilance and guardianship.
Supporters Dexter, a hare proper with one ear lopped, standing on hind legs; sinister, a kite proper with wings half‑spread; both upon a compartment of mountain grass and rowan leaves.
Symbolism
Variations include: Strenk, Strank, Sztrenk
The surname Strenk family is one of the foundational and most famous families of Jarabina. The village was a tightly knit Carpatho-Rusyn Greek Catholic community.
The most likely origin for the surname is the Slavic word strenka or strenko, which translates to a "branch," "twig," or "shoot". It was likely given as a nickname for a family that lived near a notable grove of trees, a prominent orchard, or worked closely with forestry and woodcraft in the mountainous Spiš highlands (MyHeritage.com). In some regional Carpathian dialects, a variation of stren also implies "strong" or "sturdy," a nickname for a resilient highlander (Ancestry.com).
Marine Sergeant Michael Strank (whose parents were from Jarabina) was one of the six men famously captured by photographer Joe Rosenthal raising the American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945.
Kolodzey Connection
In addition to autosomal DNA matches, the origin of the Strenk family in Jarabina is the same small village that Joannes Kolodzey & Maria Tokarszky lived in 1858 - perhaps that is a clue to the connection.
Motto
Slovak: „Silný ako konár, múdry ako les“
English: “Strong as a branch, wise as the forest.”)
Crest Description
Arms Vert, upon a mount proper a branch Or sprouting three twigs, symbolizing growth and lineage; behind it, a mountain pine argent representing the Spiš highlands; in chief, a sun radiant Or for endurance and vitality; in base, a woodworker’s axe proper crossed with a carpenter’s mallet Or, denoting craft and labor.
Crest upon a helm affronté with mantling Vert doubled Or, a golden stag’s head caboshed, holding a twig in its mouth proper — emblem of strength and harmony with nature.
Supporter Dexter, a mountain forester proper in traditional Spiš attire, holding a branch; sinister, a brown bear proper, symbol of sturdiness and protection; both upon a compartment of pine needles and mountain stones.
Symbolism
As the picture depicts, this site is dedicated to the Kolodzeys that left behind the mountains of Slovakia, Galicia, Deutchia, and Prussia to live in the United States of America. This is our story.