My family came to Michigan from W. Virginia
in the 1950's.
I believe it was sometime in the early 1900's
that my family's name was shortened. Is there
anyone who knows the aproximate date for this
and the reason? I have been told that the
is of German ancestry.

Hi I am Hope Brickey, my grandmother was Ruth E. Cadd her father was Alonza Clay Cadd (bedford Va 1930 census) and Maggie Lapradd, ok according to the story my grandfather Mr. Charles Aldredge was told by his wife Ruth Cadd, was that Alonza's father immigrated here from Germany and was a cadwalander, he shortened the name b/c of hostilities of being german and the war, it is said that the shortening of the name first happened with census records and then just stuck. officially there was no name change.
I am still searching for links in the cadd line to my family and the immigration. the switch occured in the 1920's
hope this helps