others have become, respectively, Snyder, Myers, Keyser, Creamer,
Shellabarger, Swartswelder, etc. Sometimes, too, an American name more
or less similar in sound or meaning has been taken or given in place of
the original German title; as when Loewenstein ("Lion-rock") was
exchanged for Livingston, and Albrecht ("Albert") for Allbright.

The old "Knickerbocker" names of the Middle States have, in most
instances, retained their Dutch spelling intact, but have generally been
subjected to a similar process of adaptation in sound. The same may be
said of the French names in this country. Their spelling has, as a rule,
been preserved, while their sound has been Americanized. In this way De
Rosset has acquired the pronunciation Derrozett, and Jacques has come to
be called either Jaquess or Jakes. Many French patronymics, such as the
old South Carolina Huguenot name _Marion_, exhibiting nothing peculiarly
French in their forms, are now pronounced entirely in accordance with
our rules, and their national origin is preserved by tradition alone.
Some French titles, however, having undergone only a partial change in
pronunciation, survive in a hybrid form as to sound, though their
spelling remains unaltered. Specimens of this class may be found in such
names as _Huger_, pronounced "Huzhée;" _Fouché_, commonly called
"Fooshée;" and _Deveraux_ or _Devereux_, now converted into "Débro" or
"Dévroo." The only very noticeable change that has taken place in the
orthography of our French names is that the article has been joined to
the noun in many cases where they were originally separate. In this way
_La Ramie_, _La Rabie_, _La Reintrée_, etc. are now usually spelled Laramie,
Larabie (or, in some instances, Larrabee), Lareintree, etc.; the
pronunciation of the newer form being Americanized in the usual way. But
this change in form is one which might easily have occurred even in
France.