Read the excerpt from "Ellis Island.”
Sometimes people’s surnames were changed. Bietzy to Peachey. Hecht to Heck. Many Americans can point to the fact that their family names are different from their original spelling in the "old country.” It is commonly thought that the clerks at Ellis Island misunderstood the names or decided to simplify them.
Which is the best paraphrase of the text?
Ellis Island officers sometimes changed an immigrant’s last name. For example, the name Bietzy might be changed to Peachey. As a result, today many Americans have family names that differ from the original name. The officers may have changed an immigrant’s name because they did not understand it or because they wanted to make the spelling easier.
Sometimes people’s surnames were changed. Bietzy to Peachey. Hecht to Heck. Many Americans can point to the fact that their family names are different from their original spelling in the “old country.” It is commonly thought that the clerks at Ellis Island misunderstood the names or decided to simplify them.
Immigration officers at Ellis Island sometimes changed an immigrant’s last name. For instance, Bietzy might become Peachey, while Hecht might become Heck.
Immigration officers often changed an immigrant’s name. For example, the name Bietzy might be changed to Peachey. As a result, many Americans have family names that differ from the names of their foreign relatives. This can often make it difficult for some Americans to connect to their heritage.
