Vic Power Dies

Baseball Golden Glover Vic Power should really be known in this country as Vic Pellot, Pellot being his father's surname. Power comes from his mother's maiden name. Looking at these Puerto Rican census returns, we can see the pattern of naming that results in many Latinos in the US being called by their mothers' maiden names. Sometimes the word "and" (y) is between the father's surname and the mother's. Note too that sometimes a wife uses her maiden name after she is married and sometimes she would add her husband's last name after her maiden name. I don't know enough about the culture to know the nuances of when to use what name, I just know enough to not take anything for granted.

According to some sources, Vic was born Victor Felipe Pellot Pove. But according to the census records, the family was known as Power long before he was born. Other sources say his mother's name was mistakenly changed from Pove to Power by a 1st grade teacher. If this story is true, somehow this teacher convinced everyone else in the family to change their name as well. But then as I've said, I don't know enough about the culture to take anything for granted.

• 1930 Arecibo, PR
• 1920 Arecibo, PR
• 1910 Arecibo, PR