What ethnicity re: sounds like Pania re: woman

[mona lisa]

My mystery Granddad who spoke 7 or so languages called my Granny his "Pania" . He spoke German in the home according to a 1911 Census. (died 1924 so never met him) left a Widow and 6 sons/1 daughter aged 6 months to 14 yrs)    His birth is always listed as Wales altho nothing ever found (YET) and a male relative did a DNA and 23 % Eastern Europe? Thank You...

[Mike in Cumbria]

If he was Welsh, he would probably have called his Granny "Nain" - pronounced roughly like nine.

Pannia isn't granny in any European language, so if he called her that it was probably some private nickname.

[Erato]

How about Spanish?  'Pana' is slang for friend, pal, buddy, companion.

[Mike in Cumbria]

How about Spanish?  'Pana' is slang for friend, pal, buddy, companion.

Not in European Spanish though. I think Pana is just  friend in Puerto Rico but you'll know a lot  more about Latin American Spanish than I do.

[Erato]

It's quite commonly used in Ecuador and Venezuela.  I can't remember whether it was employed in Peru.  I's probably understood anywhere in Latin America.

[Drosybont]

Polish uses "pani" as a polite form of address, something like "madam".

Drosybont

[KGarrad]

He spoke German in the home according to a 1911 Census.

 
What census shows which language people spoke?

In Wales, the question asked in the last column was:
LANGUAGE SPOKEN
(1) If able to speak English only, Write "English".
(2) If able to speak Welsh only, write "Welsh".
(3) If able to speak English and Welsh, write "Both".

There were similar questions on the Irish census, the Isle of Man census, and the Scotland census, relating to Irish, Manx and Gaelic.

[groom]

Pania is a sea-maiden in Maori myths. Apparently she was beautiful and majestic as she glided through the water. Perhaps your grandmother was a good swimmer!

[mona lisa]

very interesting replies and thanks to MikeinCumbria,Erato/KGarrad/Groom/Drosybont. I was unclear it was my Granny, his wife he referred to as his "Pania". As to language spoken in the Home it was the 1911 Canada Census. In the 1920 USA Census/1921 .......somehow the Family took a miss on that or its in some intelligble transcription.   I am still interested in any other comments....didnt know about the Spanish or the Maori. Thanks for the Welsh for Granny tho.