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| link1=[[Slovakia Genealogy|Slovakia]] | |||
| link2=[[Slovakia Research Tips and Strategies|Research Tips and Strategies]] | |||
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| link5=[[Slovakia Beginning Research|Beginning Research]] | |||
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== Introduction == | == Introduction == | ||
Image:Terchová.JPG|thumb|right|Terchová.JPG | |||
Image:Statue of Juraj Jánošík in Terchová.JPG|thumb|right|Statue of Juraj Jánošík in Terchová.JPG | |||
Begin with family and home sources. Look for names, dates, and places on certificates, family Bibles, obituaries, diaries, and similar sources. Ask your relatives for any additional information they may have. It's likely that your second cousin, great-aunt, or other relative already has some family information. Organize the information you find, and record it on pedigree charts and family group records. | Begin with family and home sources. Look for names, dates, and places on certificates, family Bibles, obituaries, diaries, and similar sources. Ask your relatives for any additional information they may have. It's likely that your second cousin, great-aunt, or other relative already has some family information. Organize the information you find, and record it on pedigree charts and family group records. | ||
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== Before you start == | == Before you start == | ||
Image:Church in Terchová.JPG|thumb|right|Church in Terchová.JPG] | |||
Before doing Slovak family history research, you will need to find: | Before doing Slovak family history research, you will need to find: | ||
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== Determine the actual name of an ancestor == | == Determine the actual name of an ancestor == | ||
Image:Bethlehem in the Terchová Church.JPG|thumb|right|Bethlehem in the Terchová Church.JPG | |||
A serious problem for some researchers is to determine the actual name of their immigrant ancestor. Some ancestors in their eagerness to be assimilated into American culture, traded their | A serious problem for some researchers is to determine the actual name of their immigrant ancestor. Some ancestors in their eagerness to be assimilated into American culture, traded their difficult foreign names for American names. This occurred often with given names and to a lesser extent with surnames. | ||
To learn more about Slovak given names and their English equivalents see [[Slovakia | To learn more about Slovak given names and their English equivalents see [[Slovakia Naming Customs|Naming Customs]]. | ||
== Determine the date of birth, marriage, and death == | == Determine the date of birth, marriage, and death == | ||
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In Slovakia, most records used in family history research are kept on a town or parish level. Therefore the exact town of origin must be known before research in Slovak records can begin. Most of the time, the Slovak place of origin is found in sources created in the country of immigration. These records should be searched for the ancestor, possible relatives, and other associated persons. If you do not know the place of origin in Slovakia see [[Slovakia Determining a Place of Origin|Determining a Place of Origin in Slovakia]] for sources that may give you that information. | In Slovakia, most records used in family history research are kept on a town or parish level. Therefore the exact town of origin must be known before research in Slovak records can begin. Most of the time, the Slovak place of origin is found in sources created in the country of immigration. These records should be searched for the ancestor, possible relatives, and other associated persons. If you do not know the place of origin in Slovakia see [[Slovakia Determining a Place of Origin|Determining a Place of Origin in Slovakia]] for sources that may give you that information. | ||
Slovak place names are often | Slovak place names are often misspelled in American sources. Difficult names were shortened and diacritic marks omitted. A gazetteer, which is defined as a geographical dictionary, is an essential tool for identifying places. Look up your place name in the gazetteer to be sure that it is spelled correctly. Please note that many locality names are comprised of two or more words. If you cannot find a place name in the gazetteer under the first word try searching under the second word. | ||
To learn about several important | To learn about several important gazetteers for Slovakia, including instructions and examples, see [[Slovakia Gazetteers|Gazetteers]]. | ||
As mentioned earlier, Slovak place names are often | As mentioned earlier, Slovak place names are often misspelled in American sources. If you still cannot determine correct spelling of your locality even after you searched the gazetteers and the Internet, please post your query on [https://www.facebook.com/groups/CentralEuropeGenealogyResearchCommunity/ Central Europe Genealogy Research Community]. You will have to click on, "Join" on the Facebook page to post your question. | ||
== Locate the ancestral home == | == Locate the ancestral home == | ||
Image:Camel in Terchová vicinity.JPG|thumb|right|Camel in Terchová vicinity.JPG | |||
After you have determined the correct name of the town from which your ancestor emigrated, you must still determine its location. Many Slovak localities have similar names that may be easily confused. An example would be the place names Kameň, Kameňany, Kamenec, Kamenica, Kameničany, Kameničná, Kamenín and Kamienka. In addition, there are places called Kamenica preceded by an adjective, such as Nižná Kamenica and places followed by a description such as Kamenica nad Cichorou. Also, Slovak grammatical endings can change an actual place name. | After you have determined the correct name of the town from which your ancestor emigrated, you must still determine its location. Many Slovak localities have similar names that may be easily confused. An example would be the place names Kameň, Kameňany, Kamenec, Kamenica, Kameničany, Kameničná, Kamenín and Kamienka. In addition, there are places called Kamenica preceded by an adjective, such as Nižná Kamenica and places followed by a description such as Kamenica nad Cichorou. Also, Slovak grammatical endings can change an actual place name. | ||
Use [[Slovakia Gazetteers|gazetteer]] to locate the place your ancestor came from and to determine the location of the parish or synagogue where records were kept. | Use [[Slovakia Gazetteers|gazetteer]] to locate the place your ancestor came from and to determine the location of the parish or synagogue where records were kept. | ||
== Determine the religion of an ancestor == | == Determine the religion of an ancestor == | ||
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== Determine the record keeping jurisdiction == | == Determine the record keeping jurisdiction == | ||
Not every village in Slovakia had its own parish. Often, several smaller villages belonged to one parish. Use [[Slovakia Gazetteers|gazetteer]] to determine the location of the parish or synagogue where records were kept. Once you have determined the location of the church or synagogue, use the [https://www.familysearch.org/ | Not every village in Slovakia had its own parish. Often, several smaller villages belonged to one parish. Use [[Slovakia Gazetteers|gazetteer]] to determine the location of the parish or synagogue where records were kept. Once you have determined the location of the church or synagogue, use the [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog FamilySearch Catalog] to get the film numbers of the available records. You can then order the appropriate films. | ||
== Find your ancestor in the records == | == Find your ancestor in the records == | ||
Image:Praying Monk in Terchová Vicinity.JPG | |||
The best sources of genealogical information in Slovakia are the church records kept by the local parishes. The | The best sources of genealogical information in Slovakia are the church records kept by the local parishes. The FamilySearch Library has microfilmed records from all regional archives in Slovakia. Use the [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog FamilySearch Catalog] to determine what records are available for the locality. | ||
== Research by mail == | == Research by mail == | ||
If the records you want are not available through the | If the records you want are not available through the FamilySearch Library or online they may be available through the individual Slovak regional archives. Please refer to the [[Slovakia Letter Writing Guide|Letter Writing Guide]] for detailed information. Remember to enclose photocopies of any old documents or mementos that you may have. | ||
[[Category:Slovakia]] | [[Category:Slovakia Research Strategies]] | ||
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