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{{ | {{CountrySidebar | ||
|Country=Czechia | |||
|Name=Czechia | |||
|Type=Topic | |||
|Topic Type=Getting Started | |||
|Getting Started=Finding Town of Origin | |||
|Rating=No Page | |||
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| link1=[[Czechia Genealogy|Czechia]] | | link1=[[Czechia Genealogy|Czechia]] | ||
| link2= | | link2= | ||
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*Today's Slovakia was part of Czechoslovakia from 1918-1939 and from 1945-1998. Before 1918, it belonged to Hungary, and from 1939-1945, it was the Slovak Republic. Source:[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovakia Wikipedia] | *Today's Slovakia was part of Czechoslovakia from 1918-1939 and from 1945-1998. Before 1918, it belonged to Hungary, and from 1939-1945, it was the Slovak Republic. Source:[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovakia Wikipedia] | ||
*'''When searching indexes, try Moravia, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, and Silesia.''' | *'''When searching indexes, try Moravia, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, and Silesia.''' | ||
*Use gazetteers to determine whether the town is currently in [[Slovakia Genealogy|'''Slovakia''']] or the [[ | *Use gazetteers to determine whether the town is currently in [[Slovakia Genealogy|'''Slovakia''']] or the [[Czechia Genealogy|'''Czech Republic.''']] | ||
==Finding the Town of Birth== | ==Finding the Town of Birth== | ||
In | In Czechia, 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 Czech records can begin. Most of the time, the Czech 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 Czechia see [[Czechia Determining a Place of Origin|Determining a Place of Origin in the Czechia]] for sources that may give you that information. | ||
Czech 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. For example, if you are unable to find in the gazetteer ''Česká Lípa'' under ''Česká'' you should also check under ''Lípa''. | |||
To learn about several important gazetteers for Czechia, including instructions and examples, see [[Czechia Gazetteers|Gazetteers]]. | |||
As mentioned earlier, Czech 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://community.familysearch.org/en/group/34-czechia-czech-republic-research FamilySearch Czechia (Czech Republic) Research Community]. You will have to login and click on, "Join" on the page to post your question. | |||
After you have determined the correct name of the town from which your ancestor emigrated, you must still determine its location. Many Czech localities have similar names that may be easily confused. An example would be the place names Kámen, Kamenec, Kamenice, Kamenička, Kameničky, Kamenka, Kamenná, Kamenné. Czech grammatical endings can change an actual place name. The expression in Kamenka is v Kamence, from Kamenka is z Kamenky. | |||
== Important Tips == | == Important Tips == | ||
Before you can begin to search in the records of | Before you can begin to search in the records of Czechia you must find that one record that gives the name of his or her hometown. You must also know enough about the ancestor to positively identify him in the records. Dates (even if they are approximate), places, and familial connections are key to helping you decide if a person you find, who has the same name as your ancestor, really is your ancestor. | ||
*Do you know the name of his parents? | *Do you know the name of his parents? | ||
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*Do you know the name of his wife? Did they marry before or after coming to the United States?<br> | *Do you know the name of his wife? Did they marry before or after coming to the United States?<br> | ||
*Do you know the names of any of his siblings? | *Do you know the names of any of his siblings? | ||
*Do you know the names of any children born in | *Do you know the names of any children born in Czechia? | ||
===Other Helpful Background Information=== | ===Other Helpful Background Information=== | ||
*When did the immigrant arrive in America? | *When did the immigrant arrive in America? | ||
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== Documents in the Home == | == Documents in the Home == | ||
Often the document you need to pinpoint the place of origin of your ancestor from | Often the document you need to pinpoint the place of origin of your ancestor from Czechia is already found at home. These might include the following: | ||
*Birth certificates | *Birth certificates | ||
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<br> | <br> | ||
# What do you know about our first ancestor to come from | # What do you know about our first ancestor to come from Czechia? (open-ended) | ||
# Have you ever heard mention of towns in | # Have you ever heard mention of towns in Czechia where the family lived? | ||
# Do you have contact with any relatives in | # Do you have contact with any relatives in Czechia? | ||
#. Do you have contact with other branches of the family in the U.S.? | #. Do you have contact with other branches of the family in the U.S.? | ||
#. When _____________ came from | #. When _____________ came from Czechia, did he travel with other family members? | ||
#. Do you know when _________________ arrived and which port city? | #. Do you know when _________________ arrived and which port city? | ||
# Did _______________ever become a citizen? | # Did _______________ever become a citizen? | ||
# Did_________________fight in World War I or II? | # Did_________________fight in World War I or II? | ||
# When they first came, were there already family members here who they joined? | # When they first came, were there already family members here who they joined? | ||
# Did_______________ever mention their parents in | # Did_______________ever mention their parents in Czechia? | ||
# Were they Catholic? | # Were they Catholic or some other religion? | ||
# Do you have any old letters or postcards from your | # Do you have any old letters or postcards from your Czechia family? | ||
# Do you have any pictures of family members in | # Do you have any pictures of family members in Czechia? | ||
==Search Genealogies Compiled by Others== | ==Search Genealogies Compiled by Others== | ||
*[[Collecting Previous Research by Others Part Two: Online Family Tree Collections]] | *[[Collecting Previous Research by Others Part Two: Online Family Tree Collections]] | ||
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===Cemetery Records=== | ===Cemetery Records=== | ||
Websites such as [https://www.findagrave.com/ '''FindAGrave'''] and [https://billiongraves.com/ ''' | Websites such as [https://www.findagrave.com/ '''FindAGrave'''] and [https://billiongraves.com/ '''BillionGraves'''] are making it easier to get information from headstones, which frequently give birth dates, and occasionally give birth places. Each state has additional collections of cemetery records. See [[Online Genealogy Records by Location#U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State|'''U.S. Online Genealogy Records by State''']] for links to other online cemetery records. Every state also has a Cemetery topic page you can search, for example, [[California Cemeteries]], [[Washington Cemeteries]]. etc. | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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**{{RecordSearch|1202535|United States Social Security Death Index}} | **{{RecordSearch|1202535|United States Social Security Death Index}} | ||
**[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3693 U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014] ($) | **[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3693 U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014] ($) | ||
**[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60901 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007], Incomplete | **[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=60901 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007], Incomplete ($). | ||
*The Social Security Applications and Claims Index does not cover every application--it has sort of an eclectic mix of what got included. If you find your ancestor in the ''Social Security Death Index'' but '''not''' in the ''Social Security Applications and Claims Index'', you can [https://secure.ssa.gov/apps9/eFOIA-FEWeb/internet/main.jsp '''send away for a copy of the application'''.] | *The Social Security Applications and Claims Index does not cover every application--it has sort of an eclectic mix of what got included. If you find your ancestor in the ''Social Security Death Index'' but '''not''' in the ''Social Security Applications and Claims Index'', you can [https://secure.ssa.gov/apps9/eFOIA-FEWeb/internet/main.jsp '''send away for a copy of the application'''.] | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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===Military Records=== | ===Military Records=== | ||
Draft records for World War I and II ask for birth place, which can be listed as just | Draft records for World War I and II ask for birth place, which can be listed as just Czechia or in greater detail. | ||
*{{RecordSearch|1968530|U.S. WW I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918}} Index and images. | *{{RecordSearch|1968530|U.S. WW I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918}} Index and images. | ||
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6482 U.S. WW I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918] Indexes and images. ($) | *[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6482 U.S. WW I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918] Indexes and images. ($) | ||
*[https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1002 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942] | *[https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1002 U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942] - index & images ($) | ||
*{{RecordSearch|1861144|United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942}} Images with partial index. | *{{RecordSearch|1861144|United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942}} Images with partial index. | ||
*[https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2498 U.S., Alien Draft Registrations, Selected States, 1940-1946],($), index | *[https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2498 U.S., Alien Draft Registrations, Selected States, 1940-1946],($), index & images. | ||
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is a comprehensive list of passenger arrival databases that you can search right now from your computer. There are many, many databases. The following search strategy will make your search more efficient. | is a comprehensive list of passenger arrival databases that you can search right now from your computer. There are many, many databases. The following search strategy will make your search more efficient. | ||
====Suggested Search Strategy==== | ====Suggested Search Strategy==== | ||
# Check the [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records#Partner Sites Indexing Multiple Databases|'''partner website indexes,''']] as these cover many, many databases at once. The FamilySearch Historical Records databases is free to search with a free registered account. The other websites are subscription-based but can be searched for free at a [[ | # Check the [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records#Partner Sites Indexing Multiple Databases|'''partner website indexes,''']] as these cover many, many databases at once. The FamilySearch Historical Records databases is free to search with a free registered account. The other websites are subscription-based but can be searched for free at a [[FamilySearch Center|''' FamilySearch Center''']] near you. Try to search each partner site because their search engines can often bring up slightly different results. | ||
# If it is difficult for you to get access to the subscription databases, next try [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records#Additional Collections Not Included in Above Partner Site Indexes|'''Additional Nationwide Collections Not Included in Partner Sites'''.]] These websites have a lot of overlap with the subscription websites. | # If it is difficult for you to get access to the subscription databases, next try [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records#Additional Collections Not Included in Above Partner Site Indexes|'''Additional Nationwide Collections Not Included in Partner Sites'''.]] These websites have a lot of overlap with the subscription websites. | ||
# Search a [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records#Immigration Records by Ethnic, Nationality, Political, Religious, or Socioeconomic Groups|'''nationality, religious, or political group collection''']] that applies to your ancestor. | # Search a [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records#Immigration Records by Ethnic, Nationality, Political, Religious, or Socioeconomic Groups|'''nationality, religious, or political group collection''']] that applies to your ancestor. | ||
#Search the [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records#'''Immigration by State'''|'''state collection for the first state where your ancestor lived.''']] | #Search the [[United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records#'''Immigration by State'''|'''state collection for the first state where your ancestor lived.''']] | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
'''Example: This first page of passenger list gives several clues that can lead to records in | '''Example: This first page of passenger list gives several clues that can lead to records in Czechia. Notice that the family is from Bohemia, which became Czechia.''' | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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'''Example: The second page of a passenger list gives the birthplace in | '''Example: The second page of a passenger list gives the birthplace in Czechia. It can also state information on other relatives.''' | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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===Passport Applications=== | ===Passport Applications=== | ||
*[https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1174 U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925] | *[https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1174 U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925] - index & images ($) | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Czechia]] | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
'''Example: This passport application gives the birthdate and birthplace of the applicant in | '''Example: This passport application gives the birthdate and birthplace of the applicant in Czechia and his father's name and birthplace,''' | ||
<br> | <br> | ||
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