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Back to [[Czech Republic|Czech Republic Page]]► | Back to [[Czech Republic|Czech Republic Page]]► | ||
== Introduction == | == Introduction == | ||
[[Image:Hradec nad Moravici Castle.jpg|thumb|right|200px | [[Image:Hradec nad Moravici Castle.jpg|thumb|right|200px]] | ||
[[Image:Hradec nad Moravici Castle 2.jpg|thumb|right|200px | [[Image:Hradec nad Moravici Castle 2.jpg|thumb|right|200px]] | ||
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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*The actual name of an ancestor | *The actual name of an ancestor | ||
*The date of birth, marriage, and death (can be estimated) | *The date of birth, marriage, and death (can be estimated) | ||
*The place of origin | *The place of origin | ||
*The religion of an ancestor | *The religion of an ancestor | ||
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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 occured often with given names and to a lesser extent with surnames. If you think that your ancestor Americanized his or her name click [[Czech Republic Names Personal#Americanization_of_Names|here]] to read about various changes. | 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 occured often with given names and to a lesser extent with surnames. If you think that your ancestor Americanized his or her name click [[Czech Republic Names Personal#Americanization_of_Names|here]] to read about various changes. | ||
To learn more about historical background of Czech surnames and given names see [[Czech Republic Names Personal|Personal Names]]. | To learn more about historical background of Czech surnames and given names see [[Czech Republic Names Personal|Personal Names]]. | ||
== Determine the date of birth, marriage, and death == | == Determine the date of birth, marriage, and death == | ||
If you cannot find an exact date, you may estimate dates based on other information. You need at least the approximate year of an event. You may use standard genealogical approximation. From a marriage date, you can estimate that a man was married at age 25 and a woman at age 21. You can also estimate that a first child was born one year after the parent's marriage and that subsequent children were born every 2 years after that. | If you cannot find an exact date, you may estimate dates based on other information. You need at least the approximate year of an event. You may use standard genealogical approximation. From a marriage date, you can estimate that a man was married at age 25 and a woman at age 21. You can also estimate that a first child was born one year after the parent's marriage and that subsequent children were born every 2 years after that. | ||
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Czech place names are often mispelled in American sources. Difficult names were shortened and diacritic marks ommitted. A gazetter, 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''. | Czech place names are often mispelled in American sources. Difficult names were shortened and diacritic marks ommitted. A gazetter, 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 gazetters for the Czech Republic, including instructions and examples, see [[Czech Republic Gazetteers|Gazetteers]]. | To learn about several important gazetters for the Czech Republic, including instructions and examples, see [[Czech Republic Gazetteers|Gazetteers]]. | ||
As mentioned earlier, Czech place names are often mispelled 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.familysearch.org/learn/forums/en/ FamilySearch Forums] and one of our research consultants will be happy to evaluate your research problem. | As mentioned earlier, Czech place names are often mispelled 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.familysearch.org/learn/forums/en/ FamilySearch Forums] and one of our research consultants will be happy to evaluate your research problem. | ||
== Locate the ancestral home == | == Locate the ancestral home == | ||
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''. | 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''. | ||
== Determine the religion of an ancestor == | == Determine the religion of an ancestor == | ||
Until the 1900s, vital records were kept by church parishes or Jewish congregations. The records of different religions were kept separately. If you are not sure of your ancestor's religion, start by searching Roman-Catholic records. Catholicism was the dominant religion in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. | Until the 1900s, vital records were kept by church parishes or Jewish congregations. The records of different religions were kept separately. If you are not sure of your ancestor's religion, start by searching Roman-Catholic records. Catholicism was the dominant religion in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. | ||
== Determine the record keeping jurisdiction == | == Determine the record keeping jurisdiction == | ||
Not every village in the Czech Republic had its own parish. Often, several smaller villages belonged to one parish. Use [[Czech Republic Gazetteers|gazetteer]] to determine the proper record keeping jurisdiction. | Not every village in the Czech Republic had its own parish. Often, several smaller villages belonged to one parish. Use [[Czech Republic Gazetteers|gazetteer]] to determine the proper record keeping jurisdiction. | ||
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The best sources of genealogical information in the Czech Republic are the church records kept by the local parishes. The Family History Library has microfilms of vital records from only a few German-speaking communities and a limited number of published census returns. Use the [https://www.familysearch.org/#form=catalog Family History Library Catalog] to determine what records are available for the locality. | The best sources of genealogical information in the Czech Republic are the church records kept by the local parishes. The Family History Library has microfilms of vital records from only a few German-speaking communities and a limited number of published census returns. Use the [https://www.familysearch.org/#form=catalog Family History Library Catalog] to determine what records are available for the locality. | ||
Most of the Czech vital records were digitized and made available on the Internet. To find out which archive holds the records that you need click [http://www.genteam.at/ here]. You may use this gazetteer for free however you will have to register first. Please be sure to spell the locality name correctly. When you know the respective archive, locate [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Czech_Republic#Online_Databases Online Databases] section on the [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Czech_Republic Czech Republic home page] in the FamilySearch Research Wiki. | Most of the Czech vital records were digitized and made available on the Internet. To find out which archive holds the records that you need click [http://www.genteam.at/ here]. You may use this gazetteer for free however you will have to register first. Please be sure to spell the locality name correctly. When you know the respective archive, locate [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Czech_Republic#Online_Databases Online Databases] section on the [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Czech_Republic Czech Republic home page] in the FamilySearch Research Wiki. | ||
== Research by mail == | == Research by mail == | ||