Basic Eastern European Records

Optional Print Course Material: Eastern European: Introduction to Research for North Americans

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

A vast number of immigrants from came to North America from various areas in Central and Eastern Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Unfortunately, in the past, those with Eastern European roots have been reticent to begin research on their immigrant ancestors due to perceived barriers of language, geography, and difficulty with accessing and understanding the records.

The purpose of this course is to begin the teaching of genealogical concepts pertinent to Eastern European research. It introduces the basic concepts needed to succeed in Eastern European research, and begins to dispel the notion that Eastern European research is difficult. Actually, from a research perspective, it is much easier than it used to be thanks to a surge in interest, the Internet, and greater accessibility to archival records and other resources. Therefore, the purpose of this course is to serve as the foundation for the entire Eastern European Genealogical Research certificate program.

Course Length: 7 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Eastern European: Languages and Alphabets

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

One of the biggest challenges for North American genealogists who finally cross the ocean in their research is discovering that many of the records they locate in Europe are written in languages other than English. Unfamiliar handwriting, confusing formats and cryptic looking alphabets provide unique obstacles. However, the language does not have to be a barrier. One does not need to become fluent in the Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Russian, or other languages to be a good genealogist in Eastern European records. This course introduces the key information needed about the various languages so researchers can be successful in reading and interpreting documents and records, and in communicating with relatives and archivists in Europe.

The focus of this course will be on understanding Eastern European languages and alphabets commonly found in records. Tools for assisting with translation and transcription will also be discussed and sample documents will be provided for “hands-on” practice. Individual elective courses in the specific countries will provide more in-depth information about record-keeping practices in various areas of Eastern Europe.

Optional Print Course Material: Eastern European: Locating Places

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

Successful genealogical research in Eastern Europe is all about location, location, location. Our ancestors lived in specific places, and the records about them were usually created on a local level, in the town or parish where they resided. Even records of larger jurisdictions, such as at the national level (e.g., census records), were generally written by officials in the specific place where a family lived. Further, it is through a family’s location that we, in part, identify them.

Therefore, locating places in Eastern Europe is critical to the research process. This begins with learning the correct place where an ancestor came from; his ancestral home. From there it is essential to identify the parish where the family attended church. As research progresses, there is often the discovery that persons married into families from other areas. Those locations must also be identified, so that appropriate records can be searched. The primary tools for such research are gazetteers. Learning how to locate, interpret, and use gazetteers will be the primary focus of this course. However, important aspects of Eastern European border changes and political and administrative divisions are also necessary to understand, as is the ability to read, and correctly comprehend place names which may not be familiar to an English-speaking researcher. We will briefly address these issues in this course as well.

The purpose of this course is to learn how to successfully determine ancestral locations in Eastern Europe in order to learn where to find the key records you need to correctly identify your ancestor. For an in-depth study of countries or ethnic groups, students should take the appropriate elective courses.

Course Length: 7 weeks

Optional Print Course Material: Eastern European: Understanding Migration Patterns

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

This course provides an extensive overview of migration patterns of various ethnic groups from Central and Eastern Europe to the United States, Canada, South America, and other countries. The study of migration does not just involve one movement but recognizes that for a number of reasons, it is natural for peoples to move and settle from one place to another, be it a new country or a new community. For those researching ancestors who came from Central and Eastern Europe an understanding of the “push-pull factors” of emigration/immigration is critical to research success. This course will explore the history of migration of the various Central/Eastern European groups, and explain key concepts and definitions. In the study of migration, it is vital to remember that while we speak in general of peoples or ethnicities, each individual has a story, waiting to be explored. For in-depth study of countries or ethnic groups, students should take the appropriate elective courses.