Enrollment options
Optional Print Course Material: Eastern European: Other Records Including Census, Land, Military and Tax
*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.
While church registers are the most useful sources for tracing most Eastern European ancestors, and civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths provide even more details, there are other record groups to be searched that may prove useful in the absence of church and civil registration records for your locality.
We will begin with a brief review of “other” records that you can use to research your ancestors in Eastern Europe. We will then look specifically at census, military, land, tax, and nobility records, as well as sources such as directories and compiled genealogies. In addition, you will learn about general search strategies, key terminology, how to deal with foreign language challenges, and other obstacles, and tips on reading and interpreting these records.
Finally, we will review some of the best websites for finding Eastern European records online and how to work around common obstacles such as privacy laws, translating records and more.
Course Length: 7 weeks
MODULE 1
OVERVIEW OF OTHER RECORDS
Look for Books
Museums & Societies
Newspapers
Recommended Reading & Resources
MODULE 2
CENSUS RECORDS
Austrian Empire
German Empire
Russian Empire
Ottoman Empire
Other Areas
Czech Republic
Croatia
Poland
General Census Reading Tips
Parish Censuses
Population Registers
Recommended Reading & Resources
MODULE 3
MILITARY RECORDS
Locating Military Records
Military Databases for the World Wars
Timeline of War in Eastern Europe
Austrian Empire
Czech Republic & Slovakia
German Empire
Russian Empire
Other Areas
Croatia
Poland
Austria
German Military Records from FamilySearch
Russian Military Records from FamilySearch
Recommended Reading & Resources
MODULE 4
LAND RECORDS & TAX LISTS
Land Records
Tax Lists
Recommended Reading & Resources
MODULE 5
MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
EWZ Records
Nobility Records
City Directories
Local Town or Village Histories
Internet Telephone Directories
Cemetery or Memorial Websites
Compiled Genealogies
Prague Police Registration Forms
Germans from Russia Settlement Locations
Database of Ukrainian Residents
Recommended Reading & Resources
MODULE 6
CHALLENGES, LAWS & RIGHTS OF PRIVACY
Transcription Tools
Dictation
Transcription Projects
Social Media Translation Assistance
Transcription Tips
Common Genealogical Terms
Other Obstacles
Recommended Reading & Resources
APPENDIX