Finding Your Polish Ancestors Lisa Alzo

Finding Your Polish Ancestors 19/01/2016 19:43
Finding Your Polish Ancestors

Finding Your Polish Ancestors
By Lisa A. Alzo
04 March 2006
Editor’s note: This article was modified on 9 April 2007 to reflect source additions
from the author.
Polish, German, Ruthenian—millions of people around the world today can trace their
roots to the territory of present-day Poland. But even with the vast numbers of people of
Polish descent, researching a Polish ancestral line can sometimes seem like an uphill
battle.
Politics, wars, and a changing state of independence have wreacked havoc on some
records. Shifting borders and disputes that divided the country may make pinpointing
place equally tough. And oft-repeated fallacies about research roadblocks can make a
tricky task appear downright impossible.
But researching your Polish ancestry doesn’t have to be difficult. With a little deeper
understanding of the unique circumstances surrounding your effort, as well as a quick
review of some of the resources available to you, you might even find that your uphill
battle isn’t so steep after all.
Starting Your Research

Two of the most difficult areas of research are determining the correct surname and
given names in Polish, and identifying the region and village where ancestors lived in
Poland. Family members may be able to assist you with both, but learning more about
names, naming patterns, and places can take you even farther.
Names
A common misconception among researchers searching for Polish ancestors is that a
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surname has a connection to the village from which the family emigrated (e.g.,
Nowakowski came from the village of Nowakow). As the world’s population increased,
surnames, in general, were developed to help distinguish between several people in the
same town with the same given name.
For example, if your Polish ancestor was named Michal, the Polish equivalent of
Michael, he would have been assigned a surname to distinguish which Michal he was.
You may also encounter patronymic surnames (those derived from the father’s name),
surnames that reflect social status or personal features, trade or occupation, places of
residence, or those derived from other sources.
Given-name practices are interesting to note, too. Polish Roman Catholics, for example,
may have named their child after a saint or baptized the infant with the name of a saint
whose feast day was celebrated on or near the date the child was born or baptized.
In the Russian and Austrian (Galician) partitions of Poland, children were usually
baptized with only one name. In the Prussian partition (depending on the Germanic
influence), children may have been baptized with two given names: the first given name
in honor of a relative, and the second name for use by the immediate family. Thus, when
researching parish or civil records for an immigrant, the given name used in North
America might actually be the second given name listed on a birth or baptismal record.
Many immigrants Americanized their names upon arrival. Some adopted the English
equivalent, while others made the spelling appear more American or chose a similar-
sounding name. Despite common myth, Ellis Island immigration officials did not
purposely change people’s names.
Some Polish surnames were “updated” by the family when they arrived, says genealogist
Ceil Wendt Jensen, a specialist in Polish research. For example, Przytula became
Przytulski, or the surname “Zdziebko,” which now has branches using Jepko, Japko, and
Zipko. First names were also sometimes changed. The names Valentine and Nicolas in
the United States were once Walenty and Mikolaj in Poland.
Towns/Villages
Most Poles who immigrated to the United States arrived while Poland was governed by
the German, Russian, and Austro-Hungarian Empires. Documents may indicate these
individuals are German, Russia, or Austrian when really they were ethnic Poles from
East or West Prussia, Posen, Silesia, Galicia, or Kongress Poland (Russian Poland).
To address this, says Jensen, researchers should first identify the area and then focus on
the village. Poland has many villages with the same name, so knowing, for instance, that
you are researching Zarzecze in Galicia narrows the list of villages.
Once the name of the ancestral town or village is identified, the next step is to determine
its location both pre- and post-World War I, using a selection of maps, atlases, and
gazetteers. There are a number of online maps and gazetteers that can be consulted
along with printed versions. Check the Federation of Eastern European Family History
Societies Map room. Also, the Family History Library Catalog (FHLC) has an extensive
collection of books and microfilms of maps and gazetteers. Also, check Kartenmeister
and the gazetteer.
Another way to find a place is to use Shtetlseeker. Although many towns will appear,
along with a link to MapQuest, you may find similar town names occurring in more than
one district. Also, Shtetlseeker does not contain all places, and you may need to convert
between old language and contemporary place names.
If your search points to Western Ukraine/Eastern Galicia, you may want to consult
Matthew Bielawa’s HalGal. HalGal stands for Halychyna/Galicja and provides
information on Halychyna/Eastern Galicia, a region that is often misunderstood or
ignored in the United States. Many of the pages may also be useful for Polish researchers
of Western Galicia.
Building a Foundation
Today approximately 10 million Americans are of Polish descent, making U.S. records
one of the best places to start searching for information on Polish ancestors.
Census Records. The U.S. census provides a good picture of a family at a specific time
period. Since it was common for ancestors to move to communities comprised of other
families from the same region of Poland, it may also be helpful to note the neighbors.
Civil Records. Birth, marriage, death, and divorce records may contain information
about specific towns of origin. Access and availability will vary. Church records
(baptism, wedding, and funeral) often list the ancestral town or village and are especially
useful if the civil equivalent is unavailable. Also, don’t overlook cemetery, burial, or
funeral home records; obituaries in community or fraternal organization newspapers;
and state, county, or town histories.
World War I draft registration cards are also good documents to check for the place of
birth. You can view a number of WWI draft registration cards online at Ancestry.com.
Those records not viewable online may be viewed on microfilm through the Family
History Library or the National Archives Records Administration website.
Naturalization Records. Check naturalization records, especially the “declaration of

intent” (first papers), for ancestral town information, but remember that they may not
always be accurate.
It’s important to note that after 1922, the federal government began keeping separate
naturalization records for married women. Children under age sixteen will be listed on
the father’s naturalization records. Also, if your ancestor was over the age of fourteen
and in the United States in 1940, but not naturalized, he or she was required to complete
an Alien Registration form.
Copies of post-1906 naturalization records as well as Alien Registration forms may be

obtained under The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), by submitting a written request
to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The required Form G-639 may be
downloaded here.
Immigration and Emigration Records
Polish immigration to the United States occurred in three major waves. The first wave of
immigrants, arriving mainly from the late 1800s up to World War I, were considered za
chlebem (for bread) immigrants. The second wave of immigration took place after World
War II. The third wave of immigrants started arriving in 1980.
Immigration and emigration records may show an individual’s place of birth and/or last
place of residence. Because your ancestors may have traveled indirectly to their final
destination, you should search both port of arrival and port of departure records (when
available). Many passenger records can be found online. Check the Ellis Island database
for ancestors arriving at the Port of New York from 1892–1924.
Some passenger lists for other ports and years can also be searched online at
www.ancestry.com and www.genealogy.com. You can also order microfilm copies of
passenger records through your local Family History Center at www.familysearch.org.
To obtain specific pages of passenger lists, check with NARA.
When searching passenger lists, make a list of all possible alternatives for a name and try
searching various combinations. For example, if you are looking for a surname ending in
–ski try –ska (the feminine ending). Likewise, if you’re searching for a woman’s
surname ending in –ska, try –ski.
Sometimes immigrants made more than one trip to the United States. Always check for
multiple entries for an ancestor in both arrival and embarkation records, carefully
noting the “Place of Residence” and “Destination” columns in U.S. lists and “State of
Origin” for departure records.
Emigration Records
Passenger lists for the Port of Hamburg are preserved in the German State Archives in
Hamburg. These records include both “direct” and “indirect” lists and both should be
searched so you don’t overlook your ancestor. Check for these lists (Auswandererlisten
1850–1934) in the FHLC. Portions of these lists may also be found online here.
When searching, you will see initial results, but you will need to pay to receive additional
details. Hamburg Police records should also be searched. The Hamburg Police
Department kept registration records for all non-citizen residents, until such time they
left Hamburg, died, or became citizens of Hamburg. Various types of records (some
passport applications, registers of laborers, domestics, workers, and other registers) are
included in these records, which have been microfilmed by the Family History Library
(check the catalog).
Unfortunately, most of the records from Bremen have not survived. However, thanks to
an ongoing reconstruction effort, some Bremen Passenger Lists (1920–30) can be
viewed online here.
Likewise, for Antwerp, only one passenger register has fully survived (the one for 1855),
and there are some incomplete passenger lists for the period 1920–40 (Rijksarchief
Beveren) with no indexes. See the Belgium Roots project available here.
Chain Migration
If you encounter dead ends in your research, a good strategy is to think beyond your own
family. Fellow countrymen and women would set out for America to join relatives or
former old-country neighbors already here. This is often referred to as “chain
migration.” Look for neighbors in census returns, church, immigration, and tax records.
Identifying neighbors can also be helpful in the event that your ancestor married the boy
or girl next door.
Polish Immigrants to Canada

A substantial number of Polish immigrants settled in Canada; information regarding
Canadian census, immigration, and vital records is available online via the Library and
Archives of Canada.
Many immigrants went to Canada and then crossed the border to settle in the United
States, so border crossing records should also be consulted. For Canadian border
crossing records, consult the National Archives of Canada website. U.S. border crossing
records are available either on microfilm via the FHL or NARA depending on the year.
Also check the Immigrants to Canada website.
Records in Poland
Once your research takes you back to Poland, there are four basic ways to obtain
information: (1) check the FHLC to see if the records have been microfilmed; (2) submit
a written request to the appropriate local parish, civil records office, or the Directorate of
State Archives; (3) travel to the country and perform research in the archives yourself, or
have a relative in Poland obtain the information for you; (4) hire a professional
researcher.
A good range of sacramental records from parishes in Poland have been filmed and are
available through the FHL. While the majority of ethnic Poles were Roman Catholic,
others were Greek Catholic, Lutheran, Orthodox, Calvinist, Mennonite, or Jewish.
While church records were kept in Latin, Polish, German, or Russian, there are language
guides with sample forms and translations. You can use a free Polish-English online
translation guide online here, or purchase a Polish Genealogical Word List online at
minimal cost from the FHL or from your local Family History Center (FHC).
If the records you seek are not available from the FHL, you may want to write to local
parishes in Poland and/or contact the state archives. Free letter-writing guides can be
found on the Polish Genealogical Society of America’s website or downloaded in PDF
format for free from the Family Search catalog under “Research Helps.”
Performing Your Own Research

If you decide to travel to Poland to perform research yourself, it’s a good idea to contact
the archives well in advance to find out the facility’s hours, policies, holdings, and any
associated fees. Familiarize yourself with the various types of documents available and
the various languages. If possible, bring a translator with you. Surf the Web for travel
companies specializing in trips to Poland and/or surrounding countries in Eastern
Europe.
Your trip should include some time to explore your ancestral town or village. Search
telephone directories in Poland to make contact with current residents, as well as the
mayor or priest of a particular village. Advanced preparation can help you make the
most of your experience.
Hiring a Professional Researcher

If you choose to enlist a professional researcher, search for someone familiar with the
area’s geography, history, and language who can also access restricted records. While
this option may be more expensive, it may prove the most effective for locating multiple
records overseas. For information about a professional genealogist’s credentials and
fees, consult the Association of Professional Genealogists in America, the Board for
Certification of Genealogists, International Commission for the Accreditation of
Professional Genealogists, or www.polishroots.com/reference.htm#Professional.
Other Research Strategies

You may consider joining a Polish genealogical group to find other people who share
your research interests. The Polish Genealogical Society of America is one of the largest
organizations; others can be found throughout the United States and Canada at
www.polishroots.com and PolandGenWeb at www.rootsweb.com/~ceneurgw/.
Also, use the Internet as a networking tool for posting queries to message boards about
surnames and localities. You can find a number of them on Cyndi’s List. Village-based
online communities may also help you connect with others who have roots in your
ancestral village.
Remember, researching your Polish ancestors isn’t always easy. But by following a step-
by-step process, you may be able to overcome some of the difficulties inherent to the
task. Add a little persistence and the right research strategies and you may be able to
bypass some of the most common pitfalls and accomplish your goals with less
frustration and greater success.
About the Author:

Lisa A. Alzo, MFA, is an instructor of genealogy and writing courses. She is the author of
Three Slovak Women (Gateway Press) and the newly published, Baba’s Kitchen: Slovak
& Rusyn Family Recipes and Traditions (Gateway Press). Lisa teaches Basic and
Intermediate Slovak and Eastern European, and Great Lakes Region Research for
MyFamily.com, Inc. and often speaks at national conferences and genealogical and
historical societies.
Overview of Poland’s History

966 Birth of the Polish nation under Duke Mieszko I
1100s Boleslaw Krzywousty (Boleslaus the Wry-Mouthed) divides Poland among his
sons
1320 Polish state is reunified
1333–1370 Rule of Kazimierz III Wielki (Casimir the Great)
1385 Marriage of Poland’s Queen Jadwiga and Duke Jagiello of Lithuania results in
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (which ruled the combined territory for 186 years)
1500s The Renaissance comes to Poland
1543 Nicolaus Copernicus (Mikolaj Kopernik) publishes “On the Revolutions of the
Celestial Spheres,” proposing that the earth revolves around the sun
1569 The Polish Parliament (Sejm), unifies Poland and Lithuania into one state
1596–1609 Poland’s capital city is moved from Krakow to Warsaw
1655–60 The “Deluge.” Sweden invades Poland; Poland is virtually destroyed
1674–96 Reign of strong military commander, Jan III Sobieski, whose forces win many
victories over the Turks
1772 The First Partition of Poland
1791 “The Constitution of the Third of May” is passed
1792 The Second Partition (Russia and Prussia take over half of what was left of Poland)
1794 Tadeusz Kosciuszko starts a rebellion for Polish independence, but fails to defeat
the Russians
1795 The Third Partition divides the rest of Poland. Poland is “officially” non-existent for
the next 123 years

1870s Russia and Germany each attempt to eradicate Polish culture; Galician Poles in
the Austrian partition, are allowed to retain some autonomy
1914–18 Poland becomes the main fighting ground in World War I; Native Poles in
America join Haller’s Army in France
1918 End of WWI; Poland becomes independent
1919 The Treaty of Versailles gives Poland western Prussia, and access to the Baltic Sea
1919–20 Polish-Soviet War
1926 Jozef Pilsudski makes himself dictator of Poland
1939 Hitler invades Poland
1941 In June, Hitler attacks the Soviet Union, and Poland remains under the Nazi
regime for the next three years; many Poles are deported to labor camps
1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
1944 Russia sets up a Communist-dominated government in Lublin
1945 Russia, United States, and Great Britain meet at the Yalta Conference and agree to
leave Poland under Soviet control
1956 Industrial strikes break out in Poznan in an attempt to gain “bread and freedom”
from Soviet rule; several armies mass at the Polish border
1978 Karol Wojtyla, the Archbishop of Krakow, is elected Pope of the Roman Catholic
Church (taking the name John Paul II)
1980 Lech Walesa is elected as the head of “Solidarity”
1981 In December, Martial Law is declared; Solidarity is suspended
1982 The government formally dissolves Solidarity
1983 Martial law is lifted
1989 Solidarity is re-established in April
1990 The first fully free election held in November is won by Lech Walesa
1997 Poland’s National Assembly adopts a new Constitution
1999 Poland joins NATO
Search tips
History helps. To get a solid background of Poland’s history, check out “A Brief History
of Poland in the Last 200 Years."
“Don’t believe the myths that all records were destroyed during the World Wars, or that
language barriers make research impossible,” says Polish genealogical research
specialist, Ceil Wendt Jensen, CGRS. Jensen also recommends Rosemary Chorzempa’s
book, Polish Roots, as a good reference for people just starting their Polish ancestry
research (see Suggested Reading for additional information and recommendations).
Got a tough name? Exotic-sounding names may be deciphered via tools like those
developed by Steven Morse that permit “sounds like” searches on last names and towns.
William Fred Hoffman’s books Polish Surnames: Origins and Meanings and First
Names of the Polish Commonwealth: Origins & Meanings (see Suggested Reading for
more information) can help with given names in Latin, Polish, and German, and for
finding the proper spelling of surnames.
Internet Resources
Catholic Archives in Poland
Catholic Canada Directory
Discovering Roots (Poland)
East European Genealogical Society
The Federation of East European Family History Societies (FEEFHS)
Gesher Galicia (“Bridge to Galicia”)
HalGal
Jewish Records Indexing-Poland
Michigan Polonia
Poland GenWeb (RootsWeb)
Polish Genealogical Society of America
Polish Institute of Arts & Sciences of America, Inc.
Polish Maps and Gazetteers
PolishRoots
The Polish State Archives
Suggested Reading
J.M. Bazewicz, The Illustrated Geographic Atlas of the Kingdom of Poland (Atlas
Geograficzny Illustrowany Królestwa Polskiego, Warsaw, 1907).
Rosemary A. Chorzempa, Polish Roots (GPC, 1995).
Norman Davies, God’s Playground: A History of Poland. Vol. 1: The Origins to 1795
(Columbia University Press, 1982); and Vol. 2: 1795 to the Present (Columbia University
Press, 1982).
Judith Frazin, A Translation Guide to 19th Century Polish-Language Civil Registration
Documents, 2nd ed. (Jewish Genealogical Society of Illinois, 1989).
Jan and Len Gnacinski, Tracing Your Polish Ancestry (Ye Olde Genealogy Shoppe,
1995).
William F. Hoffman, Polish Surnames: Origins and Meanings, 2nd ed. (Polish
Genealogical Society of America, 1997).
William F. Hoffman and George W. Helon, First Names of the Polish Commonwealth:
Origins and Meanings (Polish Genealogical Society of America, 1998).
Kathleen Ann LaBudie-Szakall and Jan Steven Zaleski, Finding Your Polish Ancestors
(Heritage Productions, 2002).
Myron Momryk, Archival Sources for the Study of Polish Canadians (Ottawa-Public
Archives of Canada, 1987).
Gerald A. Ortell, Polish Parish Records of the Roman Catholic Church, Their Use and
Understanding in Genealogical Research, rev. ed. (Polish Genealogical Society of
America, 1996).
Iwo Pogonowski, Poland, A Historical Atlas of Poland (Hippocrene Books, 1987).
Kazimierz Rymut, Slownik Nazwisk Wspólczesnie w Polsce uzywanych (Directory of
Surnames in Current Use in Poland) (Krakow: Instytut Jezyka Polskiego, 1992) [Ten
volumes].
Jonathan D. Shea and William F. Hoffman, Following the Paper Trail: A Multilingual
Translation Guide (Avotanyu, 1994).
Jonathan D. Shea and William F. Hoffman, In Their Words: A Genealogist’s

Translation Guide to Polish, German, Latin, and Russian Documents. Volume 1: Polish
(Polish Genealogical Society of America, 2000); and Volume 2: Russian (Polish
Genealogical Society of America, 2000).

Finding Your Polish Ancestors Lisa Alzo

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Finding Your Polish Ancestors 19/01/2016 19:43

Finding Your Polish Ancestors

Starting Your Research

Naturalization Records. Check naturalization records, especially the “declaration of

Copies of post-1906 naturalization records as well as Alien Registration forms may be

Immigration and Emigration Records

Polish Immigrants to Canada

Performing Your Own Research

Hiring a Professional Researcher

Other Research Strategies

About the Author:

Overview of Poland’s History

the next 123 years

The Polish State Archives

Jonathan D. Shea and William F. Hoffman, In Their Words: A Genealogist’s

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