CZECHOSLOVAKIAN ROOTS Olga K. Miller Born in Czechoslovakia. Resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. Professional writer and genealogist. Author. Many Americans, whose ancestors came from their English-speaking employers and Czechoslovakia, were inspired by Haley's neighbors. Thus became Fox; Roots, but they visualize the task of Prochazka, Walker; Komarek, Marek; these ancestors as an insurmount­ Rericha, Cress, etc. Some tried to aid able They reason, "Why, the the situation by merely Americanizing the records there have probably been de­ spelling of their surname so it would stroyed by revolutions, wars, and the sound as it did originally. So Cerny hands of foreign invaders", or "They are became Czerny; Jelinek, Yellineck, etc. not accessible", etc.--anything to Unfortunately, in most instances, the justify their reluctance to even start. decision as to the correct spelling of Uttle do they know that their biggest any given surname can be made only by a task is to trace their lines back to the Czech native. But, on the other hand, one who arrived on American soil and then any Czechoslovakian with a feeling for to find his place of origin in spelling changes and some degree of Czechoslovakia. In other words, a lot linguistic education can figure out what has to be done before the research can be a misspelled or changed surname was begun in Czechoslovakia. originally. Most of our Czechoslovakian ancestors As in all research, in genealogy one came to America in the last century. starts with the known and proceeds to the Sane came earlier, but any traces of unknown. I suggest that you who are their origin have been obliterated by the interested start with the record of your secrecy their emigration, the own family. Many libraries and book:­ lack of existing records, their assimi­ stores carry forms for data on one family Lation with the local citizens, and their unit. A canplete 'identification of an efforts to adapt their names to their new individual consists of his full name, his language. If any of them came with a birth date and place, names of both of religious group, such as Moravians, his parents, date and place of his mar­ Lutherans, etc. , the church records may riage and the name of his spouse. Try to have some clues as to which part of obtain all of these on all members of Czechoslovakia they came from. your family. Then proceed to prepare similar records of your parents (which Tracing the origin of some of these that would include all of your brothers and came to America in the 18008 may be sisters) and your grandparents. Then difficult. Not all of them came here continue until you reach the family of with their slates clean. They were only the one who inmigrated to America. Along happy to be "lost" after changing their the way, information may have to be name. Sane were avoiding military con­ obtained from the oldest living members scription, as they would have to serve of the family. Some like to recollect their hated Austrian emperor. Even those the past and are generous with their who were up-and-up in all respects some­ stories about their ancestors. A word of times had to change their surnames, as caution--some of these reminiscences may they were originally unpronounceable to be colored or enriched by stories and 51l/Miller 2 traditions, that, if not completely the passenger lists of ships arriving untrue, are exaggerated. Watch for any during this period of time. Unfortun­ claims to nobility or royalty titles or ately, they are very incomplete in giving for any connections with families the birth places of the emigrants. They praninent in Czech or world history. It are valuable because they name all the would be foolish to disregard any such members of the family who came together, claims totally, but do not base your thus giving the researcher a lead to future research solely on such others that may have settled in areas connections, which, if untrue, would take other than his ancestors. In your time, effort and money away from Czechoslovakia itself there are records following your real ancestry. of emigration, but the passports and permissions to leave were given--after a So much for word of mouth information. thorough investigation-by the officials Next canes the task of finding the cor­ of the police and have not been made rect and complete dates of events such as available for genealogical research. births, marriages, and deaths. To obtain these, write to the department of vital Many of the Czech or Slovak emigrants records in the capital of the state in left the European continent through the question, to the county or to the ports of Bremen and Hamburg. Both kept church to which the individuals belonged. excellent records of passengers on all Many genealogical reference books hsve a vessels; however, the Bremen records were section on dates indicating when keeping destroyed in World War II. The Hamburg of such records was introduced in each lists were preserved, microfilmed by the state. Also the librarian of the public LDS Church and made available to the library could be of help. public. It is in the Czech nature to pay a bigher Since 1793 the United States made it a tribute to their beloved dead than to the policy to be prudent with giving out living. Thus announcenents of the deaths citizenship. The laws, governing this or obituaries in the papers hsve a more action have been changed many times, praninent place than the announcements of being made tighter or more lenient. births or marriages. These announcements However, there are some requirements that list all remaining close relatives and have had to be met by every applicant for give vital data of the deceased, often citizenship. To assure the government including the place in Czechoslovakia that he got here legally, he had to state where he or she was born. All this is .on the application the date of arrival, based on the knowledge of the remaining the port, and the name of the vessel. At relatives, which could be in error. times other information was required, such as the date and place of his foreign United States census reports, starting birth, his destination in the United with 1850 and then every ten years States, and his sponsor. Consequently, thereafter, contain much valuable his application may 2 contain a lot of information. They will give the valuable information. occupation of the head of the family; names, sex and ages of all who resided in Emigrants from one country like to flock this household, their ability to read or together and come to the places where write as well as the country or state of there already are others from their their births • Thus, if the first child native country, especially people related was born in Austria (I shall return to to them. They form fraternal organiza­ this statement later) and the second one tions, insurance canpanies, educational in.America, then you can deduce that the clubs, etc. Many of these have on file family arrived here in the years between specific data concerning their early the births of the two children. members. The next logical step would be to search Many states, counties, or towns have 511/Miller 3 published local histories which include by Horazdovice (Horazd'ovice being a biographies of early or prominent fairly large town close by). Your settlers. In many instances such ancestor, if he came from a small accounts have been given by the subjects village, would no doubt always state the themselves. Consequently their vital name of a larger town nearby and so help information would be correct. Even if you in finding the ancestral demicile on you do not find the biographY of your own the map and in the gazetteer. Any ancestors in such a volume, it is docUlllent, such as a birth, marriage, or advisable to read them; often a history death certificate; school graduation of an individual with the same surname statement; passport; statement concerning will be found who was either a relative, military duty; photograph, giving the or who came from the same locality as name and business address of the your ancestor. photographer on the reverse side; picture post cards, or envelope with a postal Unless a specific locality in stamp; may give a clue concerning the Czechoslovakia for the birth of your family's origin. If you are not familiar ancestor is found, no research can be with the language, perhaps someone in the undertaken. All church and vital records locality who speaks Czech will help you; are on a locality basis. The information or you may contact the Reference Depart­ as to the Czechoslovakian locality may ment of the Genealogical Society Library. have been misspelled on this side of the ocean. The Genealogical Society Library Now you have collected all the pertinent has on its shelves helpful aids, such as information concerning your earliest gazetteers (m!stopisy), guides etc., and Czechoslovakian ancestor and are ready to qualified personnel who can determine the proceed with the research in his heme­ correct spelling of the village, city, or land. town place it in its proper area or county. But here again - it is necessary to have scme knowledge of the history and geog­ The problem of the locality has many raphy of this small country, so that you ramifications which must be borne in will understand the system of record mind. If you would browse through the keeping and be prepared to cope with Czechoslovakian gazetteer, you would find problems.