Product Description This pioneering work on Polish family history is designed to provide the American researcher with the kind of information he needs in order to succeed in his genealogical research. Written by a national director of the Polish Genealogical Society of America, it throws cold water on the myth that successful Polish genealogical research is beyond the powers of ordinary people. Mrs. Chorzempa begins with an examination of Polish-American resources, touching first on records kept by the Polish-American family, then veering off into a discussion of the standard records employed in genealogical research, such as census and naturalization records, ships' passenger lists, vital records of birth, marriage and death, records of fraternal societies, newspapers, church records, and military records. She treats each of these record groups in the context of Polish-American research, setting a framework for her discussion of the records held by the LDS Church in Salt Lake City. She also provides a breakdown of libraries and archives with Polish genealogical materials and a comprehensive list of Polish genealogical societies.
The bulk of the book is focused on research in Poland, as the author shows the reader how to find and use church and civil records; how and where to locate research services, libraries, and archives; how to make sense of Polish names and the naming practices of the major ethnic groups; and how, ultimately, to deal with the Polish language. To clinch it, there is even a letter-writing guide, a transliteration of queries and requests to be sent to Polish churches, civil record offices, and institutions for purposes of obtaining assistance.
SearchingMay 6, 2008 Kenneth C. Baker(Flint, MI) Gave me some excellent sources of information to futher pursue family tree. Sources were many and the book gave me an idea of the times and circumstances of Polish migration.
A Must-read book for Genealogy iResearchers n PolandMay 16, 2005 Jagoda Urban-Klaehn(Idaho Falls, ID USA) 6 out of 7 found this review helpful
Mrs. Chorzempa explains step by step how to do the research through the archives available in America and in Poland, giving any necessary and useful addresses including the information where one can find the passengers lists. She uses the example of her own search - showing the photocopies from the archives.
This book contains a brief course in Polish history, geography, class hierarchy, ethnic minorites as well as a short course in Polish (and Latin) languages, Polish surnames, Polish, Ukrainian, German and Jewish first names. This all is done for one reason - to help a person learn something about Poland before starting its roots search. The sources are often given in other than Polish languages since Poland did not exist as a country for almost 150 years. This knowledge is necessary for anybody who wants to understand his/her Polish roots! Interesting to read and quite concise! I recommend it to all who want to start to do their genealogy search in Poland!
Just when you thoughtFebruary 21, 2005 Donna Di Giacomo(Philadelphia, PA) 5 out of 7 found this review helpful
you'd never be able to find out anything about your Polish (in my case, Russian Polish) roots, Rosemary Chorzempa gives us a little hope that all is not lost for Polish genealogy.
I soaked up the information about Poland's history (although I beg to differ on the part about Poland being "mother" to Russia, Lithuania, the Ukraine, etc. I'm sure those countries don't feel that way) and was always curious to know why the country suffered through so many partitions and wars. My curiosity was satisfied history-wise.
Genealogy-wise, I'm a tad more hopeful than before that I'll be able to locate something, anything, on my great-grandparents (who were the immigrants). As it stands now, I only have their names but I'd like to put plenty of personality to those names.
Great read and practical advice for the beginning and experienced genealogist alike.
Unfortunately, this is yet another genealogy book that could use some serious updating.
POLISH ROOTSNovember 17, 2001 Marcia Castro(Toledo, Ohio) 20 out of 20 found this review helpful
This is an excellent book for anyone who is attempting to find their Polish ancestors here in the USA or abroad. Rosemary gives you all the resources you need, and then some,to begin tracing down those elusive Polish immigrant relatives. She even has sample letters in Polish to use in writing for family record; such as baptismal, marriage, and death records using both religious and civilan sources. She even provides the addresses. Rosemary gives lists of Polish names and what they may translate to in English. A list of the months in Polish also is a great help in determining which month a date means. Another wonderful asesst is a guide to translating church records, as all of the Catholic parish registers were written in Latin. Rosemary also makes mention of Jewish and Protestant records. Get this book and refer to it often, it is a treasure !
A must have for people searching their Polish ancestryMarch 2, 1999 23 out of 23 found this review helpful
I found this book to be highly informative and loaded with how to's and where to go's. This author's recommendation lead me to purchase a book that was used as a reference for her work. I would not be without this book as an aid for searching your Polish "roots".
