Trace your Eastern European ancestors from American shores back to the old country. This in-depth guide will walk you step-by-step through the exciting--and challenging--journey of finding your Polish, Czech, or Slovak roots. You'll learn how to identify immigrant ancestors, find your family's town of origin, locate key genealogical resources, decipher foreign-language records, and untangle the region's complicated history. The book also includes timelines, sample records, resource lists, and sample record request letters to aid your research.

In this book, you'll find



The best online resources for Polish, Czech, and Slovak genealogy, plus a clear research path you can follow to find success
Tips and resources for retracing your ancestors' journey to America
Detailed guidance for finding and using records in the old country
Helpful background on Polish, Czech, and Slovak history, geography, administrative divisions, and naming patterns
How the Three Partitions of Poland and the Austro-Hungarian Empire affect genealogical research and records
Information on administrative divisions to help you identify where your ancestors' records are kept
Sample letters for requesting records from overseas archives
Case studies that apply concepts and strategies to real-life research problems

Whether your ancestors hail from Warsaw or a tiny village in the Carpathians, The Family Tree Polish, Czech and Slovak Genealogy Guide will give you the tools you need to track down your ancestors in Eastern Europe.