Discovering Central & Eastern Europe Roots with DNA & Records

Using DNA Results to Guide Searches of Immigration Records 

Once you’ve identified a specific area, say in Poland, based on your DNA results, an abundance of records available on Ancestry may lead to new discoveries. One of the best places to begin your search is with immigration records to find ancestors who moved abroad.

Remember that immigration records often list your ancestors’ countries of origin according to the political boundaries of the time and the specific region they came from. This fact means the best place to look for your Polish ancestors may be in the records of Poland’s modern neighbors. Here are a few points to keep in mind as you look for records:

• Following the 1795 partition of Polish lands, different areas came under the control of Russia, Austria, and Prussia. 
• The largest number of Polish emigrants left Europe during the 19th and early 20th centuries—a time when Poland, as an independent nation, did not exist. Many immigrants who arrived in the United States came through Ellis Island.
• Polish regions such as Pomerania were under Prussian (and later German) rule until 1918, so you may want to start with record collections like Pomerania, Germany, Passenger Lists, 1869–1901. 

Immigration records can vary in the information they provide. Beyond each passenger's name, they often describe a place of origin, eventual destination, and the person’s occupation.

Civil Registrations and Church Records 

Civil registration for births, marriages, and deaths in Prussia began in 1874. Many of those records from areas formerly part of Eastern Germany—now within modern Poland—can be found in the collection Eastern Prussian Provinces, Germany [Poland], Selected Civil Vitals, 1874–1945, which includes the regions of Pomerania, Greater Poland, Warmia, Masuria, and Silesia. Birth records, like the example below, can provide personal details like the names of parents and child, along with places of residence and religious identity.

In Austrian-controlled Galicia, extreme poverty in the 19th century—commonly referred to as “Galician poverty”—prompted many residents to emigrate, particularly to the United States. These emigrants left behind relatives whose records remain in church archives. You can trace these roots using collections such as the indexed church books from 1612–1900 that reflect the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tarnów (in Lesser Poland).

New Perspectives of Historical Records Based on DNA Results

Based on your DNA results, you may see your ancestor’s enumeration in the 1910 U.S. Federal Census in a new light. For example, the birthplace of “Russia (Pol.)” might make more sense.

Here’s another example of how ancestral journeys via DNA could tie into more recent history and record collections.  My own ancestors came from a region of Poland that was part of Germany until 1945, which meant some of them served in the German military. My paternal grandfather made it through the war as a soldier, but two of my great-uncles were killed in action. I found the date of death for one of them in the Germany, Military Killed in Action, 1939–1948 collection on Ancestry.

Uncover More on Ancestry with New DNA Features and Historical Records

No matter where circumstances, chance, or choice took your Central and Eastern European ancestors during their lives, the powerful tools from Ancestry can provide you with the resources you need to trace your family history back to Central or Eastern Europe. The ancestral journeys feature, paired with hundreds of record collections available on Ancestry, could lead to exciting discoveries about your family’s story. 

If you’ve already taken an AncestryDNA test, check your results page for the updates. If you haven’t yet taken an AncestryDNA test, doing so may help you to learn more about your ancestral origins.

*Some DNA features require an Ancestry membership.

Sources: Image 1: https://www.loc.gov/item/2002713986/