Slovak Ancestry & Family Roots History

Family History Tour, Slovakia Travel, Location

Before starting your research in the archives of Slovakia, it's necessary to have, at the very least, the name of your Slovak ancestor and the name of the place where they lived before emigrating. If your Slovak ancestors came from one of the larger cities, a full address would much increase the chances of finding your Slovak roots. Any additional data, such as date of birth, will also be helpful.

If you don't know your ancestor's place of origin, there are a few ways to go about finding that information. The most usual step is to ask elder relatives whether they know the place names or have any original documents indicating the birthplace. Marriage, birth, and baptismal certificates will usually provide the needed information. Family bibles, passports, photos, and old letters are other likely sources.

Ship passenger lists often include the place name where the people lived before embarkation. The Statue of Liberty website is a helpful resource for locating your ancestor's origins; https://www.statueofliberty.org/. The web portal is a perfect resource for finding your ancestors' passenger records. The center's free database contains records for over 65 million passengers arriving at the Port of New York between 1820 and 1957.