Posted: Sat Feb 28, 2015 3:08 pm
Post subject: I have no idea where to begin
I'm trying to find any records of my great grandparents who my mother told me were from Krakow (although I'm not sure if that's accurate).
They were included in the 1920 US Census, for Pittsford, New York. According to what was written, they noted their years of immigration to the US as 1918 for my great grandfather and 1904 for my great grandmother. Other than noting that they were from Poland, they didn't indicate from which city/town/village/etc.
I'm trying to figure out where to begin researching where they were born in Poland, and for any other records for my family there - but quite honestly I don't know where to begin. Especially since their names would be extremely common (Peter & Eva Gurecki).
If anyone has any ideas - please feel free to reach out!
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PhilipPO Top Contributor
Joined: 03 Mar 2014
Replies: 117
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 9:03 am
Post subject:
| Quote: | I'm trying to find any records of my great grandparents who my mother told me were from Krakow (although I'm not sure if that's accurate).
They were included in the 1920 US Census, for Pittsford, New York. According to what was written, they noted their years of immigration to the US as 1918 for my great grandfather and 1904 for my great grandmother. Other than noting that they were from Poland, they didn't indicate from which city/town/village/etc.
I'm trying to figure out where to begin researching where they were born in Poland, and for any other records for my family there - but quite honestly I don't know where to begin. Especially since their names would be extremely common (Peter & Eva Gurecki).
If anyone has any ideas - please feel free to reach out! |
Hi and welcome!
The first thing I'd like to notice is the fact that Gurecki, isn't a common surname, at least today.
See here --> http://www.moikrewni.pl/mapa/kompletny/gurecki.html
Moreover, have you found the original immigration documents of your greatgrandparents? Usually it's written the town of origin and many other interesting details.
You should absolutely take a look at the Ellis Island Documents. There are many Gurecki. You have to register first, it's free.
See here --> http://www.libertyellisfoundation.org
Knowing you great grandparents names is an excellent start!
Enjoy your research!
Best,
Philip
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mcdonald0517PO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 27 May 2012
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 11:36 am
Post subject:
Hello.
I agree that finding his immigration records are a key first step, and Ellis Island is a good beginning. Another suggestion is to keep in mind that your family name may have been Americanized. I suggest you post a request in the Polish Surname forum asking about the origins of Gurecki. I think you may find alternate spellings for this surname in Polish. For example, I did a quick search in the Geneteka database for Gurecki and it returned several different spellings. Here is an example of one entry:
3398 1879 67 Piotr Górecki Józef Franciszka Rutkowska Klukowo gm. Świercze
Immigration officials wrote the names based on what they heard and transcribed them into an English equivalent. I am not expert on this, so post in the surname forum to find the Polish spelling of your family name. You will need that to find records in Poland.
Hope this helps,
Good luck.
Cynthia
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northwildwoodnjman1969
Joined: 23 Feb 2015
Replies: 26
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 1:15 pm
Post subject:
Do you know what town (port) they arrived in? Not all shipped arrived to Ellis Island. That may be a way to narrow it down. Also what years where your grand parents born? That also will also help you narrow it down.
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mcdonald0517PO Top Contributor & Patron
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 2:45 pm
Post subject:
I did a bit of research on Ancestry.com and found Peter Gurecki and wife Eva in the following census years, all in the same location, Pittsford, Monroe, NY, with consistent children's names:
1915 NY census
1920 federal census (this is the one you found)
1930 federal census
1940 federal census
There is much info when you put all of them together. The big find is in the 1930 census which gives their exact birthplace in Poland: Kopyczyńce, Galicia, Poland which was then part of the Austrian empire. Today, it is Kopychyntsi which is in the Ukraine.
Here is the link in ancestry.com for the 1930 census that confirms their village of origin:
http://interactive.ancestry.com/6224/4661117_00901/40901406?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.com%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-c%26gsfn%3dPeter%26gsfn_x%3dNN%26gsln%3dGurecki%26gsln_x%3dXO%26cpxt%3d0%26catBucket%3drstp%26uidh%3da75%26_83004003-n_xcl%3df%26cp%3d0%26pcat%3dCEN_1930%26h%3d40901406%26db%3d1930usfedcen%26indiv%3d1%26ml_rpos%3d2&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord
If you private message me, I can download these documents and send them to you if you don't have access to Anestry.com.
Best,
Cynthia
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 3:29 pm
Post subject:
Hi Philip,
It appears that both Peter/Piotr and Ewa/Eva Gurecki may have been from Koyczyńice Austria/Poland now known as Kopychyntsi in the Ukraine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopychyntsi
http://jri-poland.org/town/kopyczynce.htm
There are 1910, 1920, 1930 and 1940 U.S. census records for the family in addition to New York State census records for 1915 and 1925. There is also a WW I Draft Registration card for a Pete “Guvecki”.
Peter was born between 1878 and 1882 in Austria/Poland. He immigrated to the U.S. between 1905 and 1906.
Eva was born between 1886 and 1889 in Austria/Poland. She immigrated to the U.S. between 1902 and 1906.
They first settled in and around Butler PA where they were married sometime around 1906. Their first two (2) children Stella and John were born in Pennsylvania. The family then moved to Rochester NY around 1912 where their next three (3) sons Martin, Stanley and Ted were born.
During the 1930 U.S. census, someone (probably one of the children) listed “Kopycznce Poland” as both of their parent’s place of birth. It is highly unusual to see the name of a specific village/town on a U.S. census document.
Best regards,
Norbert
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Norbert Stevens
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PhilipPO Top Contributor
Joined: 03 Mar 2014
Replies: 117
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 3:39 pm
Post subject:
| Quote: | Hi Philip,
It appears that both Peter/Piotr and Ewa/Eva Gurecki may have been from Koyczyńice Austria/Poland now known as Kopychyntsi in the Ukraine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopychyntsi
http://jri-poland.org/town/kopyczynce.htm
There are 1910, 1920, 1930 and 1940 U.S. census records for the family in addition to New York State census records for 1915 and 1925. There is also a WW I Draft Registration card for a Pete “Guvecki”.
Peter was born between 1878 and 1882 in Austria/Poland. He immigrated to the U.S. between 1905 and 1906.
Eva was born between 1886 and 1889 in Austria/Poland. She immigrated to the U.S. between 1902 and 1906.
They first settled in and around Butler PA where they were married sometime around 1906. Their first two (2) children Stella and John were born in Pennsylvania. The family then moved to Rochester NY around 1912 where their next three (3) sons Martin, Stanley and Ted were born.
During the 1930 U.S. census, someone (probably one of the children) listed “Kopycznce Poland” as both of their parent’s place of birth. It is highly unusual to see the name of a specific village/town on a U.S. census document.
Best regards,
Norbert |
Very good job!! This is what I was speaking about.
Those Ship's certificates are incredible, they have many interesting details...
There is a lots of data on internet, as usually the problem is to understand something from this Chaos!
Sometimes is useful to take a look also at the docs from ports in Germany (Hamburg), Britain and The Nederland's ones!
Phil
Last edited by Philip on Sun Mar 01, 2015 4:02 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 4:02 pm
Post subject:
Hi,
Here is an old cropped map (circa 1900) of the old Polish town of Kopycznce.
Norbert
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PhilipPO Top Contributor
Joined: 03 Mar 2014
Replies: 117
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 4:05 pm
Post subject:
I hope mbarnhardt will log in this forum soon!
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 4:16 pm
Post subject:
HI again Philip,
I apologize for the misdirected response to mbarnhardt's posting. I incorrectly saw your name as the signature.
That happens with old age.
Norbert
_________________
Norbert Stevens
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PhilipPO Top Contributor
Joined: 03 Mar 2014
Replies: 117
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 5:04 pm
Post subject:
| Quote: | HI again Philip,
I apologize for the misdirected response to mbarnhardt's posting. I incorrectly saw your name as the signature.
That happens with old age.
Norbert |
Hi, no problem Norbert and it's not about age!
Best,
Philip
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mcdonald0517PO Top Contributor & Patron
Joined: 27 May 2012
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Posted: Sun Mar 01, 2015 5:05 pm
Post subject:
Hello mbarnhardt,
To add to my previous post above, Family Search (LDS Mormon church records) has microfilms for Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic birth, death, and marriage records in Kopycznce from 1705-1945. If you live near a Family History center (which is simply a Mormon Church designated as such), you can order the films online for $8 they will ship to the center, and you can search the old parish records. Here is the link:
https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/238176?availability=Family%20History%20Library
I haven't found any online documents for Kopycznce. So the LDS film seems to be the way to go.
Best,
Cynthia
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Posted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 6:26 am
Post subject:
Hello everyone!
I hadn't had time to login to read everyone's replies - this is all fabulous information! Thank you so much for your help, sincerely!!! I'm on my lunch break at the moment, but will take a much closer look at everything this evening.
Thanks again - this is an awesome forum!
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