Czechia Getting Started

Czech Republic Getting Started

Step #1: Gather Information
Begin with family and home sources. Look for names, dates, and places on certificates, family Bibles, obituaries, diaries, and similar sources. Ask your relatives for any additional information they may have. It's likely that your second cousin, great-aunt, or other relative already has some family information. Organize the information you find, and record it on pedigree charts and family group records.

Step #2: Set a Research Goal
Select a specific relative or ancestor born in the Czech Republic for whom you know at least a name, the village or parish where he or she lived in the Czech Republic, and an approximate date when he or she lived there. It is also very helpful to know the names of other family members born in the Czech Republic.

As you look over your Family Group Records, or Pedigree Charts, ask yourself “What do I want to find next?” Common goals might be:


 * The last person on a specific line of your Pedigree Chart.
 * A missing parent on the Family Group Sheet.
 * A gap between the birth years of the children on a Family Group Record (a wide enough gap that there may be missing children in between siblings).
 * Finding the last children of the parents (during the Mothers’ child bearing years).
 * To find the birth date and place for an individual listed on the Family Group Record without one.
 * Locating the marriage date and place for the parents on a Family Group Record.

For suggestions on finding an immigrant ancestor's birthplace, see the "Determining a Place of Origin in the Czech Republic" section.

Next, decide what you want to learn about your ancestor, such as where and when he was married, or the names of his parents. You may want to ask an experienced researcher to help you select a goal that you can achieve.

What's Next?
After you have gathered information and set a research goal, you can start searching in birth marriage and death records. Use the following links to learn how to begin using Czech records and tips about Czech research: