In Search of Your European Roots : A Complete Guide to Tracing Your Ancestors

This work is designed to guide the reader through the complexities of genealogical research in Europe, whether done in person or by correspondence. It covers the various types of genealogical records available in each country, where they are found and how they are used. With up-to-date information on church, state, and provincial archives (including current addresses), and a discussion of the characteristics of each area and the ways in which they affect the research process, it opens up great possibilities for tracing ancestors in Europe. Described in detail are the archival resources of each country from the national to the local level; the location of church records and census returns; the systems of civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths; and how to find and use such records as certificates of domicile, orphan lists, emigration registers, guild records, internal passports, confirmation records, and even vaccination lists.

Besides the customary revisions and updates, this new Third Edition includes--for the first time-- telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, fax numbers, and URLS for most of the major European archives and organizations. Furthermore, now that the dust has settled on the historic upheavals of the 90s, it deals authoritatively with changes brought about by the unification of Germany, the break-up of the Soviet Union, and the dismemberment of Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia.