How to Trace Polish Roots

As one of nine million Polish Americans, you belong to the nation's eighth-largest ethnic group, which represented 3.2 percent of the population in the year 2000. You possess the proud heritage of Poland, a country of rich cultural, religious and political traditions. Besides your own family, some of history's most noted figures hail from there including, Copernicus, a 15th-century astronomer, piano prodigy Frederic Chopin and Pope John Paul II.

Instructions

1. "Work backwards from what you know," states Polish Roots, an organization that helps individuals discover their unique ethnicity (see Resources). Gather as much data as you can about your immediate family and then each preceding generation. Talk to parents, grandparents and other members of your extended family. Then look through photo albums and any other available files and resources.

2. Team up with other Polish relatives involved with genealogy (the study of ancestry). Exchange information with them and divide subsequent searches and tasks between you.

3. Identify your ancestors' point of entry into America (most Polish immigrants came through Ellis Island, New York) and what part of Poland they came from. To obtain this information, research immigration records, contact the U.S. Census Bureau and do ancestor surname queries online. For more help, join a web-based genealogy community such as Polish Roots, Ancestry.com or Roots Web.

4. Create an ongoing database of your Polish roots using genealogy software like Ancestry.com's Family Tree Maker. This user-friendly program links to online family trees, provides detailed descendant and ancestor reports and uploads documents and photos from other websites.

Resources

• Visit Polish Roots for genealogy resources.
• Search Ellis Island Records for your Polish ancestors.
• Explore Poland's rich history at New Poland.