6 of my great grandparents are of Polish descent and I have been able to connect with living relatives in Poland from each of those family lines. Just last year, after 36 years of research and 12 trips to Poland, I finally made contact with the elusive 6th family line. Here are the methodologies I used to accomplish this.
Old Letters/Correspondence
When I first started my research, my grandmother was still corresponding with her uncle Ksawer in Poland. She gave me his address and I wrote to him. He responded and told me that I should write to his grandson too. Ksawer died in 1994 just days after I visited with him. I have been in touch with his grandson and the rest of his family ever since that first contact.
If you have old letters from Poland, write to the addresses on the envelope! Even if someone else is living in the house, people in villages tend to know each other and whoever is currently living at that address might be able to point you in the right direction.
Visting Ancestral Villages
If you are travelling to Poland, make time in your schedule to visit your ancestral villages. While there, ask the older people you see if they know anyone with your family surname in the village. If they give you a house number, go to the house and ring the doorbell. (Beware of Dogs!) Make sure you have a family tree and a small blurb translated to Polish explaining for whom you are looking. The people in small villages are generally quite well connected.
Serendipity put me in touch with a local historian for one of my ancestral villages. Thanks to him, I connected with many relatives in that village. We have been friends ever since.
Visiting Ancestral Churches
While you are in your ancestral village, you should also visit your ancestral church. Check the church’s website to see when the chancellery will be open so you can talk to the priest. The chancellery is typically in the plebania (priest’s house) which is separate from and nearby the church. Priests generally have little time but often take some time for foreign guests. The priest may even look up some information for you or know of descendants of your ancestor. If the priest does take some time for you and maybe gives you a tour of the church, a cash donation is generally appreciated. It is an amazing experience just visiting your ancestral church and realizing that your grandparent or great grandparent was baptized or married in that exact location. The emotions are overwhelming.
I took my parents to Poland in 2014 and they couldn’t believe the emotions they experienced walking into their grandparent’s churches.
Visiting Cemeteries
If you are at the church, the cemetery is typically very close by. Make sure that you packed zip lock bags as well as a sheet of paper with a family group sheet printed on one side and a family tree on the other. Include your contact information as well (email, cell phone (get a whats app account), Facebook Messenger username, mailing address. Cemeteries in Poland are not like in the United States. They are more like a forest of graves with most of the grave above ground. Some graves are a simple dirt mound with a cross. If you know the siblings of your grandparents or great grandparents as well as their spouses’ name and birth dates, walk around the cemetery (if it is a manageable size) and look for those surnames. If you find a potential match, cross check your research. I generally carry my laptop with me for just these occasions. If it is a match, put one of your research sheets with your contact information in a zip lock bag and leave it on the grave. If the grave has old candles on it, someone is likely taking care of it. If the candles are lit, someone is DEFINITELY taking care of it. Now you wait…
This is how I found relatives of my two most difficult to research family lines.
DNA
If you are not planning a trip to Poland or if you are unable to go, consider DNA testing and uploading your results to My Heritage. You can upload your DNA even with a free My Heritage account. Search your DNA matches for your ancestral surname(s), village name, etc. If you can, review your match’s family tree. Message them through My Heritage. I’ve found several distant relatives this way.
Professional Genealogist Located in Poland
If you aren’t into technology or will not be travelling to Poland , consider hiring a professional genealogist in Poland to look for your family. There are many reputable individual researchers and research companies in Poland. Make sure you select one who is local to the area from which your family comes. This will save on travel costs for your research project. Check with the Polish Genealogical Society of America or your local Polish genealogical society for recommendations. Polish Origins, among others, is another good source of information.
What methods have worked for you?
Good information Ben! Glad you were able to connect with so many distant relatives.