Genealogy Program: Beginner Family Research- Tracing Your European Roots

Program by Mark Szep

Tracing Your European Roots:

Utilizing Genealogy Records to Uncover Your Ancestor's Place of Origin

This presentation will guide you through the records genealogists typically use to determine an
ancestor’s place of origin and highlight some lesser-known resources that can provide valuable
insights. Get ready to explore everything from civil records to church records, land records,
naturalization documents, passenger manifests, and lesser-known record sets like passport
applications and Alien A-Files. This lecture is perfect for those new to genealogy and beginner
researchers who are looking for the tools and techniques needed to trace your family's roots
back to their homeland in Europe.

 Adults only.  Registration required.

 About the presenter: A college history project in the 1990s was the catalyst for Mark's love of genealogy and family history. Focusing on his grandparents, the class required him to interview relatives, research newspaper articles and develop a narrative of their lives. He’s been hooked on family history ever since. Now, more than 20 years later, Mark continues to research and explore his family’s origins in Germany, Ireland, Galicia (Poland), Austrian-Silesia (Czech Republic) and Slovakia. Mark has visited libraries, archives, walked through countless cemeteries, and spent many a late night on the computer to uncover old ancestors, new cousins and verify the family stories he heard as a child. Mark is a member of the Genealogical Society of New Jersey (GSNJ), Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), National Genealogical Society (NGS), Czechoslovak Genealogical Society International (CGSI), Polish Genealogical Society of America, and other local and national groups.