THE ORAVA COUNTY DNA PROJECT:

Many of Orava /Orawa emigrants to the United States are our immigrant ancestors.  They serve as our link to the past. We carry them forward through our DNA and into the future through our own descendants.  Honor your ancestors by DNA testing today!

The Orava County DNA Project is a geographic DNA project open to those with documented ancestral links to Orava villages found in Slovakia and the former Orawa villages now residing in Poland.  A partial list of villages is found below.  

A LITTLE BACKGROUND:  

For over 25 years, the volunteer group administrator (GA) has been actively researching three geographic regions that were once part of Northern Hungary and Southern Poland.  They are: the Zamagurie Region— a set of  villages that like Orava was once part of Slovakia but now straddle the southern border of Slovakia and Poland—, the former Spiš County —now Slovakia—, and the Podhale Region —the region south of Nowy Targ, Poland.  These regions are historically ethnically mixed with Slovaks and Poles.

In 2011, the volunteer Group Administrator was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to continue her ongoing   research on migration. Living in Slovakia for ten months from September through July 2012, provided the unique opportunity to research the migration of people between villages using previously untapped records, and resources. The project is recognized as an academic study still in progress.During this time, she also traveled to study migration between the Orava — Podhale — Zamagurie —and Spiš Regions.

Even today, the GA continues her trips to these the regions performing research,discovering village and church histories, and gaining a greater understanding of the folklore, and culture. Despite the difficulties in obtaining access, she has successfully gained the confidence of parish priests to perform research in many of the church records. She maintains a private data base of researched pedigrees with well over 55,000 surnames. This work provides the foundation and experience in helping people to locate their ancestral villages and surnames with great success.

WHY WAS THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT STARTED? - Extending a geographic region.

The Orava County DNA project is a natural extension of the three existing geographic DNA Projects. The similarities include the noticeable large Slovak populations, historical changing borders, and migration patterns. The experience gained in studying in the adjacent regions combined with the hands-on experience performing research in the very Orava / Orawa villages serves as a solid foundation for the project.   

Approved by FT-DNA in December 2018, the role of group administrator is voluntary.The GA believes the project's success depends on being hands-on and dedicated to its members. Assistance is provided in finding the link to the region, understanding the DNA results obtained, and helping to identify  how the genetic cousins from the geographic region may be related.   Participation potentially can help us learn more about the genetic make-up of the Orava Region.

DNA TESTING AND GENEALOGY GO HAND—IN— HAND.

Often the hardest part in starting the genealogical process is locating the ancestral villages. Knowledge of chain migration patterns, familiarity and experience with the region and associated surnames on both sides of the ocean, and understanding the protocols for performing research overseas in accessing the records overseas, cultural differences, familiarity and experience with the region and associated surnames on both sides of the ocean, are all positive contributors to helping this project's members  learn more about their ancestry at many levels.  Paid genealogy services are now provided to take your pedigree further back in time in often unavailable records from the region. There is never any fee associated with joining any of the FamilyTreeDNA projects. DNA transfers from other genetic DNA testing companies like 23nMe and Ancestry are welcomed.

WHO CAN JOIN THIS PROJECT?

Participation in this project is limited to those members who can demonstrate an ancestral link to the Orava /Orawa villages. Upon submitting a join request, the GA will work to confirm your link to this particular geographic region. Additionally, the GA can guide your selection of DNA tests and provide assistance in understanding your current DNA test results. Your participation can help you and others to learn more about our Orava roots. 

Honor your ancestors by preserving more than just a memory.  Join today!

WHAT CAN PARTICIPATION DO FOR ME?

DNA testing can help confirm your paper trail, help to discover links to unknown relatives, and possibly even help follow your ancestral surnames as they migrated from village to village. Membership should have a reasonable chance of finding genetic matches as the project grows and as more people DNA test.However, it should be clearly understood that no guarantees of genetic matches can be made.

Your participation in the Orava DNA Project taps into over 25 +years of research methods and experience. This may increase your potential to understanding your ancestral origins and connecting with others who are also researching your surnames. You will also be a member of a group of people with common interests and ancestry from a shared locale.

We are a DNA project. The project facilitates connecting members with common interests in researching their ancestry from this particular geographic region. Membership should have a reasonable chance of finding genetic matches as the project grows and more people test with Family Tree DNA. However, it should be clearly understood that no guarantees of genetic matches can be made.

Your participation can help you and others to learn more about our Orava roots using DNA!

* Note: three related and integral geographic regions are now managed as independent projects. They are: the Spiš County Slovakia Project, Zamagurie Region, and Podhale Region Projects.  Please see the individual projects for details. Many of our members will have ancestry in one or more of these geographic regions. Membership in any or all that apply is welcomed for those with documented ancestral links to the region.  The GA will crosscheck member's links to the region.  All statistics will be kept according to the applicable geographic region.