ZAMAGURIE REGION DUAL GEOGRAPHIC DNA PROJECT:

The Zamagurie Region DNA project is a geographic DNA project associated with a sub-set of villages once part of the former historic Spis County, Kingdom of Hungary. 

Straddling the eastern Slovak and southern Poland border, the Zamagurie region is  the border land area of  the north-western part of the former Spiš County of the historic Kingdom of Hungary.  (Szepes - Hungarian; Spisz -Polish). This area is a compact geographic and ethnographic area defined by the natural borders of the Bialka River to the west, the Spisske Magura Mountains to the south, and the Dunajec River to the north.  

 A wonderful book entitled, "Zamagurze Spiskie; Spisske Zamagurie," by Jan Budz (ISNB 83-912197-0-4) describes each of the vilalges both in Polish and Slovak. It also includes w great map showing all of our villages in the region. Not only has Mr. Budz authorized the use of this map, he is also a member of the Zamagurie Region DNA Project himself! 

Village List: 

The area located on the Polish side is called the Zamagurze Spiskie or Polski Spisz Region. It includes the villages (using the Polish spelling): Jaworznya Spiska, Jurgow, Rzepiska, Czarna Gora, Trybz, Lapsze Wysne, Lapszanka, Lapsze Nizne, Kacwin, Nowa Biala, Krempachy, Dursztyn, Frydman, Falsztyn, Niedzica, and Lysa nad Duajcom. 

 The area located on the Slovak side is called Spisske Zamagurie. It includes the villages (using the Slovak speeling):  Majer, Spisska Stara Ves, Matiasovce, Spisske Hanusovce, Velka and Mala Frankova,  Havka, Zalesie (formerly Gibelly), Jezersko, Relo'v / Hagy, Cerveny Klastor, Lechnica, Haligovce, Vel'ka Lesna, Stranany, and Lesnica. If you do not see your village listed or need help in locating your ancestral village, please contact the GA.  The village names have changed over the course of time.

The volunteer GA of the Zamagurie Region DNA project actively maintains a private database of surnames from the villages.  What is unique to this database is that it is actually more than a list of surnames. It is a compilation of researched pedigrees documenting  descendants, their spouses, children etc. through the generations. This does not necessarily mean that your own pedigree has already been researched. It simply means that a significant amount of work has been done in all of the villages  gaining experience and a broad understanding of the region.  Parish census, Hungarian census, and military records are also recorded whenever located. As of July 2018, this database contains in excess of 52,800 people represented by 6,754 surnames (excluding variant spellings), and over 17,000 marriages. With time, this list will grow. Add your name to the list by participating in the project. The source of vital statistics are actual church records obtained during 16 trips to the region, personal research in Slovak and Polish archives, paid professional genealogical services, as well as available LDS microfilms. Formal academic research was performed as a Fulbright Scholar studying migration patterns in 2011-2012.  In many cases, especially for the Polski Spisz villages), the records are ONLY available in the church villages or church archives and are not available through the LDS.

WHY WAS THIS PARTICULAR DNA PROJECT STARTED? – ON A PERSONAL NOTE

My initial interest in genealogy was to learn who my great-grandparents were and where they originated.  To go even further back in time, the direct lines and co-lateral lines were also documented building on the family relationships through the villages.  By observation, one could describe who was related to whom, note patterns of births and marriages, see the effects of catastrophes and plagues in the villages as well as the recoveries, note how marriage partners came from “just over the mountain” or how surnames migrated or stayed for that matter in particular villages.  The hobby now became a passion!  The passion became an academic project studying migration.

Building on 25+ years of research, the GA was awarded one of two  Fulbright Scholarship to Slovakia  in March 2011. For 10 months, research was performed in eastern Slovakia studying Slovak emigration from a village perspective. So you can see, this is a very active project with great breadth and academic interest.

This DNA project is the next chapter  to the academic project.  Participation by those who have shared ancestry from the Zamagurie Region serves to magnify the power of the established research.  With time and growing participation, the combination may further others' genealogy on a new level.

WHO CAN JOIN THIS PROJECT?

Participation in this project is limited to those members who can demonstrate an ancestral link to Zamagurie Region  on at least one of their pedigree branches. Upon submitting a join request, the GA will work to try and confirm your link to one or more of the villages. The GA can recommend or confirm your current DNA test results add to the statistics of the project. The project facilitates connecting members with common genetic genealogy interests in researching their ancestry from this particular geographic region. A growing membership should have a reasonable chance of finding genetic matches as more people test with FamilyTreeDNA.  However, it should be clearly understood that no guarantees of genetic matches can be made.

WHAT CAN PARTICIPATION DO FOR ME?

DNA testing can help confirm your paper trail, help discover links to unknown relatives, and possibly even help follow your ancestral surnames as they migrate from village to village.  Your participation in THIS project taps into over 25 + years of research in eastern Slovakia.  Your participation and results when compared with known pedigrees from the Zamagurie Region, may be a guiding tool to direct your research.  You may then focus your efforts in connecting to a family line that has already been documents and identify links with others researching the same area or surnames. This may increase your potential to understand your own ancestral origins and genetic connections to others who are also researching your surnames. Mind you, there are no guarantees of finding a genetic match nor does it mean the GA will complete your genealogy for you. Professional services are available outside this project.

Participation can help you to learn more about our Slovak roots. Honor your ancestors by preserving more than just a memory. Join today!

WHAT VILLAGES ARE COVERED?

Below is an alphabetized list of village for the former Spiš County Slovakia. Smaller villages may not be named on this site. Place names have changed over the years and may not be listed here in the form you have seen on passenger lists or other documents. They may be in German, Hungarian, or Slovak. Please contact the GA for assistance as she is familiar with these changes.  Note: diacrylic marks have been omitted due to format limitations.

WHAT CAN PARTICIPATION DO FOR ME?

DNA testing alone can tell you if 2 people who match are related but it cannot tell you how you are related.  Your work as a genealogist is not done.  Your participation and results when compared with known pedigrees from the Zamagurie Region, Podhale, and former Spis County may be a guiding tool to direct your research. You may then focus your efforts in connecting to a family line that has already been documents and identify links with others researching the same area or surnames.

WHY SHOULD I JOIN THIS PARTICULAR DNA PROJECT?

DNA testing can help confirm your paper trail, help to discover links to relatives, and possibly even help follow your ancestral surnames as they migrated from village to village. Your participation in THIS project taps into over 25 years of research specifically in the Zamagurie Region. The GA will assist you in establishing whether your MAY be linked to this region BEFORE you submit a sample. This may increase your potential to matching others also researching your surnames.  Mind you, there are no guarantees of finding a genetic match. 

As a project member,  we can work together to try and identify if and how you are related to your Family Tree DNA matches from the region.  This is the next step to understanding your results.

Paid genealogy services are now available. 

Please feel free to email me with any questions.