Whatever you do -- don't give up hope. Post the surnames on as many lists as there are in the hope of connecting with another Lang family. Sometimes secrets are hidden forever but some have a way of coming to the surface eventually. I am hoping that some day the Czech church books will become available through the Mormons so I can search them myself. It may also help to research families who lived near your family in the census records you can find. Many times people settled with people from the same origins/locations. It's really like putting a puzzle together. I was never one for jig-saw puzzles but I have developed an incredible patience for researching genealogy. It does take time --- but who cares how long it takes, right? (smile - I get impatient too!) I'll give you an example. My paternal grandfather is Hungarian. All we knew about him (and maybe all he knew too) was his mother's first name and of course his surname. I mentioned once to someone that I would probably never know much about him -- my friend disagreed - he said you'll find it -- I said how - I have nothing to go on? And I really meant it. That was three years ago -- and I have successfully traced one line of that family back to 1770! In the process I learned that my grandfather was illegitimate; his mother married but not his father. This husband died when my grandfather was about 5 -- I believe he thought the man was his father. My grandfather's mother died when he was about 6. The people who raised him were his godparents -- no one ever knew what the connection was. So I learned a lot - our family surname is in fact my great grandmother's maiden surname. I may never know who my grandfather's father was --- that was a well kept secret. When the family members who may have known were still alive, they were busy protecting that secret. They may have been embarrassed -- who knows -- but they wouldn't even tell my aunt where her father was born -- they said he was not from "around there" - meaning in that Hungarian town. But it wasn't the truth. In the meantime, ask every living relative or friend of a relative if they have any documents, pictures, etc. Copy them and tuck them away -- you never know when you'll come across the key to your puzzle. Long story short -- don't give up. Susan -- and let's keep hoping that the Czech records will become available.

Here is a link to lots of free forms, etc. on-line. http://searchforancestors.com/genealogyfreebies.html Looks quite interesting. Susan