Tim Swetonic wrote: > > I'm trying to find out about my ancestry. My surname is Swetonic, although > the Slovak version is probably Svetanick or Svetanik. Any tips on starting > this journey would be appreciated. I'm a beginner, and I need help. > > tims@starwave.com Hi Tim, I don't know where you live, but if you access the National Archives on the net, you can get the address of the nearest regional center, the services they offer, and how to figure out the soundex codes. Try to interview any older relatives on when and where the family first arrived in the U.S. With some archives sleuthing and patience, you may find a passenger manifest of an ancestor with the ancestral town on it (I did), and the local Mormon church can refer you to the nearest Family History Center, which in addition to their archives publishes very simple and cheap pamphlets on how to get started. Good luck! Bonnie Cieslukowski Weissman