There are as many tools as there are obstacles to finding your Czech and Slovak ancestors. While the rich history of these countries can be quite confusing, knowing that history is instrumental in making sense of all the clues in your family history. Follow these four guidelines for navigating Czech and Slovak research to keep you on track for finding accurate information on your family tree. Watch Their Language: Searching records written in another language is challenging enough, but thanks to history and shifting geography, it's hard to know what language your ancestors' records were written in. From Czech and Slovak to German, Latin and Hungarian, there's a lot of variation. Study Geography: Borders and country names have changed quite a bit over time, so your Czech and Slovak ancestral homes might not be in what is present day Czech Republic or Slovakia. What's in a Name: Names can be quite the challenge, but once you learn the patterns and practices put in place, as well as the spelling, you'll discover new avenues of research open up. Find Their Religion: Catholicism was the dominant religion in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, but it was by no means the only one. Try searching Roman Catholic records as well as Jewish collections to find your ancestors. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Barb [email protected]