Genealogy / Dunda from Balnica and Cigan from Solinka search [12]

Well Karoline, where in Hungary and when? The Name Cigan (and Dunda for that matter) is a Carpatho-Rusyn or Rutheian surname. That is an ethnic group and not a nationality as it depend on when your people where there and who held power. Polish, Austrian, Hungarian, etc are both nationalities and ethnic groups but culturally, language and even mtDNA different from Carpatho-Rusyns.

Balnica and Solinka were part of Poland, Austria, Galacia, Hungary, Ukaraine and Germany (probably Russia too) from 1772-1946 at least. So you could be Austrians and Carpatho-Rusyn as my people were (but their villages are now in Poland) or Hungarian and Carpatho-Rusyn.

So finding out exactly where and when your people were in Hungary is imporatant and if they ever lived in the Carpathian Mountain region or not. Ask your parents for town names while you can. I can not tell you how hard it is to piece together later.

Genealogy / Are Polish birth records available on the Internet? [56]

I found marriage records on this site

rootsweb.ancestry.com/~polwgw/polandarchives.html

Specific page is

rootsweb.ancestry.com/~polwgw/polandarchives.html#micro

Information is broken down by parish.

Hope it helps

Genealogy / Can't find on Ellis, not naturalized, never applied for SS, how can I trace him? [7]

Ellis Island is only one point of entry. My ancestors came in through Philadelphia and my wifes came in thru New Orleans. Look for records from other ports of entry. The actual name you are search on would make it easier to help you.

Genealogy / Where are the Lemkos now? Do they still exist in Poland? [32]

While you are correct that both sides did things and it was in the past, people need closure and that still has not happened for some. I would imagine (I am an American and only recently found my Lemko heritage) many still have not had the chance to learn to forgive and forget. As Trevek said...


These young Lemkos and Ukrainians were taught their culture from their parents and grand parents, but were not able to freely and openly express or experience it. They inherited their families passions and feelings about the past suffering and it festered in the dark.

I have read much of the suffering from Akcja Wisla and find that I internalize it as MY PEOPLE SUFFERING and it seems more tragic to me. And I never had to deal with the actual oppression. I can only imagine how people who grew up Lemko "in secret" feel.

The past should be forgiven and people need to learn to live together, but until they feel the closure with their right to express their heritage, as they are just starting to do, this will not happen. I am sure they also seek closure in the public acknowledgement of the past tragedies/attrocities (such as the Polish Governments efforts to acknowledge Akcja Wisla). As the saying goes..."time heals all wounds" and it will take a lot time for people to forgive the loss of culture, expression and homeland. At least it seems that the Lemkos/Ukrainians are now on that road to recovery.

Genealogy / Dunda from Balnica and Cigan from Solinka search [12]

Anna,

Thank you for responding. Always nice to find another Dunda! I pretty much assume all Dunda are related...LOL! It is more common a name then I ever expected before starting my genealogy research and like so many slavic surnames...it is spread to the four corners of the world! I realistically would imagine if we are truly related it would be long before either of our great great grandfathers were born. I will still call you cousin though...LOL!

Since my original post I have found out much of what you explained in your post about Balnica and Solinka. Actually found a wonderful family with our surname in Bialystok who have sort of adopted me. They have done a great deal of research for me and even found my direct realtives that were relocated to Sambir Ukraine in 1947. As with you, I can only assume I am really related to them somehow.

I will try and use the private mail function of this site to get you my email address so we can talk more. You can check out my Dunda Family website to learn more of my family (dundafamily.) if you are interested.

I hope to converse with you more and learn more about the Dunda family!

Genealogy / Dunda from Balnica and Cigan from Solinka search [12]

Anna,

I could not find you in the private mail function and can not send you my email address that way. Hmm...since neither of us probably wants to post our email address on the forums, you could use the Contact Us function on the website I listed in the previous reply. Those all go to me so only I would get your email address if you want to share it with me so we can talk more.

Darren

Polonius3,

You first name explination from March 2010 was more "flattering". Phallus?? Ouch! Of course the Urban Dictionary has a worse definition of Dunda but it is based on a word from India...

As always thank you for sharing your knowledge of name origins...even if it was a bit painful this time. LOL!

Thank you!!

Genealogy / Dunda from Balnica and Cigan from Solinka search [12]

I hope you did not think I was upset or anything. I did not take offense, I was just making a joke of of it. Your efforts are most definitely appreciated and your knowledge base is quite amazing at times.

I will have to do some research on your latest tidbit of information on Dundaj. LOL, heck I did not even know what "toponymic" meant until I looked it up after you used it in your explination. I always learn something new from you!

Genealogy / Looking for REM family [20]

Jessica,

If you are going to try and reach out via phone, you might as well try and reach out via Facebook....it is a lot cheaper. I found my family in the Ukraine by reaching out to a family in Poland who did some leg work for me. Since then I have used facebook to send messages and inquiries. I have found a ton of relatives.

All you need to do is a Family name (Surname) Search. I did one for your family facebook.com/family/Rem-Per/1#!/family/search.php?q=Rem (just cut and paste into your browser. Then click on people until you find the someone in the correct town/country. Send a message and cross your fingers. The worse that can happen is you don't get an answer.

Keep in mind that you will get 24 names per page, so you have to keep hitting the next page arrow at the bottom. I see at least 192 people with last name Rem. Do not get discouraged if you see a lot of them are from countries other than you are interested in. All it takes is one person in Poland to respond and everyone on Facebook is there to try and connect with people....so someone will respond.

Good luck!

Genealogy / Looking for REM family [20]

I hope you are as lucky as I was. I found my relatives in Ukraine and awesome new friends in Poland! My fingers are crossed for you! Keep me updated!

Good Luck!!

Genealogy / Looking for REM family [20]

Sorry to hear you have had no reply! Maybe it will still come, but after 2 weeks it is discouraging!

I was doing a quick look for Rem on the web and found this archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/PolandBorderSurnames/2002-08/1029732994. Do you know a Brent Seamer who must be a cousin (if not a brother) of yours? You have probably compared notes with him already, but he was doing the same search in August of 2002. Maybe he has found something already?

Do not give up completely! If the fates are kind, it will be just a matter of time before some other clue becomes available. It may be a few years, but there is always a chance that what you are looking for will get into Ancestry.com or somewhere else on the web.