I’ve been searching for Iwaniw relatives online peertaining to my genealogy research. I have come across many people with the Iwaniw surname but, unfortunately, I haven’t come across anyone that is related to my family line. What I have found regarding that situation will be a blog post for another time.
As I stated I have been searching for relatives with the surname of Iwaniw with little luck. But if i look at the family tree I can see why. My father had 3 brothers and one sister. Well, his sister married and took on her husbands name, Marika Iwaniw became Marika Koval. Even though she had 3 children, none of them would have carried the last name of Iwaniw.
My farther’s oldest brother, Wasyl, had disappeared during the war and he was the reason I started my gemealogy research. I am not aware of any of his descendnents. So, taht is a temporary dead end. My father’s other brother, Mukola (Nicholas) has never contacted my father but I may have a lead on him from information I found through Anolsen Archives. But that is for another blog post.
Then there is my Uncle Ivan. I met him in when he came to visit. The actual year escapes me but it was some time in the 1970’s. He had 5 daughters. All would marry and none would carry on the Iwaniw name. Fast forward to this past January when I received a message my account on MyHeritage.com from someone names Julia. She was writing to me to find out if I had a picture of her great-grandfather, my Uncle Ivan. I come to find out that Julia is the granddaughter of my cousin, Olga, who is the daughter of my Uncle Ivan. So, now I have a connection to a relative in my father’s fmily line. And as a bonus, she is also interested in conducting her family research. She has helped in filling in the many gaps that I have in thqt line. My Uncle Ivan had 5 dughters and they are all still alive in Easter Ukraine.
Using information that Julia has provided, I have been able to connect with other descendents of my Uncle Ivan and build out the family tree. It was by sheer luck that I was able to connect and communicate with my 1st cousin twice removed. Due to the war in Eastern Ukraine I have not been able to connect or contact my cousin Olga except through Julia or her mother Svilana. who I also was able to connect with.,
Genealogy research can be a challenging and rewarding process, but it can be particularly challenging when researching Eastern European ancestry. Here are some of the difficulties you may face when conducting genealogy research in Eastern Europe.
Lack of Records and Documentation:
One of the biggest challenges you face in Eastern Europe genealogy research is the lack of records and documentation. There are multiple reasons for this.
Firstly, many records were destroyed during wars or political upheavals in the region. Secondly, many countries in Eastern Europe did not have a tradition of keeping records, especially in rural areas. This makes it difficult to trace both paternal and maternal lines. Moreover, in many cases, records were poorly or inaccurately kept, making it challenging to determine the accuracy of information.
Language and Cultural Barriers:
Another significant challenge in Eastern Europe genealogy research is language and cultural barriers. Researchers may need to navigate through different languages, alphabets, and dialects, making it difficult to read and interpret records.
In addition, cultural differences may result in researchers struggling to understand the context of record-keeping and attitudes towards genealogy.
Inconsistent Borders:
Countries in Eastern Europe have experienced numerous border changes throughout history, causing confusion and making it challenging to track location and lineage. For instance, Poland, Germany, Ukraine, and Russia have gone through various territorial changes that may impact a person’s ancestral heritage.
Political Challenges and Unstable Governments:
Political challenges and unstable governments can pose obstacles to Eastern Europe genealogy research by limiting access to records and altering record-keeping systems. Despite renewed efforts in recent decades to restore and digitize records in Eastern Europe, bureaucracies and political movements impact a country’s document management systems, thereby thwarting genealogy researchers’ attempts to access historical records.
Limited Resources and Infrastructure:
Finally, limited resources and infrastructure can impede Eastern Europe genealogy research. Public records offices may have limited access hours, missing staff, or limited technological resources like computers, scanners, and internet bandwidth, making research time-consuming and expensive.
Despite the challenges, embarking on an Eastern Europe genealogy research journey can be worthwhile and illuminating. With patience, perseverance, and determination, you can overcome obstacles and discover your ancestral heritage.
My old genealogy blog had to be shut down. The previous web host company decided to increase their quarterly hosting fee by almost 500%. From $23 USD every 3 months to $114 USD every 3 months. They weren’t worth it. So, I found a new web hosting company to host my genealogy blog.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to move the old articles to this new blog. Don’t despair. You can still access the old articles here.