FAMILY RESEARCH
We offer a wide range of genealogical services that will enable you to learn more about your ancestors and discover your family’s unique history. We cover not only Poland but also former Polish provinces that are located today Lithuania, Ukraine and Belarus.
Our services include:
Ancestry research We search for information and records that will enable you to trace your lineage back several generations. Living relatives search We identify and locate your relatives still living in Poland; we may contact them on your behalf or arrange a family meeting when you come to Poland. Adoption search We search for birth parents and siblings to reunite adoptees with their families, we find their adoption records, visit orphanages, etc. Search for vital records: certificates of birth, marriage and death We identify the relevant vital records and obtain copies of them (either digital or paper). Queries in church, state and military archives We perform queries in all kinds of archives to get as much information as possible about your family. Search through census records Census records is a valuable tool for tracking a family through time, it may provide a wealth of information about your ancestors. Search through alternative sources of information, such as newspaper obituaries, funeral home records and old locality directories When doing our research we do not limit ourselves to vital records – we check all resources available online and offline, including old newspapers, local history books, papers and maps, dictionaries, almanacs and many more… We conduct research in local libraries and talk to local historians… Tours to trace your ancestral roots We will assist you in planning the trip, provide practical advice on transport/accommodation/itinerary, arrange meetings with living family members, drive and guide you throughout the journey, provide translation and interpretation services, arrange on-site research in local churches or civil offices. When organizing the tour, we are always flexible and open to your suggestions! Translating documents We provide translation of vital records and all relevant documentation. We translate not only Polish records but also handwritten Russian and German records. Compiling family trees Using details you provide along with our findings, we draw your pedigree chart. For that purpose we use professional genealogy software. We provide the chart in the format that can easily be viewed and printed out.
How we proceed
To provide our clients with tailor-made solutions our team developed a unique four-step methodology called ADAR (Analysis, Design, Action, Reporting). 1. ANALYSIS We determine the objectives of the client and investigate the types of record sources available. It is a quick and cost-efficient way to assess the success rate of the case. 2. DESIGN Next, we design the research process. Using analytical skills and an in-depth knowledge of investigative procedures in genealogy, we choose the most suitable approach. Finally, we allocate the resources and estimate the budget. 3. ACTION At this stage, we proceed to proper genealogical research. We perform queries in archives and search through alternative sources of information. We identify and obtain all relevant records. We analyze the findings carefully and draw conclusions. 4. RAPORTING We generate comprehensive progress reports during the course of our research. The final report contains details of all relevant names, dates and addresses. It is accompanied by the required documents and a diagrammatic family tree.
OUR FEES
In each case we provide a free quote based upon the information provided by the client. Our fees depend on the case complexity, research required, administrative fees, cost of translation etc. We start the search immediately upon receiving your approval of our fee quotation.
TESTIMONTIALS
My grandparents came to the United States in the early 1900s and died during the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 when my father was 2-years-old. Dad knew very little about his family. I have wanted to do genealogy on my paternal side and worked at it for over 30 years. I had found a few documents, but nothing of much help, and I put some queries on several of the genealogy websites it was through one of the queries that I found Michal Marciniak.
With what little information I had, Michal was able to not only locate the area in northeastern Poland (formerly Poland-Russia, East Prussia) where my grandparents were born, but also put together a fairly complete family tree going back four generations for some families! Michal also provided me with a written history of the region, translation of surnames, and records with proper sourcing.
Most importantly, Michal was able to locate a first cousin of my fathers who we didnt know existed. This cousin had no idea that he had any living family! We have been communicating for a year-and-a-half, and it has been a wonderful reunion!
I have been so satisfied with Michals skills and work that I have hired him three more times and have plans to hire him again in the future. He easily and effectively communicates in English, which is a true blessing! His rates are very reasonable given his ability to read and translate old Polish and Russian handwritten records as well as his skills as a genealogist. Michal has provided a service to me that I could not do myself!
I highly recommend Michal to anyone interested in researching their Polish or East Prussian ancestry. You will not only find that he is an excellent researcher, but will also gain a wonderful friend and advocate!
Gary Kuschnereit (Midwest City, OK U.S.A.)
Michal has been researching several surnames for me and has uncovered a wealth of information. He has gone beyond dates for vital records and has found material about the families and their status in the community. Michal is very knowledgeable in the topic of family history and has great insight in the subject. The families that he has researched for me are from different regions. He does an excellent job of locating and interpreting the data.
Irene Baranski (Plymouth, MI U.S.A.)