European Genealogy

Tracing European genealogy is not always easy. European surnames first occurred between the 11th and 15th centuries, with some patronymic surnames (ex. Scandinavia) being acquired as late as the nineteenth century. Prior to this time, particularly during the "Dark Ages" between the 5th and 11th centuries, people were largely illiterate, and had little need for distinction beyond their given names.

Various European nations have had differing naming customs. The Scandinavians for example named children after the given name of their father, thus every generation saw a new surname. In Poland on the other hand, the ending "ski" in a surname would indicate "son of"; thus, the name "Walenski" implies "the son of Walen". The countries comprising Europe were governed by both Church and State; thus European genealogy requires knowledge of both religious sources and governmental records for effective genealogy research. Because there is so much diversity in the naming customs of nationalities, working with an experienced specialist like Heirlines is recommended for the most accurate results.

Heirlines Can Help You With Your European Genealogy Research!

Heirlines offers you Professional Genealogists who can help you conduct a thorough European Genealogy search. Most of their Professional Genealogists are either Certified or Accredited in one or more ways as "Professional Genealogists." They have been involved in professional genealogy research for more than 35 years!

Heirlines Professional Genealogists and Family Historians utilize a number of sources including the world's largest collection of Immigration and Emigration Records for identifying your immigrant ancestors and continuing research back to your motherland. Heirlines' Master Genealogists are equipped to read ancient handwriting, as well as a number of different languages!

For more information and to get your research started, contact Heirlines today by visiting www.heirlines.com, or by calling toll free (800) 570-4049.