This information is out-of-date. Check new blog post about Pilsen archives system.
I have noticed that some people are having problems accessing Pilsen archival records published on ActaPublica.eu website. The reason is simple - search is totally different from the other two archives on ActaPublica (Brno and Prague). Therefor I created this short guide to Pilsen archives.
I have noticed that some people are having problems accessing Pilsen archival records published on ActaPublica.eu website. The reason is simple - search is totally different from the other two archives on ActaPublica (Brno and Prague). Therefor I created this short guide to Pilsen archives.
Pilsen search is based on parish name, not village or part of village. When you choose Pilsen archives on ActaPublica.eu website, you get following screen:
You have to type in the name of the parish under which belonged the village your ancestors came from. Not the village name, but the parish. This is important to remember. How to find it?
You can use Pilsen archives list of registries - unfortunately there are not all of the villages listed, because if there was one parish book for whole parish, there will be only "farní obvod" (whole parish) mentioned instead of name of the village (see below). But if you are lucky, the village you are looking for will be there. See an example below.
If you are not able to find the village you can try GenTeam.at website. Registration is needed, but it covers whole area of the western part of ex-Hapsburg monarchy so it could be really useful. The website is available in English which is great. The most important part of all is Gazeteer where you can search for the village and find its parish.
When you click on Gazeteer you get a search field:
Fill in the village name (or its part) you are looking for and press Enter - I have taken Sklena Hut near Nýrsko as an example. You'll get results - information about parish is located in fifth column:
Then you have to type the parish name in the ActaPublica.eu website and press Enter. It's not needed to write the parish name with the diacritics, both Nyrsko and Nýrsko give the same result. This is what you get:
Then you just have to choose the parish book you need (based on information you already have).
Good luck! And if you have any questions, just ask in the comments!
Thanks so much Blanka. I had just posed this question in the German- Bohemian site when I saw your message. Marg McEuen
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing the tutorial!
ReplyDeleteDo the parish names need to be typed using Czech diacritics in order to get results? Such as á, č
More about the Czech alphabet:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diacritic
No, it's not needed to use the diacritics - both Nyrsko and Nýrsko give the same result.
DeleteSome of the books also contain an index (indicated by a star, circle or cross in the table). Most are at the end of the book, although some books contain only indexes. Also, be aware that since parishes cover more than one town the book may be set up in "chapters". You will see records for one town for the dates listed, then the next town for those dates, and so on. So be sure to look at the top of the page you are viewing to see which town in the parish the records apply to. Some books have a page in front that lists the towns in the parish and what order they appear in the book. Finally, I was unable to print images from the site, but was able to save them using my snipping tool on my computer then save them as jpeg files.
DeleteJanet, I wish it was so easy every time. There is often the name of town/village shown only on first page of the "chapter", sometimes one registry has all villages mixed and so on...
DeleteDo you know if/when the Zebnice parish will be digitized? All roads seem to be leading there for me at this time. Is the only option to search in person for this area? I appreciate any information you have.
ReplyDeleteWell, it will be probably digitized next year (according to current speed of digitalization). Right now it's possible to search only personally, directly in the State Regional Archives in Pilsen.
DeleteThanks for the information. I guess I will have to wait to do any research on my own. Your blog is the best resource I have found to help me research my Bohemian ancestors. Keep the information coming! : )
DeleteThis site also helps English speakers navigate Actapublica:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.fm-search.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=11&Itemid=848&lang=en
Your information is very helpful. Thank You.
ReplyDeleteIs there a publishing schedule we can look at? Do you know when Zelená Lhota is expected to be digitized and published on ActaPublica.eu?
Blanka,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the information on your blog! My mother and I have been researching our Bohemian ancestors on the websites for the Pilsen and Litomerice Archives (we don't speak German, but have found hundreds of birth, marriage, and death records and are working on translating them). And we are going to the Czech Republic to do genealogy in October (I am so excited, I have never been outside the USA before).
My parents have been to the Pilsen Archive before and last time they were there they saw people looking at large envelopes and boxes of papers and photographs. The only records we have ever seen are the birth, marriage, and death registry books. Are there other kinds of records in the archive? Someone told me I should look on the archive websites to find a list of fond/funds which would list different kinds of records in the archives, but I haven't been able to find any lists for these two archives that show any other types of records.
Since we know we can view the births, marriages, and deaths online, we really want to focus on records that aren't available on the internet when we are in the Czech Republic in person, so I really hope you can direct me where to find what other records are available. (Also, are there any other places to go, other than the archives, where we might find family records?)
Thanks so much for your time!
Stephanie Bradshaw
a yellow box pops up and disappears rapidly. what is it for? Today this yellow box is blank and just sits there. What to do?
ReplyDeleteI just used your suggestions to find the Parish of the village of Bohy, in Plzen North and it worked like a charm. I also found the parishes for Kopidlo and Ceska Briza. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI have found my great-grandfather's birth and the names of his parents. (Not knowing German there is probably information written that I cannot determine.) Is there a way to look up the name of my great-great grandfather to see when he got married, or how old he was when my great-grandfather was born? Perhaps, also, a way to look up a name could help track moves from one parish to an adjoining parish. Thanks.
ReplyDelete