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Reconnection of the Gkounelas Family – 79 Years Later
A few weeks ago, on October 28th, like every year, Greece celebrated the “OXI” day. This year, however, caught me and my family by surprise! Attention: the following story has (surprisingly) nothing to do with COVID-19.
Greek Ancestry Education, Case Study Webinar #4 (Nov. 7th, 2020): Tracing the immigrant’s origin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOJ3cdUoLPo
Greek Ancestry Education, Case Study Webinar #3 (Oct. 31st, 2020): Stories from Notarial Records
https://youtu.be/U8VyVBBqViQ
An Unexpected Journey: Tale of “Dimitri” and his abduction
By Alexandra Kiritsy Mysteries are contained within all of our genealogies. Sometimes we are fortunate enough to crack them, but all too frequently, the nature of time and space seem to veil the truth forever. Today on Yiayia & Me, we’d like to share one of these...
Greek Ancestry Education, Case Study Webinar #2 (Oct. 24th, 2020): Jewish Communities of Greece
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzBrAz_aoKM
Greek Ancestry Education, Case Study Webinar #1 (Oct. 17th, 2020): Asia Minor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0sumW8rRYs
“Family Histories of Palaio Irakleio: The Original Bavarian Colonists and their Descendants” – Interview with John Wagner
Having a German surname and raised in a Greek family caused John Wagner to be inquisitive, but an earnest pursuit began about six years ago.
2nd International Greek Ancestry Conference (Jan. 29-30, 2022)
2nd International Greek Ancestry Conference, Jan. 29-30 – Agenda
Newsletter – December 2021
Newest Records Release, Int’l Conference, traditional Greek dance, fun facts and more!
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Καλωσήρθες! Welcome to the Greek Genealogy Guide!
Here you can learn everything you need to know about Greek genealogy and family history.
Written by
Gregory Kontos
and
Carol Kostakos Petranek
Hellenic ancestry is a source of extraordinary pride and unique identity. Learning the country’s history and understanding the life of its people is a continual journey of knowledge and discovery. Perhaps this is most evident in pursuing the study of one’s Greek family history. Fostering a connectedness to family can stretch beyond the living to include the departed, but only when information about them can be ascertained. What were the names of our second or third great-grandparents? How many children did they have? What were their occupations? And, most important—how do I even begin to access records about them?
Prior to now, answering these questions has been challenging. But the doors of Greek genealogy have now opened to reveal a new era in research. The work being done by Gregory Kontos of Greek Ancestry is groundbreaking and exciting. With the advent of online translated, name-indexed and searchable records from Greece, finding one’s ancestors is not only possible—it is highly probable!
By consulting this Guide, one can navigate the complexities of Greek genealogy and find the correct resources to both access and request relevant documentation for his or her ancestors. It is the beginning of an exciting journey of discovery—and love.
Carol Kostakos Petranek
January 31, 2021