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A Review of “The Greek Revolution: 1821 and the Making of Modern Europe” by Mark Mazower
Two hundred years have passed since twenty-year-old Anagnostis Zymaras, my great, great grandfather, joined the company of Kapetan Kostas Katsikas along with other peasants to overthrow the Ottoman tyranny in Peloponnesus. Little did Anagnosis envision that two centuries later the eminent historian of the Balkans, Mark Mazower, would chronicle the revolution that followed, concluding that the independence of Greece had far-reaching effects on nationalist movements throughout Europe.
“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!
“Amykles Villages History Project”: Interview with Paula Antonakos & Diane Gotses
By Carol Kostakos Petranek As 13 and 28 year olds respectively, Paula Antonakos-Boswell and Diane Gotses Jackson dove into family history research with youthful enthusiasm. “I was the kid who sat at the table with the grownups listening to their stories and writing...
Newsletter – November 2021
New Records Release, Our Photo Contest, Upcoming Conference, Carol’s Research Tips and… Lots More!
Greek Genealogy Webinar Coming Up Soon
Since its very foundation, Greek Ancestry has sponsored numerous educational initiatives to advance the field of Greek genealogy, to facilitate research and spread knowledge. While the whole world was stuck at home during the first COVID-19 quarantines, we kept each...
AHEPA
By George Zimmar In my years at Hyde Park High School in Chicago, I was not a model student, as evidenced by my three expulsions: two for fist fights and one for smoking in the park across from the school. Hondo, the eagle-eyed cop, spied the canopy of cigarette smoke...
Goblins in Maniot Tradition
“We are goblins, we are out and about after normal hours, we want the lalagia, we take the children, give us the rooster or the hen, or we’ll break the door!”
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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,
Alexandra Kiritsy
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