Tracing your ancestors through the world's archives
Research in archives worldwide, with particular depth in Poland, Ukraine, Moldova and historic Bessarabia, and France, for families in the United States, Canada, Germany, Israel and beyond.
I combine classical archival research with open-source intelligence methods, so leads that look like dead ends often turn out not to be.
Genealogy research
Most of my work, for clients abroad: tracing families through parish, synagogue, civil and state records across Central and Eastern Europe, and wherever else a line leads.
-
Ancestors across Europe
Births, marriages and deaths from archives in Poland, Ukraine, Moldova and historic Bessarabia, France and neighbouring countries, and from the online indexes built on them.
-
Proof of Canadian citizenship
For Americans and others with a Canadian ancestor: the birth, marriage and citizenship records that document your line of descent, assembled into a clear file.
-
Emigration tracing
Passenger lists, naturalisation papers and church records abroad, used to find the exact village or parish your family left.
-
Reading old records
Handwritten entries in Polish, Latin, Russian and German, transcribed and translated into plain English.
-
20th-century fates
What happened to relatives during the wars, deportations and border changes, from military, displacement and emigration-era sources.
-
Living relatives and existing trees
Locating adult descendants of a shared ancestor through lawful open sources, or a second look at an existing tree: what is proven, what is a guess, what to search next.
OSINT and verification
The same source discipline, applied to present-day questions and to historical claims.
The work is to separate what the records prove from what merely sounds plausible, and to say so plainly.
Present-day research
- Background checks on companies and adults
- Due diligence before a business partnership
- Online reputation and digital footprint
- Research support for journalists and lawyers
Academic and historical research
- Archival analysis for university researchers in the United States, including documents of the Polish Government-in-Exile
- Independent review of a historical argument before publication
- Claim-by-claim check against the cited evidence
- Documented negative findings and open questions
How the research works
Everything happens by email, so you keep a written record of every question and every answer.
-
You write to me
Names, approximate dates, places, family stories and any documents you already have, even partial or uncertain ones.
-
I assess what is possible
Which records are likely to survive, where they are held, and a proposed scope with a fee agreed before any work starts.
-
Research
Archives, indexes and open sources are searched methodically. You get short updates when something significant turns up.
-
Your report
A family tree and a written report in English or Polish, with each finding cited, record copies where available, and a list of what was searched without result.
Principles
Legal, ethical and discreet. These limits apply to every assignment.
I work with
- adults, families and descendants
- companies, institutions, journalists and lawyers
- clients who state the purpose and scope of the research and will use the results lawfully and ethically
I do not take on
- anything concerning minors
- matters of a sexual nature
- work that would intrude on the privacy of uninvolved people
- tasks resting on speculation with no concrete data
- anything that requires breaking the law or accessing IT systems
Questions
Which countries do you research?
Mostly Central and Eastern Europe: Poland, Ukraine, Moldova and historic Bessarabia, plus France, Germany and other countries where a family line leads. Most of my clients live in the United States, Germany, Israel and Canada.
How far back do the records go?
It depends on the country and the parish or congregation. In Poland many Catholic parish registers survive from the 17th or 18th century; in former Russian Empire territories such as Bessarabia most surviving metrical books date from the 19th century. Wars destroyed some collections, so I tell you what is likely to survive before any work begins.
Can you help me prove Canadian citizenship by descent?
Yes, on the research side. I find and document the birth, marriage and citizenship records that connect you to a Canadian ancestor, and assemble them into a clear lineage file. I do not give legal advice or submit applications; for that, work with an immigration lawyer or with IRCC directly.
What if nothing is found?
A negative result is a result too. Records do not always survive, but I search every place where traces could exist, and the report shows what was searched and where the trail ends. The fee is agreed before the search begins and does not depend on the outcome.
Do I need to know the village my family came from?
No. Finding the place of origin is often the first part of the job. Emigration, naturalisation, military and church records in the destination country frequently name the town or parish.
My family's surname was changed after emigration. Can you still find them?
Usually, yes. Anglicised and misspelled names are common; I work from the forms that would have appeared in the original records, whether Polish, Latin, German, Russian or another language.
Can we talk by phone or video call?
No. All communication is by email. It keeps a written record of the scope, the questions and the findings, and it lets you reply in your own time.
What will I receive at the end?
A written report in English or Polish: the family tree, every finding linked to its source, copies or links to records where available, and a clear list of what was searched and not found.
Start with an email
It helps to include:
- the names of the ancestors you are looking for
- approximate dates and any place names you know
- what you already have: documents, photos, family stories
- what you would most like to find out
I reply within 24–48 hours.