Learning Center
List of books
BOOKS The titles of the books displayed at the Serbian side, are in n/a in English. These books are displayed by the…
2003 Edition My Heritage
SGS NEWS
A few new points have been proposed out to improve the site’s services for members. These are:
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SGS Members
This section is for members only. Most content here is premium content that is not accessible for the public. In most cases…
How to start
How to start your genealogical research When you decided to start with your genealogical research the challenge begins. The genealogical world is…
The origin of surnames
Just as in the vast majority of other European countries the majority of Serbian surnames are patronymic. This means that the surname Jovanovic would be derived from one of the ancestors with the name of Jovan. In some very rare cases you can see the metronymic naming, but this is very rare.
The way surnames originated can be diplayed on the following way:
Patronymic; naming after one of the ancestors,
Occupational; naming after ones profession e.g. Strugar,
Geographical; being named after a geographic location,
Descriptive; being named after a special physical feature inside ones family,
Anecdotal; being named after a particular event in ones live,
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Glossary of Turkish word used during the Ottoman period
Ağa Chief; master; head servant of a household Akritai Byzantine frontier troops Acâriz extra-ordinary taxes levied on the reâyâ in times of…
The house of Vlastimorić; Early Serbian family history 6th-10th centuries
The house of Vlastimorić
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The suffix in Serbian surnames
Serbian surnames usually, but not always, have a suffix. With suffix we mean endings of the surname like: -ić in Latin and…
Using Ellis Island for research in Serbia
Ellis Island
Ellis Island is useful for those in Diaspora, descendants of those who have immigrated to the United States. Ellis Island is a harbour in New York close to the Statue of Liberty. From 1892 until 1954 this Island was used as a terminal for those who wanted to settle in the United States.
When new immigrants arrived they were subjected to a medical examination. Only those who were qualified were allowed to enter, others were send back. On the website of Ellis Island more information can be found about the Island that played such a crucial role in the history of many families.
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Sources and objectivity
Always use sources. This cannot be stressed enough. Mention your sources in the footnotes, so that it will empower the next generation to have a point of reference for future genealogical research. Be objective.
Every family has its high period and low periods, ancestors that make you proud but also ancestors that don’t make you proud. It is very important with sources to use them correct. Do place them in the correct stratification.
Your family could be wealthy in 17th century, but poor in the 19th century or vice versa. Do then also try to explain the source of wealth or poverty. When doing this use the spirit of that age as a background.
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