Where Does This Lady Come From?

January 28, 2012

Perhaps I am due to explain to the customers and visitors of the Midwest Genealogy Center (MGC), as well as my colleagues in all branches, where I come from. After hearing my accent, many visitors of MGC have wondered, and some have even "dared" to ask me where I am from. They thought that it wasn’t a Spanish accent, so maybe it was Russian. No, my accent is Slovak. I come from a small, but lovely country in Central Europe called Slovakia, or officially the Slovak Republic. In the Slovak language, it would be Slovensko or Slovenska republika. Many Americans know this country better by its former name of Czechoslovakia.

Czechoslovakia was established as a state for Slovaks and Czechs after WWI in 1918 after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. However, the territory has a rich history spanning long before then. In 1993, Czechoslovakia divided peacefully into two independent countries, the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic, although both countries still retain strong ties and a healthy and friendly relationship. Due to the few waves of immigration to the US, mostly between 1880 – 1920, we can now trace a lot of famous Americans who contributed to the development of American culture, science, arts, and other areas to their Slovak roots.Certainly, there are many other Americans with Slovak roots who may not be well known or famous, but deserve recognition because they helped form this country through their everyday lives.

In the 1990 US Census, a total of 1.8 million people identified themselves as being of Slovak ancestry. After Slovakia, it is the world's second largest concentration of Slovaks or people of Slovak descent. I would like to encourage you, the readers, to trace your roots. Perhaps, you may even discover that a branch of your family came to the US from Slovakia as well. Happy Researching!

Finally, now you know where this lady comes from.

Iveta B.
Midwest Genealogy Center