Related Resources • Historical Maps • Geographic Place Name Search • Tips & Tools for Geographic Research

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One of the most common obstacles encountered by family historians is that of changing boundaries. A family farm may have existed in exactly the same location for hundreds of years, but that place's name and the town, county, parish, or even country may have changed numerous times due to shifting political and geographic boundaries. States and county borders in the United States were constantly being redrawn as the land was settled and immigrants moved westward. Many eastern European countries, including Hungary, Poland and Ukraine have a diverse political history with boundaries that have changed many times, particularly following WWI and WWII. This makes it very important to learn where those boundaries were at the time your ancestor lived in the area so that you know where to search for their records. Begin your research of any ancestor with a good historical map to help pinpoint the exact boundaries of cities, towns, and even countries when conducting research. If you find your ancestor's home to be close to a border, you should also be sure to check for records in the neighboring communities. A simple obstacle, such as a river, between your ancestor’s land and a county seat, may have been all it took to cause them to go to a neighboring county for marriages and other events that required registration. Treat boundaries just like every other aspect of genealogy research - don't assume!

Resources for Researching Changing Geographic & Political Boundaries