Your Ancestor’s Story Before Emigration
Genealogical research in Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic & Slovakia.
They made the decision to leave home.
They crossed borders and left everything familiar behind, often without knowing what awaited them in their new home.
But where did they come from, and what family did they leave behind?
Through genealogical research in Austria and Hungary and across neighboring countries, your ancestor’s life before emigration becomes visible again.
Where your research begins
Most people begin with a single question about one ancestor who emigrated.
Who were their parents? Where did they grow up? What family did they leave behind?
This first step is often the most important one. It reconnects your family story with its Central European origins.
I specialize in genealogical research in Austria and Hungary, as well as in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, working with original church registers and historical archives to reconstruct this crucial generation and their immediate family.
Discover your origins
I reconstruct the documented history of your ancestor in Central Europe using original church registers and historical archives, placing the findings within their family, social and geographic context.
To begin, I only need basic information and a few initial details.
This package includes:
- Documented reconstruction of your ancestor and their parents
- Identification of place of origin and family background
- Analysis of available records (primarily birth and marriage entries)
- Narrative PDF report with sources and links to original records
Price: 129 USD
Submitting the form does not imply purchase.
Availability of sources is verified first.
The report is delivered after payment is received.
Sample report: Discover your origins
When you want a structured overview
For some families, seeing the connections clearly laid out makes all the difference.
A family tree provides a visual overview of your ancestor, their parents, and earlier generations in one structured format.
Family tree – three generations
I create a structured visual family tree that clearly presents your ancestor, their parents, and their grandparents, based on documented historical records.
To begin, I only need the basic identifying details of your ancestor.
This service includes:
- Ancestor, parents, and grandparents
- Birth, marriage, and death data (where available)
- Places of origin and religious affiliation
- Occupations and additional details when documented in the sources
- Structured visual family tree (PDF and image format)
- Short explanatory summary of the documented findings
- Sources listed for all included individuals
Price: 299 USD
Submitting the form does not imply purchase.
Availability of sources is verified first.
The family tree is delivered after payment is received.
If you have already ordered the “Discover your origins” package, a reduced price applies.
Sample – Printable family tree (3 generations)
When you want to go further
For some families, the first discovery is enough. For others, it is only the beginning.
Once an ancestor’s origins are known, new questions often arise about earlier generations and relatives who remained in Europe. For these cases, I offer extended research projects tailored to your goals and the available historical sources.
Extended research
May include:
- narrative reports on earlier generations
- siblings and extended family lines
- multi-generation family trees with narrative summary
- 20th-century Jewish family history research
- archival research when online sources are not sufficient
- translation and explanation of historical documents and letters
- locating living relatives using publicly available sources
Custom project and quotation
We are who we are because they were who they were. It’s wise to know where you come from, who called your name.
How it works
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1. You share what you know
You tell me what you already know about your ancestor or family and what you would like to discover. -
2. You choose how far you want to go
You may begin with Discover your origins, which focuses on one ancestor and their immediate family. If you later wish to explore further, additional services such as Family tree or Extended research are available. -
3. Feasibility and scope are confirmed
Before any work begins, I check the availability of historical sources and confirm what can realistically be researched. For extended projects, the scope and timeline are defined individually. -
4. Research and documentation
I work with original church registers, historical archives, and other reliable sources used in genealogical research in Austria and Hungary and across neighboring countries. All findings are carefully documented and referenced. -
5. You receive your results
After completion and payment, you receive a documented narrative report with full source references and, where applicable, additional materials such as family trees or document translations.
Frequently Asked Questions
To begin, I need the full name of your ancestor and the locality where they were born or lived. An approximate date of birth is also important to identify the correct records.
Any additional details — such as parents’ names, religion, profession or family stories — can be helpful but are not mandatory.
Before any payment is requested, I first assess the availability of historical sources and confirm whether the research is feasible.
In some cases, documents may not be available online and can only be consulted through an in-person visit to an archive. They may also be missing due to wars, destruction, or preservation issues, or may not be accessible due to data protection regulations in the respective country.
Before starting, I verify whether the relevant sources are available and accessible. If the necessary records cannot be obtained, you will be informed in advance and no payment will be required.
The genealogical research I provide is intended for personal family history purposes. I do not offer services specifically for citizenship or other legal applications.
However, I can assist in cases where key information about an ancestor (such as the exact birth date, birthplace, or place of marriage) is unknown and needs to be identified through historical records. If you are pursuing citizenship through ancestry, the relevant authorities (such as the country’s embassy or consulate) can inform you about the required documents and procedures.
“Discover your origins” is a narrative report that reconstructs one ancestor and their immediate family in written form. It tells the documented story of their origins, family background, and historical context, based on original archival sources.
The Family Tree service provides a structured visual overview of three generations (your ancestor, their parents, and grandparents), including documented birth, marriage, and death data. It presents the information in a clear graphical format but does not include an extended narrative.
If you would like both a detailed narrative report and a structured family tree, this can be arranged as a combined project. In that case, please contact me for a customized quotation.
The timeframe depends on the complexity of the case and the accessibility of archival sources. After reviewing your request, I will confirm the estimated delivery time before the research begins.
Every family history is different. If your case does not fit exactly within the services described — for example, if you would like to research a specific aspect (such as professions within your family), receive assistance with your own research, communicate with archives or institutions in the respective countries, or have old handwritten documents transcribed and translated — you are welcome to contact me and explain what you are looking for.
I will review your request and, if feasible, propose a customized project based on your goals and the availability of historical sources. Before any work begins, you will receive a clear description of the scope and an individual quotation.
Payments are made in USD via a secure online payment link. You can pay easily using a credit or debit card.
For the “Discover your origins” package, you only pay after the research is completed. Once the research is finished, I’ll send you the payment link. After payment, you’ll receive the full report.
For the “Family Tree” package and more extensive research, a deposit is required in advance.
About me
My name is Zuzana Bodnárová, and I help families reconnect with their European roots.
I am a professional researcher and linguist specializing in Central Europe, with long-term experience working with historical sources in Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Since 2017, I have carried out genealogical research for clients from different countries, including background research for a published book and private family history projects.
One of my first major projects was the archival research for the book “Frida” by Norwegian author Nina F. Grünfeld, which tells the story of her Jewish grandmother’s life in Central Europe before and during World War II. That project confirmed what I already loved: carefully piecing together real human stories from old records.
I have lived and worked in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Austria, and I am currently based in Austria, where I continue my research and archival work.
I work with clients in English and Spanish. In addition, I speak German, Hungarian, Czech, and Slovak fluently, which allows me to read original documents, communicate directly with archives, and interpret historical records accurately without relying on intermediaries or automated translations.
For me, genealogy is not only about names and dates. It is about restoring connections that were broken by migration, war, and time, and helping families better understand where they come from.
More than data. A family story.