Who Do I Think I Am? ~ Bohemian

AncestryDNA Results
Last year I took the AncestryDNA test. Some results were expected, some not so much.
Looking over the report, theme music for "Who Do You Think You Are" kept buzzing in my head.

Who am I? Well, apparently a mixed bag of interesting heritages. I thought it might fun/informative to write posts about this DNA.

With that said ...Who Do I Think I Am?

Europe East ~ 62%

Goodness! Well over half of my lines come from this region. In fact, the site gives the "typical native" as 82%. If I take a trip to the area, surely will be bumping shoulders with family!

Ancestry states the following:

Primarily located in: Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Russia, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia.

Map of Bohemia
1882
As I have stated before, growing up I really did not know much about my ancestry. One country of origin that was common knowledge is Bohemia.
Beginning this genealogy adventure, I wanted to discover more about this heritage. I am embarrassed to admit that region of the world is a mystery. Really folks! I love history! But, geography? Not when one is a bit directional challenged.

Bohemia? Wikipedia states the following:

Bohemia is a historical country of Central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague. In a broader meaning, it often refers to the entire Czech territory, including Moravia and Czech Silesia, especially in historical contexts, such as the Kingdom of Bohemia. Bohemia was a kingdom in the Holy Roman Empire and subsequently a province in the Habsburgs’ Austrian Empire. It was bounded on the south by Upper and Lower Austria, on the west by Bavaria, on the north by Saxony and Lusatia, on the northeast by Silesia, and on the east by Moravia. From 1918 to 1939 and from 1945 to 1992 it was part of Czechoslovakia, and since 1993 it has formed much of the Czech Republic.

To understand research into the region, I located to following resources.

Bohemia and the Cechs - Google Books

Czech Genealogy - Archives

The Federation of East European Family History Societies
It's All Relative : Eastern European Genealogical Research

On to my ancestors ...

I have been able to trace several lines to the town of Branice in Milevsko, Bohemia.

Wikepedia - Milevsko is a village and municipality in Písek District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. The municipality covers an area of 14.81 square kilometres (5.72 sq mi), and has a population of 239 (as at 2005).

Population of 239?! Most likely related to the entire town. That could be quite the home-coming.

Ancestors from this region:

Joseph Frank Jerousek (2nd great-grandfather) was born July 23, 1845, Branice, Milevsko, Bohemia.

He married Barbara Fuka (2nd great-grandmother) on October 31, 1871 in Milevsko.

Barbara was born June 17, 1851 in Branice, Milevsko, Bohemia.

The couple emigrated to Baltimore, Maryland in 1872 along with their son, Frank.

Several interesting sites for the region.

Milevsko: Official town website

Milevsko: South Bohemia and Bohemian Forest

Lastly, I found a great site for birth, marriage and death records. The Digital Archives on Czech Republic State Regional Archives in Třeboň. The information discovered there has been invaluable! It has helped take our family line back several generations.

That wraps up the Bohemian episode of Who Do I Think I Am. I hope you learned something new and helpful to further research.

Until next time ...