Lucjan Cichocki – Cadastral Maps – Video – Northwest Suburban Genealogy Society

Note: Presentation starts at about the 56 minute mark.

Presentation Description:

The Austrian Cadastral Maps created in the late 1700s and mid-1800s were created for the purposes of taxation, but are a wonderful resource for genealogists today. The objectives of this lecture are to summarize the history of cadastral records in the Austrian Empire (also referred to as the Empire) between the late 1700s and mid-1800s with a special emphasis on areas that were once Polish but were taken over by the Austrians in the early 1770s. Also, it presents examples of documents that can be of value in genealogical research and provides hints helpful in tracking down the exact location where one’s ancestors lived.

Presenter’s Bio:

Lucjan’s adventure with tracing family histories started in 2013 with a visit to the Diocesan Archives in Przemyśl. A friend of his showed him what old nineteenth-century vital records looked like and what information they contained. Gradually he became more and more accustomed to various kinds of longhand and was able to maximize the results of his work while minimizing the time needed to complete it. Now, genealogy research is his full-time occupation and he is honored to have discovered the roots of many. Lucjan’s work involves searching for records at Diocesan and State Archives, searching for records at parishes, finding living relatives, driving people to the villages that their ancestors lived in, and translating vital records. His areas of expertise include southeastern and southern Poland (excluding southwestern Poland), central, eastern, and northeastern Poland, Slovakia, and westernmost Ukraine. His website is Polish Ancestry Research.

Meeting Summarization

To summarize Lucjen Cichocki's presentation on tracing ancestral houses in a step-by-step format:

Historical Background:
- Lucjen discussed the importance of historical knowledge in finding ancestral houses.
- Explained the Josephinian land survey, Franciscan land survey, and land owner census as key stages in land surveying by the Austrians.
Book of Measurements:
- Introduced the Book of Measurements (Kjinkapoyarova) from the Josephinian land survey.
- Highlighted its significance in recording people's names and land ownership details.
Francisco Land Survey:
- Discussed the detailed mapping done during this survey, marking borders and landmarks in villages.
- Emphasized the importance of these maps in understanding ancestral house locations.
Finding Ancestral Houses:
- Explained the process of using house numbers from vital records and an index of house owners to locate ancestral houses.
- Mentioned the use of cadastral maps, a computer with internet access, and determination in the search process.
Interpreting Maps:
- Clarified that building plot numbers on maps differ from house numbers in vital records.
- Showed examples of map sections, symbols for buildings, and how to identify specific plots on maps.
Contemporary Tools:
- Demonstrated using a contemporary land-serving website to view current territorial units and borders.
- Suggested using Google Maps in satellite view to compare historical maps with present-day locations.
Final Verification:
- Advised right-clicking on Google Maps to find current addresses corresponding to ancestral house locations.
- Illustrated how to use Google Maps to confirm the location of an ancestral house based on historical data.

By following these step-by-step instructions outlined by Lucjen Cichocki, individuals can effectively trace and locate their ancestral houses using historical records, cadastral maps, and modern technology tools like online mapping platforms.