Vodzak Surname DNA Project Zamgurie Region- Background

Background

Ancestry from Eastern Slovakia/Poland border villages of the former Spis County Slovakia. Updated: 27 Oct 2011.

NOTE: THIS PROJECT HAS MERGED WITH THE ZAMAGURIE REGION DUAL GEOGRAPHIC DNA PROJECT. PLEASE SEE THAT WEBSITE FOR CONTINUATION OF THIS PROJECT AND DETAILS.

Variant Spellings: VODZSAK, VODSAK, VODJAK, VODSZAK, VODZIAK, WODZAK, WODZSAK, WODSAK, WODJAK, WODSZAK, WODZIAK. The earliest known VODZAK is found in the Galician village of Bialka Tatrzanka. Descendants from the earliest known common ancestor (~1688 to 1797) are documented in an inclusive 30,000 person database of the Zamagurie Region. This database is actively maintained by the Group Administrator of this project. Efforts have focused on recording birth, marriage and death records for all descendants, their spouses, children etc. through the generations. When available, parish census records, Hungarian census records and/or military records are also documented. Documentation continues with the migration of the VODZAK surname as it is traced through the Zamagurie Region villages of Jurgow, Czarna Gora, Frydman, Nowa Biala, Kacwin, Poland and Matiasovce, Slovakia. In addition Vodzak branches are known to have emigrated to Dravce and Spisske Nova Ves both located in Spis County, Slovakia.

Source of the documents are actual church records from the ancestral villages obtained during 5 trips to the Zamagurie Region and neighboring Galicia villages, research in Slovak archives as well as available LDS microfilm. In many cases, the records are only available in the village churches or church archives and are not yet available through the LDS. See also the associated dual Geographic DNA Project ZAMAGURIE REGION.

Zamagurie is the name referring to the areas of the north western part of the former Spis County Slovakia. This is a compact geographic and ethnographic area formed by the natural borders of the Bialka River to the west, the Spiskke Magura Mountains to the south and the Dunajec River to the north. The area located on the Polish border side is called Polski Spisz. These villages (using the Polish spellings) include: Jaworzyna Spiska, Jurgow, Rzepiska, Czarna Gora, Trzybst, Lapsze Wysnze, Lapszanka, Lapzse Nizne, Kacwin, Nowa Biala, Krempachy, Dursztyn, Frydman, Falsztyn, Niedzica and Lysa nad Dunajcem. While not technically part of Polish Spisz, the villages of Bialka Tatrzanka and Brzgri of Galicia are also included due to the links to the VODZAK surname. The area located on the Slovak border side is called Spisske Zamagurie. These villages (using the Slovak spelling) include: Majere, Spisska Stara Ves, Matiasovce, Spisske Hanusovce, Velka and Mala Frankova, Havka, Zalesie (formerly Gibelly), Jezersko, Rel'ov, Cerveny Klastor, Lechnica, Haligovce, Velka Lesna, Velky Lipnik, Stranany and Lesnica. The village of Osturna is an independent project from the Zamagurie Region and is not included in this project.

The project has been extended to include additional former Spis (Szepes) County (which encompasses southern Poland and area of Slovakia today), of the former Kingdom of Hungary.  A Spis County Slovakia Project is presently being created by Family Tree DNA and will be cross referenced with all projects administered by the Group Administrator. 







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