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Herman (Armin) Heda, the patriarch of the Hedas, was said to be a rabbi. He lived from about 1824 to 1903. The family story says that he descended from one of two Heda brothers who lived at the time of the Spanish Inquisition. One stayed in Spain and became a Catholic. The other brother migrated into Hungary.
The homeland of the Hedas was part of Hungary until 1849, when Austria-Hungary was formed. In 1918 the area became Czechoslovakia; it is now in Slovakia. Several of the twelve Heda children were born in Zakamenne, Hungary, now in Slovakia. Zakamenne is in a mountainous area close to the northern border with Poland.
Three of the Heda children migrated to Chicago. The sons of two other Heda children migrated to other locations in the United States.
There is another Heda family that lived in Chicago who were Catholics and came from Germany. The immigrant ancestor was Jan/Johann/John Heda, who came to the U.S. from Germany in 1903. He lived from 1867 to 1923. Perhaps they were descended from a different Heda branch. Unfortunately, this Heda family has no living male ancestors, so this cannot be verified with DNA testing.
A third Heda family that has recently been found was descended from Franz/Frank Heda, who was born in Ellguth, Germany and died in Wisconsin. He lived from 1870-1953. Ellguth is now called Ligota Bialska and is about 100 miles NW of Zakamenne.![]()
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file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Judy/Desktop/Heda%20Graphics/Heda%20Europe%20Map.doc
The homeland of the Hedas was part of Hungary until 1849, when Austria-Hungary was formed. In 1918 the area became Czechoslovakia; it is now in Slovakia. Several of the twelve Heda children were born in Zakamenne, Hungary, now in Slovakia. Zakamenne is in a mountainous area close to the northern border with Poland.
Three of the Heda children migrated to Chicago. The sons of two other Heda children migrated to other locations in the United States.
There is another Heda family that lived in Chicago who were Catholics and came from Germany. The immigrant ancestor was Jan/Johann/John Heda, who came to the U.S. from Germany in 1903. He lived from 1867 to 1923. Perhaps they were descended from a different Heda branch. Unfortunately, this Heda family has no living male ancestors, so this cannot be verified with DNA testing.
A third Heda family that has recently been found was descended from Franz/Frank Heda, who was born in Ellguth, Germany and died in Wisconsin. He lived from 1870-1953. Ellguth is now called Ligota Bialska and is about 100 miles NW of Zakamenne.