Usually I don’t have any luck finding information on Greeks in the LDS FamilySearch.org website, but as of 12/17/2009, I found 203 Greeks named in their new pilot program (the result of their project to index and digitize all their databases). They have thousands of volunteers working on this project and are updating with new records all the time. The Greek names are listed below. If you find a name you are interested in – go to http://pilot.familysearch.org In most cases you can view and print a copy of the actual document for FREE. Good luck with your Greek family genealogy research. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com ----------------------------------- Greek Names from Family Search Pilot Program Ajisilaos, Mitali - New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island) - 1892-1924 Anagaastopulos, Cemistoclis - New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island) - 1892-1924 Aneston, George - Reference John Aneston Aneston, Joh...

I just found an interesting short autobiography “THE LIFE STORY OF A GREEK PEDDLER – contributed by a Spartan now living in a suburb near New York City” . This story was published in 1906 as Chapter IV (pages 63-79) in a book titled “ The Stories of undistinguished Americans as told by themselves ”, which was developed from a series of articles previously published in the Independent . This is made available to you through the Harvard University Library online. The person telling this story is unnamed. He was born about 1866 “in a little hamlet among the mountains of Laconia in Greece. There were only about 200 people in this place, and they lived in stone huts or cottages…..” He gives a description of homes, how they made butter, wine, ground wheat and oats, and made clothing, farming, no need for currency, schooling, saint’s days and other holiday traditions, politics, superstition, the trip to the United States, the push cart business, and more. This is an interestin...

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Now that the holidays are nearly over, I can try to catch up on some of my posts and website updates. Here’s a post that just came from the blogger at AnceStories: The Stories of My Ancestors – “ Citing Those Christmas Cards, Holiday E-mails, and Family Photos ”. This article is great for reminding us, once again, to check our Christmas Cards and Emails for family news and photographs. Then, how to cite them correctly in our genealogy software. Good luck with your Greek genealogy research. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com

My yiayia saved most of the correspondence that she received from Greece. This is a Christmas post card that I believe was received sometime in the 1960’s. Don’t overlook this type of treasure – someone in your family might be the one that keeps all this old “stuff”. Luckily my mother and father were not the type to throw these out. This is another great source of information – Who sent it? Do they mention any other family members? What address was it sent from? The handwriting might be hard to decipher, but sit down with your Greek-English dictionary and the Greek handwriting samples on HellenicGenealogyGeek.com – give it a try. Good luck with your Greek family genealogy research. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com

GREEK CULTURE AND TRADITIONS It’s the Christmas season so I thought you all would be interested in this excerpt from “The Greek News Agenda” online bulletin. “Christmas Elves” Kalikantzari are little creatures that live deep down inside the earth and together with the legends of Greece, play an important part in the customs and traditions of this holiday. From Christmas until the Feast of the Epiphany, residents in Epirus place twelve spindles in front of the fireplace so that the kalikantzari see them and do not climb down the chimney. On Christmas Eve, in the town of Grevena, the followers place a large log in the corner of the house and set it alight. As the fire burns, lasting until the Feast of the Epiphany, it protects the family from the kalikantzari. Good luck with your Greek family genealogy research. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com

Here are two new links to websites dealing with Greek surnames and given names: Greek Surnames – includes last name origins and meanings Greek Names – includes names in English and Greek, sound of name, male and female versions, origin of names, and nicknames Good luck with your Greek family genealogy research. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com

I recently had the blogger at “Abravanel – Jewish life and not only in Greece” forward me this link to a list of 693 people born in Greece who died during deportation from France during World War II. Good luck with your Greek family genealogy research. Georgia Keilman nee Stryker (Stratigakos) http://HellenicGenealogyGeek.com