Finding Ethnic Clues

Placing an ancestor within a migration group or area can assist in discovering ethnic roots and lead to new avenues for research. Language and customs were distinctive, and new immigrants tended to settle where there were already 'old' neighbors. The migration story to Minnesota is told in They Chose Minnesota, an excellent resource detailing time lines for migration and the areas of the state most affected. In many cases, it can help narrow the search for where a group originated, based on where it settled within the state.

The Minnesota Historical Society Press has undertaken a project to update this resource, by producing separate publications for some of the larger immigrant groups in the state. For example, there are now separate booklets entitled Swedes in Minnesota, Germans in Minnesota, Poles in Minnesota, Jews in Minnesota, Chinese in Minnesota, Mexicans in Minnesota, African Americans in Minnesota, Norwegians in Minnesota, etc. While They Chose Minnesota may seem obsolete because of its publication date, its bibliography is worth checking!

Urban areas have similar pockets of ethnic groups, though perhaps not as obvious as rural areas. Neighborhood names can sometimes provide a clue: Swede Hollow in St. Paul is just one example, though other groups (notably Italians) settled there later. Churches established by the immigrants offered services in the languages of the immigrants, often not changing to English until the 1920s and 1930s.

A review of city directories will provide a listing of churches with ethnic roots. Many Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran churches signal a concentration of Norwegian immigrants, Missouri or Wisconsin Synod Lutheran churches German settlers (usually northern), etc. Armed with that knowledge, the researcher can take the next step. Minnesota church archives, with their addresses, are listed in a prior research note. Denominational histories often include sections on ethnic congregations.

The story is similar for other ethnic groups and other denominations. This map, taken from Calvary Cemetery, Vol. 2: 1879-1888, shows the locations of ethnic Catholic parishes in the city of St. Paul in 1888. Some are Irish, some German, others Polish or Bohemian or African American.

Finding the right church requires knowing where the family lived and what language was spoken in the home. (Be prepared to find that the church records are written in that language, too!) The 1930 census provides that information.

Don't give up just because the records are not in English. For example, the marriage records for the Catholic Church of St. Agnes from 1887-1897 include the names of the parishes where the bride and groom were baptized, and often include the names of the small villages where they were born in Bohemia. These records have been transcribed by Linda Therkelsen and were published by Park Genealogical Books.

Marriage, baptism and burial records kept by churches contain similar information to marriage, birth and death records kept by governmental entities. Both have their own patterns in how the information is recorded, and in what information is important to the recording body. Checking church records can open new clues for your research.

Brief bibliography

1. Calvary Cemetery, Vol. 2: 1879-1888, compiled by Mary Hawker Bakeman and Stina B. Green, includes the 6400+ burials at this Catholic Cemetery in St. Paul during the time period, along with a listing of the churches and their ethnic origins. Data includes name, burial date, age, birthplace, location within the cemetery, and lot ownership plus details on ethnic parishes and map. Available from Park Genealogical Books.
2. They Chose Minnesota - A Survey of the State's Ethnic Groups, by June Drenning Holmquist. Information on the major ethnic population elements in Minnesota from 1850 - 1980. 60 ethnic groups are discussed, based on geographic origins. This book is undergoing revision by the Minnesota Historical Society, with separate booklets. It is available in many libraries.

(c) 2007 Park Genealogical Books, Roseville MN

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