Please read the FAQ in this forum.

Hi there...
I've looked for the FAQ but cant seem to find It,
could you point me In the right direction ?

Thank you.

Hi,

What I mean is that we need a place of birth in Serbia before we can make comments about a surname. Otherwise it will be very general and it might not even be the same family.

Hello again Sergej

I have no Idea at all of the exact place of birth of my father.I was hoping to find that out.

I do know that there was a small v above each C. Is this of any Importance ?

Thank you very much for your time Sergej

Vićentić would be the correct spelling and is most likely a Serbian family that lived in the Krajina region in Croatia. Most of them reside now in Serbia after the war. From what I know there are 2 branches 1 Catholic and 1 Orthodox.

The problem you have is that you need to know where they came from. You need a place to search for. Do you have any pictures, items, cards, letters anything that can give a link? The V's above the letters are very important because in certain cases they can change the meaning of a word.

I checked some records and the surname Vićentić is mentioned in the immigration records in the UK. So you should check those records with this exact spelling and collect all the items.

You might want to consider joinin the SGS as a member since we help people translate items and you can put your family tree online on our site --> http://www.rodoslovlje.com/rodoslov/

See these links for record research in the UK:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/visit/plan.htm
http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/
http://www.bl.uk/collections/oiocfamilyhistory/family.html
http://www.movinghere.org.uk/

Whatever you do you first need to find a link to a place. Then you can continue so your research starts in the UK. Members can scan in pictures etc. and send them to us so we can identify places and locations. We advice people membership and to do their research themselves and not to hire researchers. We do not mediate either, our experience shows that it gives people more trouble and doing research themselves makes it more special

Let me know if you need more help.

Hi Sergej

I have been talking with my mother,asking about old pics/documents etc and she said that over the years they have all been lost! I cant believe It.We have nothing at all.I have no Idea at all where exactly my father came from,It was for this reason that I was hoping to find the origin of my name. I have mailed someone that I found on the Youtube site who was actually born In Krajina and still lives there and he Is unfamiliar with my name! he told me that It Is most likely Italian ( catalan ) or spanish! this cannot be true!

I know that this must seem like a silly question, so forgive me,but do you have to be of Greek Origin to be baptized Greek Orthodox ? The Vicentic you mention In the Immigration records ? could you tell me If this Is a ''Zivan'' ?

Thank you again for your time Sergej !

That sucks.

Well I dont think Youtube is a good source. The name is Serbian and is also used today in Serbia and Croatia. It is from that region. The problem in that region is that people moved inbetween from Krajina, Dalmatia and Kosovo. The name is not Spanish, thats just nonsense.

The Orthodox Church has different branches, Greek Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox. I dont know if your ancestors were Orthodox or Catholic. To be hounest you can't really determine it by just a surname. Also Serbs are both Catholic and Orthodox, some are Muslim. I do not know if there is a family saint to your knowledge in your family. There must be something that was left behind?

You need to first find all the Vićentić in the UK immigration records. Its a rare name so you will have more luck in finding a link to the place of origin.

Hi Sergej!

Gee, I feel like I know you now

My father always had a picture of Saint George hanging above his bed. The reason I asked about the ''orthodox'' Is because my middle sister was Baptized twice,Once Church of England, and once Greek Orthodox.I didnt think the Greek part was right as I thought you had to actually be of Greek origin! My mother tells me that a priest came from the Greek Orthodox Church to Baptize my sister,It Is located In Birmingham, England. I have the telephone number as I am going to call them and see If they still have documents from 1959. I would Imagine that there could possibly be a place of birth on the certificate of my father.

I am not sure how I go about finding all the Vicentic In the UK Immigration records Sergej.I have been to the links you left for me but cant seem to work It out.My mother has told me that she ''thinks'' my father came by boat to Italy then on to England In about 1947,I was always on the undertsnding It was 1945 for some reason.

I'm really glad to hear that my name Is definitley Serbian cause I have been worried about It after speaking to that guy In Krajina. He sent me a message asking why I wanted to know about Vicentic so I mailed him back and explained,he did not get back to me so I assumed my father was one of the ''wrong'' kind of Serbs

I know this Is off topic, but.. I would just like your Input on this Sergej

Around 1999/2000 we had some kosovan refugees move on to my street,everyone welcomed them,I helped them out alot for quite a few years,I was very unsure as to whether or not to tell them that my father was from Serbia because I didnt know what to expect If I did.I did eventually tell them and from then on they looked the other way when we passed eachother.Last summer I was out In my garden with my Dog when the kosovan family walked by,my dog barked at them and they started to use profanity ( In English ) at me,they then called me a ''Gypsie'' making hand gestures.... Is this a common thing being called a Gypsie ? cause I am VERY angry about this.

Sorry to go off topic Sergej, and thank you for your time, as always !!

Diana,

Saint George will be your family saint then, thats important to know in case you meet other people with the same surname. You can then identify if you are from the same tree. Yes do ask the priest, he should be able to tell you something. In case there isn't a Serbian Orthodox Church, people can go to the Greek Orthodox Church. The differences are minor but both of them are Orthodox.

Yes calling them would be the best option, just say you need help. It is not uncommon to travell via Italy or Germany to reach the UK in those day's, and since the record keeping was good I expect you will find the info. It may look difficult but take your time.

As for Krajina and Serbs in general. People are people so you will meet a-holes everywhere The area has been hit heavily by the last war so be aware that some people will be helpfull and some others will be complete jerks. Such is live.

As for Kosovo, Kosovo has an Albanian population that doesn't get along well with the Serbian population. Thats why they want independence. Yes so you will run the risk of getting fallout of what happenened(s) there. What can I say, politics. Better to stay away from it.

Something else that you might stumble upon. Some people in SE Europe believe that ones religion changes their ethnic background e.g. Orthodox=Serb and Catholic=Crotian. Just ignore that because thats just baloney, part of some politics as well. Just concentrate on facts and stay clear of the political turmoil.

Let me know what you find out calling immigration and the priest.

Hello Sergej

I have good news and bad news.

I'll explain first of all. 10 years ago I called our local college to see If there were any Serbian translators there,as luck happend, there was,the lady came out to see me and actually got the telephone number of one of my cousins ( at this point I wanted to trace my lost family ) the translator called my cousin and she was very very happy,telling the translator to give me her love etc I decided to call myself the following night,I can only say the basic words In Serbian, such as hello how are you,etc so as you will gather there was not much of a conversation,her husband then appeared on the telephone and sounded very angry and eratic,I did not understand a word he said,but If the tone of his voice had anything to go by, It wasnt very nice,he then abruptly hung up the telephone.I was very saddend by this so I just accepted that I was a part of the family they didnt want to know, so I just left It at that.

As the years have gone by I still found myself feeling this huge void, and I needed to know more about my father,we were very close and Ive never been able to accept his death.I have never really known why I need to know things about my father Sergej,I just know that It Is a ''need'' I feel.

Anyway..

on to the Good news

I have been clearing out some old papers/letters tonight and I came accross my old Diary, I still have my cousins telephone number In there I dont know If they will still have the same number as this was from 10 years ago.

Bad news : I cant speak Serbo, so Im gonna have to learn then I can call her and find out where my father was born !!

I came there to visit with my mother and sister In the late 70's Sergej.My family lived In Sabac and still lived there 10 years ago,although my cousins father Milenko and my Cousin Miodrag had both sadly passed away.There was then Milan who lived In Beograd,and Danica who I think moved away to Germany many years ago. My fathers other Brother Ninko lived In Novi Sad and worked on the railroad,I never went there, but both Milenko and Ninko came here to England to visit us.There was also another Brother ( the elder) named Petronia,and a sister named Nada.I never got to meet Petronia or Nada.I would Imagine my uncle Petronia will have passed by now as he would probably be In his late 80's. I also have a step sister out there somewhere named Ivanka,I did meet her once when she came to England to visit us In the early 70's.I was only a small girl back then.

Oh, and I also called both the Serbian Orthodox Church, and the Greek Orthodox here In England but I could not get through.I was calling them all day yesterday and they both were giving out engaged tones constantly.

Thanks for all the time you've spent replying to me In my time of need Sergej! your wonderful, thank you !!

Quote:

Hello Sergej

I have good news and bad news.

I'll explain first of all. 10 years ago I called our local college to see If there were any Serbian translators there,as luck happend, there was,the lady came out to see me and actually got the telephone number of one of my cousins ( at this point I wanted to trace my lost family ) the translator called my cousin and she was very very happy,telling the translator to give me her love etc I decided to call myself the following night,I can only say the basic words In Serbian, such as hello how are you,etc so as you will gather there was not much of a conversation,her husband then appeared on the telephone and sounded very angry and eratic,I did not understand a word he said,but If the tone of his voice had anything to go by, It wasnt very nice,he then abruptly hung up the telephone.I was very saddend by this so I just accepted that I was a part of the family they didnt want to know, so I just left It at that.

Well could be of many reasons, but lets say her marriage aint that good

Quote:

I have been clearing out some old papers/letters tonight and I came accross my old Diary, I still have my cousins telephone number In there I dont know If they will still have the same number as this was from 10 years ago.

Bad news : I cant speak Serbo, so Im gonna have to learn then I can call her and find out where my father was born !!

You could consider SGS membership, see the FAQ page on that.

Well you have the dates of you uncles, then its easy to find out where you father was born.

Listen, membership is the best option. We help you with the Serbian translations and you stay on top of it yourself. You get a online family tree at the site here and that might help you as well finding other relatives. Either way, you've been in Sabac and writing to the local archives there will give the birth records of your uncle's with all info you need even with info about your ggrandparents.

I'm so glad I found this--my mother was a Vicentic; her father was a pilot in the Yugoslav Air Force in WW II, at least until the Nazis bombed out the airfield. Just before that, he and another pilot flew some people in the goverment out to England...The other pilot stayed, my grandfather returned. Unfortunately, she was too young to remember or care much about any other details at the time, though she had a picture of him. Unfortunately, she lost it and other pictures/personal things in a small crate while moving overseas. Supposedly, there should be another picture somewhere of him and the other pilot after landing. I'm going to London in a month and also hope to ask the Imperial War Museum if they might be able to point me in the right direction--I really want a picture of my late grandfather. Can they or anyone else help me?

Hi Tamara,

I'm not sure that you'll get what you want in London. Belgrade will be better place for that. If your grandfather was a pilot there must be preserved data in Military Museum in Belgrade (www.muzej.mod.gov.yu) or Institute for Military History (www.vii.mod.gov.yu). Unfortunatly both of these websites are in Serbian, not sure if you could have answer in English. Also, finding a picture of person before WWII sounds like a serious research, much more complicated then finding records in archives.

When you solve problem with language (contact Rodoslovlje-SGS for membership, maybe) try to find if photographs of military personel (military pilots) were official documents in those days (honestly, I don't know that). If so, that could be a good lead. Try to gather more informations about your grandfather before you do any travell, date of birth, place etc.

Regards,
Bogdan

HAs anyone heard of the surname FORKAPA? I was told my family is serbian but also told the name is not.

Thank you