RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => Europe => Topic started by: SydneyAuss on Saturday 08 June 13 13:39 BST (UK)
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Hi everyone,
No idea if people would know of or who could suggest trustworthy and diligent researchers for the Ottoman archives in Istanbul. I know of the pages of the exact volume numbers that I am after, and require a high quality digital copy/scan of those relevant pages from the Population books (Nufus Defteri). However, I was wondering if anyone has prior research experience, or has hired researchers in the Ottoman archives in Istanbul/and any suggestions regarding hiring a researcher in Istanbul?
Kind Regards,
Anthony
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Good luck with that Anthony! Looks to be a tricky one.
If you know the relevant pages etc which you would like copies of, presumably you got these from a database of some sort. If you can find who holds the relevant documents, (library, archives etc), wouldn't you be best off contacting them directly?
Many libraries will do a search and charge per half hour, some will charge a nominal amount to search and copy records, and some will actually do lookups and post copies at no cost at all.
If you tell them you are in Australia I find they usually feel sorry for you and will often do free searches. (I am only referring to UK here rather than Europe)
Good luck :)
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Very true,
Unfortunately the language barrier is a big issue. The last time I asked I was told to visit the archives (that is after telling them I lived in Australia)!
Yeap those references have come from databases and previous searches, so I know the folio and place names.
Here's hoping!
Thanks,
Ant
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Still may be worth another try - you might get someone who speaks English this time. :)
How frustrating that you know exactly what you want and where it is, but just need to find a way to get hold of it. Maybe you will have to visit the archives in person. Istanbul is supposed to be a great place to visit.
Can I ask what exactly it is you have found? Are population books similar to a census or electoral roll? Were your ancestors natives of Istanbul, or residents?
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Yeap it may be worth another try. I'd love to visit Istanbul one day, but work doesn't permit at present.
The Nufus Defteri (Population Records) essentially are listings of the males of a community and their sons, giving descriptions about them e.g. nicknames, dates of birth or ages at time of the population census and other remarks including dates of death, or whether an individual moved to another community. Women weren't recorded until much later in the 1880s or 1890s if I'm not mistaken.
There are also Temettuat Defteri, essentially tax records of the males of a community, and also Cizye records (a tax on the Christian male subjects of the Ottoman empire). They were taken to determine taxes due, and served as an informal register of the males of a community.
My ancestors were Greek Cypriots from Cyprus, and as you would be aware the Ottoman Empire controlled Cyprus from 1571-1878, so there are records pertaining to communities that are invaluable to both Greek and Turkish Cypriot researchers, which are held in the Ottoman archives in Turkey.
Regards,
Anthony
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I wouldn't try asking them to do anything just at the moment though - might be better to let things over there settle down a bit first. They won't really be in the right frame of mind to be doing people favours!
Milly
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Thanks for the explanation Anthony. They sound like very valuable records. the reason I asked was because if the family were English for example, but living in Istanbul, there may have been records of the family to be found elsewhere as well. I have basically only been able to research half of my tree due to language and other barriers, so I understand your frustration.
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Anthony, try contacting the Turkish embassy here in Australia. They might be able to get you past the language barrier. You never know, they might be able to pull some strings for you as well.
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Yeap definitely a great suggestion - I totally forgot about the embassy! :) :)
Thanks,
Ant
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Keep us posted on how you get on with this. I love the more unusual research avenues. :)
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Yeap it may be worth another try. I'd love to visit Istanbul one day, but work doesn't permit at present.
The Nufus Defteri (Population Records) essentially are listings of the males of a community and their sons, giving descriptions about them e.g. nicknames, dates of birth or ages at time of the population census and other remarks including dates of death, or whether an individual moved to another community. Women weren't recorded until much later in the 1880s or 1890s if I'm not mistaken.
There are also Temettuat Defteri, essentially tax records of the males of a community, and also Cizye records (a tax on the Christian male subjects of the Ottoman empire). They were taken to determine taxes due, and served as an informal register of the males of a community.
My ancestors were Greek Cypriots from Cyprus, and as you would be aware the Ottoman Empire controlled Cyprus from 1571-1878, so there are records pertaining to communities that are invaluable to both Greek and Turkish Cypriot researchers, which are held in the Ottoman archives in Turkey.
Regards,
Anthony
Wouldn't the Greek Orthodox Church in Kibris have your family's records? An uncle traced the Zacharie's back to 1796 through the Roman Catholic church on the Island of Chios. That was before they moved Stee Nepolis (to The City)...Istee Nepolis...Istanbul.
One refers to their identity card as a Nufus, though the word on its own really means 'People'.
And yes, you will need very much time to see The City as it was always known. But do try and extend any visit down to Oraia Smyrna also known to the Turks as Guzel Izmir - Beautiful Izmir. Then take a trip down to Efes where so much of the ruins have been restored.
If anyone's family did move to Istanbul or Izmir then this website is very helpful -http://www.levantineheritage.com/ Click on 'recollections' to get various Family Histories.
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Hi Malcolm33,
The Greek Orthodox Church in Cyprus does have some records but most of these records are recent from the 1910s/1920s onwards. Many of their older collections no longer exist. Hence why the Turkish research option focusing from the mid 1850s back will be invaluable for the local community.
I would love to visit Istanbul one day, however I am extremely busy with work her in Australia if I get the chance I will visit those areas you speak of. I'll have to check out that website too!
Regards,
Anthony
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Hi,
I have ancestors that lived in Istanbul in the 1870s (they were English and later returned to England). I am very interested to know more about these Nufus Defteri (Population Records). Are there indexes or similar for them? I suppose they are in the Ottoman Archives?
Thanks
Regards
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Hi everyone,
No idea if people would know of or who could suggest trustworthy and diligent researchers for the Ottoman archives in Istanbul. I know of the pages of the exact volume numbers that I am after, and require a high quality digital copy/scan of those relevant pages from the Population books (Nufus Defteri). However, I was wondering if anyone has prior research experience, or has hired researchers in the Ottoman archives in Istanbul/and any suggestions regarding hiring a researcher in Istanbul?
Kind Regards,
Anthony
Hello Anthony,
Ottoman archives are kind of hard to understand. Currently, quarantine limits our reach a lot. But I can try to help you. Deciphering the hand written arabic alphabet is maddening, and then you have to decipher the Ottoman language since Turkish is way too moders and simple now.
I do not want to upset you with this information, but history research in Turkey is a great struggle even to our own citizens.
I live in Istanbul. Just inform me a little and let me check if I can reach anything. It might take time but may give results too.
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Not to hijack your post, Anthony, but I've been trying to research this same question! I've been hoping to access Nufus registers for Filiates, which was in Filiates Kaza, Sanjak of Yanya (Ioannina), Vilayet of Yanya (Ioannina). Do tell if you've found a successful strategy!
Hi everyone,
No idea if people would know of or who could suggest trustworthy and diligent researchers for the Ottoman archives in Istanbul. I know of the pages of the exact volume numbers that I am after, and require a high quality digital copy/scan of those relevant pages from the Population books (Nufus Defteri). However, I was wondering if anyone has prior research experience, or has hired researchers in the Ottoman archives in Istanbul/and any suggestions regarding hiring a researcher in Istanbul?
Kind Regards,
Anthony
Hello Anthony,
Ottoman archives are kind of hard to understand. Currently, quarantine limits our reach a lot. But I can try to help you. Deciphering the hand written arabic alphabet is maddening, and then you have to decipher the Ottoman language since Turkish is way too moders and simple now.
I do not want to upset you with this information, but history research in Turkey is a great struggle even to our own citizens.
I live in Istanbul. Just inform me a little and let me check if I can reach anything. It might take time but may give results too.
May I ask, how difficult would it be to verify that Nufus registers even exist in the Ottoman Archives? I believe there is a Salname for Filiates but I'm not sure if a Nufus register exists.