About me
MrSc. Juraj Drobka
I’m Juraj Drobka, founder of Slovakia Roots, genealogist, and author specializing exclusively in Slovak ancestry research for Americans.
For more than 12 years, I’ve helped people of Slovak descent move from vague family stories to documented ancestors, exact villages, and original church records. My work focuses on one thing: turning confusion about Slovak genealogy into a clear, repeatable research process.
If your ancestors came from “Slovakia,” “Austria-Hungary,” or a place that no longer exists on modern maps, you’re in the right place.
A decade of expertise
Focus on Slovak genealogy
Why Slovak Genealogy Is Hard
Slovak genealogy is not beginner-friendly. Slovakia Roots exists because generic genealogy advice does not work.
Places changed names
Most Slovak records were created under the Kingdom of Hungary and tied to historical village names. Many of these names changed multiple times, making modern maps useless.
Records are not in English
Parish and civil records are usually written in Latin, Hungarian, or German. Without understanding these languages, names, dates, and relationships are easy to misinterpret.
Church records, not civil records
Before modern civil registration, most Slovak births, marriages, and deaths were recorded by churches. Knowing the correct parish is often more important than knowing the town.
Surnames changed spelling
Slovak surnames were often altered by priests, clerks, or immigration officials. One family can appear under several spellings across different records and countries.
Borders and countries shifted
Slovakia did not exist as an independent country for most historical records. Ancestors may be listed as Hungarian, Austrian, or Czechoslovak – depending on the year.
DNA is not enough
DNA testing can suggest connections, but without Slovak records it rarely identifies an exact village or lineage. Documents are still essential.
What Clients Say About Us
My Method
How I Approach Slovak Ancestry Research
I don’t guess. I work with evidence. My approach follows a clear system:
- Anchor the immigrant ancestor in U.S. records
- Identify the correct ancestral village (not just a region or country)
- Navigate parish and civil records in historical context
- Resolve surname variants across languages and time periods
- Use DNA only where it adds value, not as a shortcut
This same methodology is built into my ebooks, so you can apply it yourself.
What You’ll Find on SlovakiaRoots.com
This site is a practical resource hub, not a personal blog. Here you’ll find:
- Step-by-step ebooks focused on Slovak genealogy
- Clear explanations of church and civil records
- Guides to historical village names and regions
- Context on Slovak immigration to the United States
- Tools and frameworks you can reuse in your own research
Everything is written for English-speaking Americans, with no prior knowledge of Slovak history required.
Who This Site Is For — and Who It’s Not
This site is for you if:
- You have Slovak or Upper Hungarian ancestors
- You want to understand records, not just copy trees
- You’re willing to work methodically
- You want reliable results, not guesses
This site is not for you if:
- You expect someone else to “do it all” for free
- You rely only on DNA matches without documents
- You’re researching non-Central European ancestry
Clarity saves time—for both of us.
Credentials & Background
- 12+ years of focused genealogical research
- Hundreds of families assisted worldwide
- Local knowledge as a person born and living in Slovakia
- Fluent in Slovak, Czech, Polish, English, Hungarian and German — the languages your records are actually written in
- Based in Nitra, Slovakia, close to regional archives and sources
No inflated claims. Just experience.
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Research Ethics & Transparency
Genealogy has limits. I’m clear about them.
- No guaranteed results
- All conclusions are evidence-based
- Sources matter more than stories
- Privacy and data responsibility are respected
This protects your research—and my reputation.
