Of Interest to Genealogists...

The surnames you'll find on this web site were compiled from the indexes of baptismal records at the Sweetest Heart of Mary (1886-1902). These indexes, as well as the baptismal records themselves, are on microfilm and available for viewing at The Burton Collection, in the Detroit Public Library. The Archdiocese of Detroit has kindly made these films available to the public and has graciously allowed for the inclusion of the surnames on this web site. I believe they also have some of these records on file at their archive office.

The webmaster of this web site cannot do look-ups for you.

If you have found your ancestor's name listed on this web site and you want more information about them (or you've found a name that is close and you want to investigate further), your options are: 1) Make a trip to the Main Branch of the Detroit Public Library's Burton Collection and look up the records on microfilm. 2) Hire a genealogy researcher to do the look-up for you (list of persons available to do this is on the Burton Collection web site). 3) Write to the Archdiocese of Detroit (contact information is available on their web site). (But be aware that you will likely have to wait several weeks to even months for a response.)

Not all of the early members of the Sweetest Heart of Mary parish will be on these surname lists. Only those families who had a child baptized would appear, and then only the child's/father's surname would appear. Perhaps at a later time, I will be able to include the names of those who were married at the Sweetest Heart of Mary during this time period. But for now only names on baptismal records are included.

There are over 1600 surnames included in the indexes from 1886-1902. I have included them as I found them. By that I mean if a surname was spelled LIPA on one child's baptismal record and then spelled LIPPA on a sibling's baptismal record, I've included both spellings in the surname list. If you are new to genealogy, you should know that Polish surnames not only have multiple spellings in Poland (i.e. LISOWSKI for a boy, LISOWSKA for a girl), but they were often spelled phonetically here in the US (i.e. LIPA, LIPPA, LIPPAH, LIPOW, LEEPA, LEAPA, etc.) Sometimes there were endings added to "root" surnames (i.e. LIPA>LIPONSKA or MIZERA>MIZERZANKA), which can add even more fun to your research!

So how can you possibly use these names in your own research? If you can trace your Polish ancestors to the Detroit area in the late 1800s or even the early 1900s, you should take a serious look at these surnames. If you find a name that could well be that of your ancestor, check it out. If you don't live in the metro-Detroit area, and are unable to get to the Burton Collection, you can contact the Archdiocese of Detroit or the rectory at Sweetest Heart of Mary. Tell them what surname you are researching and that you've found a likely match in the Sweetest Heart of Mary baptismal records. Give them all the details that you have (i.e. name, birth date, name of spouse or children, and approximate date of immigration). There is no set fee for record look-ups, but your patience and a financial donation would be greatly appreciated!

For more information and tips on researching your Polish roots in Detroit, visit a site dedicated to that topic PolishAncestry.com (not affiliated with Ancestry.com).

Good Luck!