Researcher for the Ottoman Archives

[SydneyAuss]

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

[Ruskie]

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 

[SydneyAuss]

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

[Ruskie]

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?

[SydneyAuss]

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

[millymcb]

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

[Ruskie]

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.

[pinefamily]

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.

[SydneyAuss]

Yeap definitely a great suggestion - I totally forgot about the embassy! 

Thanks,

Ant