Researcher for the Ottoman Archives

[pinefamily]

Keep us posted on how you get on with this. I love the more unusual research avenues. 

[Malcolm33]

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.

[SydneyAuss]

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

[dearman]

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

[LadyBlack]

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.

[corbettjj]

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.