BLAHNIK FAMILY TREE
 

BLAHNIK HISTORY

BACKGROUND / ORIGINS

The family of Blahnik seems to originate from South Western Bohemia.  It has been considered the  Austro-Hungarian Empire, Czechoslovakia, but the ancestors considered themselves Bohemian.  Domazlice to  Klatovy (South of Plzen) is the area we find most of the early Blahnik families lived.  It is on the border along the Bohemia Forest.  The families were considered part of the border guard.  The area is also West of the Bohemian - Moravian Highlands. 

More detailed Map

Former kingdom, central Europe. Settled in the 5th cent. AD by the Czechs, it became tributary to Charlemagne's empire. It was part of the kingdom of Moravia in 870; on the dissolution of Moravia, it became a duchy with an important center at Prague. In the 10th cent. it expanded to include parts of Silesia, Slovakia, and Kraków. From the election of Ferdinand I as king in 1526, it remained under Habsburg rule until 1918. Following World War I, Bohemia declared independence along with Moravia and Slovakia. It was invaded by Germany in 1939 on the pretext that much of the population was German. After World War II it became a province of Czechoslovakia (later the Czech Socialist Republic). On the breakup of the E European bloc, it became part of the independent Czech Republic in 1993.

Origin of the Blahnik Family per Ladislav Blahnik

Blahniks are a Slavic people who originated in what is now the Country of Czechoslovakia.  The Blahniks come from the Chodove or Chods.  The Chods were a farming class of people who settled in the boundaries between Bohemia and Bavaria in about 1100 AD.  They were farmers but also responsible for guarding the boundaries between Germany and Bohemia. There were three geographic groups of Chods.  The man using the name Blahnik was Ondra and came from the Western part of Bohemia in a Village called Lipkov.  The name Blahnik is listed as one of the oldest families in the tribe of Chods of Domazlice (Taus).  These farmers were charged with guarding the exit over Klenci to Taus Vseruby Pass, Eisenstein Route to Klatovy.  Due to the importance of this service, they were allowed extra privileges by the King. The Chods of Taus used the hounds for guarding the borders and on their flags they had the emblem of the dog’s head as a sign of faithfulness and watchfulness. 

Dr. Frank Roubik in his voluminous scientific work which is called The History of the Chods from Domazlice (Taus), writes about the name ‘Blahnik’ on the list of the oldest families in the tribe of Chods. This family gave its name to a water mill and a big farm on the creek, Andelka, between the villages of Lhota and Pocinovice. According to the old tax rolls it was a mill with one wheel and a farm of 60 acres, 9 teams of horses, 5 cows, 9 heifers, 16 sheep, and 20 pigs. This place is still called "Blahniky" or "By Blahniks," and is registered on all, even the oldest maps of the country and also on a very old map preserved in the Prague Castle. This farm was later divided into four parts among the children. This is the present condition, but the proprietors have different names. The mill was used until World War II (about 1940) but is not operating anymore. From this place the family of Blahnik spread into the neighboring counties of Klatovy and Domazlice. Some of them were owners of mills on Andelka Creek and Uhlava River. Some of them went to the city of Klatovy, others were farmers near the neighboring villages. In the 19th century and especially the 20th century they emigrated further into the cities of Bohemia. Among the most famous was Adelburt Christian Blahnik for whom a street was named in Prague as you noticed. He was a writer of historical plays. He was an historian who wrote the history of the theatre entitled, The World History of the Theatre and also The Idea And Nature of Theatrical Art and other books. There is one other man living in Prague whose name is Frank Blahnik, a popular accordionist, whose brother, Roman, is a music composer. Donna Blahnik, an actress, also lives in Prague. The Sons of Frank Blahnik played as children in the movies. East of Prague in the city of Sadska about 15 years ago lived a miller named Blahnik. He was the last miller in the family. Before that, there was a miller Blahnik in Dobrikov, ˝ hour (walking) west of Smrzovice. The last one in Dobrikov between the two World Wars sold his mill and bought a farm near Plzen

There are many Blahniks at present in the following cities besides in the counties of Klatovy and Domazlice: Plzen, Prague (Praha), Budweis (now Ceske Budejovice), Koeniggretz (now now Hradec Kralove), Jicin, Kuttenberg (now Hradec Kralove), Nachod, Cerveny Kostelec, Bruenn (now Brno). Moravska Ostrava, and other places. According to professions they are; clerks, teachers, professors, technicians, salesmen, doctors, pharmacist, a general, a Catholic priest, employees in industry, and others. In the meantime, the oldest probable mention of the Blahnik family is in the Latin writing of the Chods from November 15, 1430, in which is registered the Blahnik name.

Blasius Hoden de Pocinovice — It is possible that this is the Latinized name from which the name Blahnik developed. But because there is not exact proof for the above, we started our family chronicle with the year 1482 when in the village of Libkov, about 3 kilometers east of Smrzovice, lived in the free territory of the Chods, a farmer, Ondra Blahnik.  (Ladislav connects the Smrzovice Blahniks to Ondra, but as yet the Algoma Blahniks are not connected. Ladislav believed that all Blahniks descend from Ondra.)
 

AMERICAN BLAHNIKS

There are a number of Blahniks who came to live in America from Bohemia.  Two of the most well known families in NE Wisconsin have come to be known as the Smrzovice Blahniks and the Algoma Blahniks.  Ladislav maintains that all Blahniks are related.  Recent research on the Algoma Blahniks has not yet connected this branch to the Ladislav research going back to the 1400's.  Ladislav's research show that the Blahniks were serfs, free men, owned farms and owned and operated water wheel mills.   In the 1800's many families moved to the United States, particularly the predominantly Bohemian settlements in Kewaunee, Brown and Manitowoc Counties in Wisconsin.   The Upper Peninsula of Michigan also saw Blahnik settlement.  It is not surprising that both branches of this family should reunite in the same area in the new Country of America.  See American Immigrants page for more Blahnik branches

This web is dedicated to the family of Blahnik as well as the research and genealogical work of many people.  Ladislav and Joel Blahnik did the primary work which allows many of us to elaborate on our American immigration and connection to the past.  Ladislav lived from 1906 until at least 1997 and was from Hradec Kralove, Czechoslovakia.  Ladislav had been the Governor of the North-Eastern section of Bohemia prior to WWII.   Under the Communist regime he spent 10 years as a political prisoner.  In his 1966 letter to Joel Blahnik, Ladislav indicated that he had come back from "10 years of involuntary cloister" 6 years ago (assuming 1960).  He did a tremendous amount of research to help us understand the Blahnik roots. 

 Ladislav had five Uncles and Aunts who immigrated to America.  Arthur and Joel Blahnik are Americans descended from these relatives.  Joel, Arthur and Leon traveled many times to Czechoslovakia and did research with Ladislav.  This family refers to itself as the “Blahniks of Smrzovice”.  The bulk of the research is focused on this branch of the family.  Fortunately, Ladislav was very thorough and documented all he could find on the distantly related Blahnik branches though the use of primary sources.  Part of what will be shared in this publication is the research we have available from Ladislav, Joel and Arthur.  Possibly the Algoma Blahniks will find their connection to this tree.  Both of these Blahnik branches settled in the same Bohemian settlements in NE Wisconsin during the 1800’s and many still live in the Counties of Kewaunee, Brown and Manitowoc.

Francis Blahnik is from Manitowoc, Wisconsin and a member of the Algoma Blahnik branch.  He is descended from Mathias (Matje) Blahnik, Sr. and Frances (Franciska) Worachek.  It is he who investigated the details of the Algoma Blahnik's prior to their arrival in America.  He did as much research as he could in the United States and then worked with the Institute of Slavic Studies to uncover church records, permission for the Blahnik family to emigrate to America, cadastral map of the village Starec from the year 1838 (containing Blahnik, George No.17) and Francis had some hand-written gothic scripts translated into modern German, then into English.  He writes,

"I know that there are at least three families of Blahniks that came into Wisconsin shortly after Georg and Kathryn and family. One settled in Green Bay, I think Joel's Dad is a descendant of them.  Another settled in the Kellnersville, Manitowoc County area .  I have found no link to them.  There was another settlement south of Kewaunee on the lakeshore about 1900.  These might be related.  In the 1900 census of Kewaunee County Town of Casco.  Matt Blahnik, son of Matthew listed as boarders Wencle Blahnik, born 1868 immigrated in 1897 from Bohemia, Mary born 1863 in Bohemia and Jacob, born 1897 in Wisconsin.

They might have been relatives who came here and stayed with Matt's family until they could find a  place of their own.  There are grave stones that seem to match them in the Old Pioneers cemetery South of Kewaunee."

Wenzel Blahnik began the collection of Algoma Blahnik data and did a tremendous job.  He even held some family reunions on his farm.  His family tree was the basis for my Blahnik database and has been confirmed via court house records, obituaries and other data.  The tree has been added to by many of the Blahnik descendent who visit this web and contribute their branch for the documentation and preservation of our Czech roots.  Wenzel held family reunions on his farm and bought land for a park that his daughter Evelyn later named the Blahnik Heritage Park.

Translation of Bohemian/Czech first names:          

RESEARCH
A special thanks to all of those who have added information to make this tree possible:

Fellow Blahnik genealogists that have contributed to these pages include:
SMRZOVICE BLAHNIKS:
Ladislav Blahnik, August 30, 1906-now deceased.  Czechoslovakia. Primary Blahnik Researcher
Joel, Arthur and Leon Blahnik traveled to Czech and worked with Ladislav. 
 Joel's web page for the Czech Music Alliance. 
Zdenek Blahnik from Czech has also helped with correcting spelling changes.
Dorothy Janca
Robert Burton Blahnik
Deb Wojan
Joyce Pelnar
Nancy Janda
 

ALGOMA/LOUCIM BLAHNIKS:
Wenzel F. Blahnik Sept 12, 1913-Feb 7, 2001. Primary Algoma Blahnik Researcher of American line.
Francis Leroy Blahnik from Manitowoc, primary Algoma Blahnik researcher for the Bohemian history.
Paul Anthony Blahnik began working with Wenzel in 1985.  He has Wenzel's work and continues to collect information. 
Robert (Bob) Blahnik keeps up with adding obits and other information he finds in newspapers.
Robert John Blahnik from Illinois
Joe Blahnik
Pat Staeven
Eric Hucek
Peggy Blahnik
Lori Dollevoet, editor and coordinator of this web, County Records and internet research.

Other Blahnik researchers include
Gary Tremble for the family of Florence Blahnik Balza
Holly Edgell for Joseph Blahnik Menominee County, MI
Roy Rushka for Frank Blahnik and the Winnipeg, Canada connection
Agnes Hallama for Barbora Blahnik of Winnipeg, Canada
John Kracha for Mathias Blahnik born 1823 in Bohemia, died in Wisconsin, USA
 

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The researcher that Francis Blahnik hired in 2002 was David Kohout Janackovo at Nabrezi 57, Prague 5, Czech Republic, 150 00.  He indicated he could go back further with the George Blahnik/Katharina Blaha lines and his web page is at http://genealogypro.com/dkohout.html and his email david.kohout@quick.cz.  If you get more information we would love to share it.
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If you are looking for research information about the Starz area - Pilsen, Moravia check out this web page:  www.netway.at/ihff/index.htm/ 

From: "Ing. Felix Gundacker" <IHFF@netway.at>
Subject: Re: [GERMAN-BOHEMIAN-L] Starz, District Ganterer, Bohemia
Date: Sun, 15 Aug 1999 09:43:39 +0200

Starz, now Starec, parish KDYNE.
records are in the archives of PLZEN/Pilsen and begin in 1635 and are indexed
since 1718. You can write to the archives; address you will find on my site.

With best regards,
Felix Gundacker
Professional genealogist
IHFF Genealogie Gesellschaft mbH
A-1190 WIEN, Pantzergasse 30/8
AUSTRIA
Tel = 011 43 1 369 97 29
Fax = 011 43 1 369 97 30
email: <IHFF@netway.at>
<http://www.netway.at/ihff/index.htm/>
new books: <http://www.netway.at/ihff/werbe.html>

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