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Genealogy Search for Tomasz Hnat (1913–1987) of Babice, Poland

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Background and Known Information

Tomasz Hnat was born in 1913 (reportedly 20 Dec 1913) and died in 1987 (10 Sep 1987). He is believed to have lived in or near Babice in Poland. His wife’s name was Stanisława, and they had a son Tadeusz Hnat, born circa 1940 and died in 1991 (dates approximate). The family’s exact religious affiliation and region are not confirmed, but evidence strongly points to Babice in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship (Podkarpackie) – specifically Babice in Gmina Krzywcza, Przemyśl County – given local historical references. (Note: There are multiple Babice in Poland; however, the Babice west of Krzywcza near Przemyśl matches the family context).

Contextual clues: According to local WWII memoirs, Tomasz Hnat of Babice served in the Polish military during World War II (the “Lenino to Berlin” campaign) and returned home in 1944 with a leg injury. A granddaughter’s account confirms his birth and death dates. This same source places the family in Babice, as the storyteller (Teresa Pilch) is identified as Tomasz’s granddaughter living in Babice.

Stanisława (his spouse) and Tadeusz (his son) are not mentioned by name in known publications, but are known from family sources. It’s possible that Tadeusz Hnat was born around 1940 (perhaps just before or during WWII) and died in 1991, likely also in the Babice area.

Given the time frame, Tomasz’s life spanned dramatic changes in Poland’s borders and record-keeping systems: born in the Austrian Partition (Galicia) in 1913, living through the Second Polish Republic, WWII occupations, and post-1945 communist Poland. This means genealogical records may be in different archives (Austrian-era church registers, Polish civil records, etc.), and the family’s religion (Roman Catholic vs Greek Catholic) will determine which church books to search. The surname Hnat is of Eastern Polish/Ukrainian origin; in some records it may appear as “Gnat” (a common spelling variant in Polish documents), so both should be considered during research.

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Initial Findings and Leads

Local WWII Memoir (2015) – Babice
Confirms Tomasz Hnat’s birth date (20 Dec 1913) and death (10 Sep 1987). Describes his WWII service and return to Babice. Indicates he had a family in Babice during the war (which fits having a wife Stanisława and young son Tadeusz at home).
Source: [1] (https://www.krzywcza.eu/index.php/wspomnienia-z-okresy-ii-wojny-wiatowej)

WWI Austro-Hungarian Casualty List (1916) – Babice
Lists a Józef Hnat, born 1874 in Babice, missing in action in 1916. This could be Tomasz’s father or an uncle from Babice.
Source: [2] (https://www.krzywcza.eu/index.php/lista-ofiar-w-i-wojnie-swiatowej-krzywcza-wola-krzywiecka)

Babice Roman Catholic Parish Registers
Held at the Archiwum Archidiecezjalne w Przemyślu, records from 1826–1909. Tomasz’s birth falls outside this range, but parents’ marriage or older siblings’ baptisms may be found.
Source: [3] (https://moremaiorum.pl/kopie-ksiag-metrykalnych-w-archiwum-archidiecezjalny-w-przemyslu-lista/)

Babice Greek Catholic Parish Registers
Held at the State Archive in Przemyśl (collection No. 83271). Books include births (1842–1913), marriages (1842–1912), and deaths (to 1912).
Source: [4] (https://geneteka.genealodzy.pl/index.php/plany.php?lang=eng)

Civil Registration – Krzywcza Gmina
For events after 1918. Marriage and death records may be available from the State Archive or local USC.
Source: [5] (https://geneteka.genealodzy.pl/plany.php)

Cemetery and Burial Records
Local sources (parish, municipality). Krzywcza cultural site has some obituaries, but not going back to 1987/1991.
Source: [6] (https://www.krzywcza.eu/index.php/zmarli)

Military Records (WWII)
Records may be held at Central Military Archives (CAW), Warsaw. Requires inquiry.
Source: [7] (https://www.apokryfruski.org/kultura/nadsanie/babice/)

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Strategies for Further Investigation

  1. Church Records Research:
    Given the uncertainty of religion, search both Roman Catholic and Greek Catholic parish registers for Babice and neighboring parishes. Start with the Archdiocesan Archive in Przemyśl for Roman Catholic records (they have Baptisms/Marriages/Deaths up to 1909) [10] (https://moremaiorum.pl/kopie-ksiag-metrykalnych-w-archiwum-archidiecezjalny-w-przemyslu-lista/). Although Tomasz’s 1913 birth is just beyond their listed range, it’s possible they have unindexed later records or the parish can provide it. Write to the archive or parish priest at Babice requesting a lookup for Tomasz Hnat, born 1913. Provide his exact birth date (20 Dec 1913) to facilitate a search [11] (https://geneteka.genealodzy.pl/index.php/plany.php). Similarly, inquire if the marriage of Tomasz and Stanisława (likely late 1930s) is recorded in parish books – many parishes continued to record marriages even during civil registration era.

For Greek Catholic records (in case the family was of that rite historically), use the State Archive in Przemyśl (AP Przemyśl). Their collection #83271 contains Babice Greek Catholic registers [6] (https://geneteka.genealodzy.pl/index.php/plany.php?lang=eng). If you have access to FamilySearch, you can search their Catalog for “Babice, Przemyśl” – the Greek Catholic parish images (1842–1913) appear to be digitized (FamilySearch film/collection corresponding to cat. no. 833899). Browsing 1913 birth entries for a “Tomasz Hnat” or any Hnat around December 1913 might yield his baptism (parents’ names and residence will be listed). Also look at 1940 baptisms for Tadeusz Hnat if available (though post-1918 GC records might not be filmed – those could still be at the parish or moved due to post-WWII displacements).

Tip: Surname spelling – check under Hnat and Gnat. In Polish parish registers, the name might be spelled with a G (as seen in a 1945 MO report about a “Jan Gnat” in Babice [12] ([https://www.apokryfruski.org/kultura/nadsanie/babice/)), who was Greek Catholic). Also consider phonetic variants like “Hnatt” or “Ignat” (less likely, but if Latinized, Hnat might be recorded as Ignatius in some Latin church entries).

  1. Civil Records and Archives:
    For events in the 1930s–1990s, civil registration is key. FamilySearch has indexed some Polish civil records, but mainly older ones; for targeted searches: use the Poland collections on FamilySearch (e.g. “Poland, Przemyśl Province Civil Registers” if available) or databases like Geneteka. The Polish Genealogical Society’s Geneteka online index is worth a try – it allows searching by surname and will check many indexed parishes/civil registers. Currently, Babice/Krzywcza records are not fully indexed there, but surnames like Hnat do appear in neighboring counties. For example, a search revealed Hnat entries in Sanok area records on Geneteka [13] (https://geneteka.genealodzy.pl/index.php?rid=9332&w=21uk&op=gt&lang=pol), and an Ancestry.com tree shows a Stanisława Hnat from Bukowsko (Sanok) born 1916 – not directly related, but evidence the surname is around that region [14] (https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/stanis%C5%82awa-hnat-24-gf90t1).

When using Geneteka or other indexes: try “Hnat” and “Gnat” in Podkarpackie (Subcarpathian) region and also Lwów/Tarnopol regions (in case the family was once across the pre-1945 border).

State Archive Inquiry: Contact Archiwum Państwowe w Przemyślu for USC Krzywcza records. Specifically ask for “księga małżeństw 1938 (lub lata 1935–1940) dla USC Krzywcza – ślub Tomasza Hnat i Stanisławy [Nazwisko?]” and provide approximate date. Also ask about birth 1940 (Tadeusz Hnat) if they have wartime transcripts (they might refer you to the parish if not). Since Tadeusz died in 1991, also note that in your query – while his death record is still at USC, the archive might hold an index of deaths up to 1991 if the books were transferred (some gminas periodically send older books to archives).

Access considerations: Poland’s privacy laws mean births <100 years, marriages <80, deaths <80 are protected. As of 2025, a 1940 birth will become public in 2040 (100 yrs), a 1938 marriage is already over 80 years (should be accessible now in archives), a 1987/1991 death is too recent for public archive but next-of-kin can request from USC. When writing to offices, clarify your relationship or genealogical intent. Often, archives will provide extracts or scans for older records for a fee. USC offices require proof of direct kinship for recent records.

  1. Cemetery and Local Inquiries:
    If visiting Poland or via local contacts, go to Babice’s parish church (St. Michael Archangel – if that’s the local parish). Speak to the priest or church office about any death/burial registers. Churches often record burials in a death book or keep a cemetery list. Since Tomasz died in 1987, there should be a church funeral record even if civilly recorded at USC. The parish might still have the entry with date of burial and possibly mention of age or survivors. The same for Tadeusz in 1991.

Additionally, walk the parish cemetery in Babice – look for Hnat graves. If the stones are intact, they may have exact dates. (Bring the Polish spelling: “Hnat” – it’s likely spelled the same). In small villages, sometimes generations are buried in the same grave; you might find Stanisława Hnat’s resting place too, if she passed away there.

If Babice has no cemetery, the burials might be in Krzywcza or another nearby larger parish. The Krzywcza gmina website’s “Zmarli” section shows they do document notable deaths; while those start in the 2010s, it hints that local authorities keep track of cemetery matters [6] (https://www.krzywcza.eu/index.php/zmarli). You could contact the Urząd Gminy Krzywcza for guidance on who manages Babice’s cemetery. Also consider posting on Polish genealogy forums or local Facebook groups (many villages have history groups) asking if anyone knew the Hnat family or has photos of graves.

  1. Military and Historical Records:
    Since Tomasz served in WWII, another angle is his military record. The Central Military Archives (CAW) in Warsaw holds records of soldiers of the Polish Armed Forces. Provide them his birth date and any known service details (“1 Dywizja Piechoty? Battle of Lenino”) to locate his service card. They may have enlistment data or veteran status info (in the 1970s–80s, many WWII veterans were awarded medals; check if Tomasz received any honors that might be listed in official gazettes). Also, because Babice was in a conflict area, local history books might mention the Hnat family.

For instance, the Babice WWII memoirs (part 2) note a “pan Tadeusz Hnat” who owned a house used as a school during the war – this appears to refer to an older Tadeusz Hnat in the village (perhaps a relative from an earlier generation) [15] (https://www.krzywcza.eu/index.php/wspomnienia-z-okresu-ii-wojny-wiatowej-cz). Such anecdotes show the Hnat surname in Babice’s community history. It’s worthwhile to check regional publications or memoirs: e.g. “Krzywcza – Trzy Kultury” site, local monographs, or ask the Podkarpackie library archives if there is a village history book (“Monografia Babic” or similar). These often contain lists of residents or war survivors that might include Tomasz or family members.

  1. Online Genealogy Platforms:
    While primary records are crucial, also leverage crowd-sourced family trees:
  • FamilySearch Family Tree: Search for “Tomasz Hnat 1913–1987” – even if you didn’t find it via web search, try directly on FamilySearch (it’s free with registration). It’s possible a distant relative (like the descendants who wrote the memoir) entered some genealogy.
  • Ancestry or MyHeritage: Similarly, a search for trees or records on paid sites can be useful.
  • Geneanet: A quick search on Geneanet for “Hnat Babice” may reveal user-contributed info.
  • YourRoots Map/Tools: The YourRoots site you mentioned is more of a guide to resources than a database itself. It suggests focusing on FamilySearch, PRADZIAD, and Szukaj w Archiwach [16] (https://yourroots.com/search-record/country/poland).
  1. Name Variants and Regional Variants:
    As noted, Hnat vs Gnat is the main spelling consideration. In some cases, the family name might even be recorded as “Hnatowicz” or “Hnatiuk” if Slavic patronymic forms were used, but in Babice records we specifically see Hnat/Gnat. Also remember Stanisława’s maiden name is unknown – finding Tomasz and Stanisława’s marriage record will reveal her surname, opening another line of research (her family). Tadeusz’s records (baptism or death certificate) might also list his mother’s maiden name.
  2. Regional Genealogical Societies:
    The region has active genealogists. The Polish Genealogical Society (PTG) runs the Geneteka index and also a forum at genealodzy.pl. Posting a query there (in Polish or English) under the Podkarpackie section might connect you with someone who has indexed Babice records or has local knowledge. There is also a Podkarpackie Genealogical Society (Towarzystwo Genealogiczne w Rzeszowie) – they might have resources or contacts at local archives. Given Babice’s mixed Polish/Ukrainian heritage, consider the Galicia Jewish or Ukrainian genealogy groups if you suspect any link (for example, “Galicia Family History Group” or soc.genealogy.poland mailing lists).

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Relevant Resources and Links

Lastly, remain flexible about spellings and locations. If for some reason Babice (Przemyśl) does not yield results, consider neighboring parishes (Krzywcza, Bachów, Dubiecko) in case the family moved or records were kept there. But given the strong evidence tying the Hnats to Babice, focusing on Babice’s church and civil records will likely be fruitful.

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Sources

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