This exchange introduced one of the most important external perspectives to the MyCousins project. Zlatica Beca, writing from Ohio with direct roots in eastern Slovakia, brought decades of experience researching Slovak genealogy, language, and naming conventions. Her correspondence immediately reframed the Elcik surname mystery within its correct historical, linguistic, and regional context.
At a Glance
- First Contact: February 5, 2021
- Primary Surname: Ilcik / Iľčík
- Medium: Email
- Role in Project: Linguistic and regional expert; Slovak genealogy guide
Correspondence Log
Contact #1 — February 5, 2021, 9:02 AM — Email
Zlatica:
Good morning John,
Right from the start, I’m in Ohio, a female born under Czechoslovakia’s flag in eastern Slovakia, further east of Parchovany in Vinné. I have been going on the boards for almost 20 years. I love to pass on the research sites and information that I know and have gathered through the years. Very pleased to help and to hear that you have been able to go that far. Awesome. Genealogy is never-ending.
Contact #2 — February 5, 2021, 1:50 PM — Email
Zlatica:
Ahoj bratranec,
When my email was set up, it was set up under my husband’s first name, Vladimir. Beca is his surname. He has his own email. Neither of us goes into each other’s accounts.
I still have siblings and distant relatives in Vinné. My husband had a brother and a sister, but both passed away, so only nieces and nephews.
I’m not on Facebook or any social media—only email. Congratulations on the e-book. Exciting.
Zlatica:
I went on the Slovakia Ancestry board and saw that you have a query there. I like that you also included the Slovak spelling of the surname. Keep in mind that if the priest was not of Magyar ancestry, he most likely was not sure how to put a Slavic/Slovak surname into proper Magyar spelling. You might see ILYCSIK (Iľčík), or also ILCSIK or ILCZIK.
Zlatica:
In Magyar, LY would represent the Ľ sound in Slovak. In Vranov, we find both spellings—Iľčík and Ilčík—but they have different pronunciation unless the spelling is wrong in the phone book.
Zlatica:
My father was born in 1920, and his birth record does not appear in FamilySearch due to privacy laws. It is possible that if a record on a film roll falls under privacy law, the entire roll is restricted. If Pal Ilysik (Pavol Ilcik) and Janos Ilscik (Jan Ilcik) were from the same location—Parchovany—then a relationship is possible. It cannot be ILSCIK but ILCSIK under Magyar grammar, though ILSZIK is also possible.
Why This Contact Mattered
Zlatica’s guidance grounded the Elcik surname investigation in linguistic reality rather than conjecture. By explaining Slovak–Magyar transliteration, parish record practices, and regional nuances, she transformed a frustrating naming problem into a solvable historical puzzle and provided a credible path forward into European records.