so i know a lot of info on my ancestors (with the surname Dyckhoff, like mine)...i know it originally comes from Holland, but i only have info that goes from the time that they moved to England, which was in the 1400's or 1500's...i am now looking for some info on my grandfather's grandmother...she is a Romani Gypsy and i find stories that my grandfather told me about her very intreguing...the only problem is, he does not know her first name - only her last name - which is Lukas. is there any way i can track down gypsys? lol

have you tried looking through British search engines? I think I have some bookmarked, I can check later today. I've heard that gypsies moved *a LOT* so it may be one of those difficult lines to trace further. I'd say if you ever get a chance to visit Europe for a month, that'd be the best thing possible :D
Maybe google terms like "lukas poland" or "lukas romania" or something like that, the last name with the general area where gypsies tended to frequent or live. Maybe "romeny gypsy" too and see where that leads if anywhere. Someone somewhere has to know something, right?

Just throwing those out there, I can' get further back than 1650-ish on either side of my family! You've got a great jump on it already!

julia, ty for the tips! :) some great ideas!
i just love finding this stuff out. :D

I believe the correct word is "romani" :)

I believe the correct word is "romani" :)

Yah, and spelled more often as "Romany". :p

Its not going to be easy as the culture is nomadic and not one of written documents. Is she Romnichal (the Romani group in the UK) or another branch of the folk? Really the only extensive series of documents detailing individuals are those drawn up by the Nazis as part of the Porajmos/Holocaust. You might want to start somewhere like Rroma.org, Studii Romani, or the Gypsy Lore Society. If you can flesh out your details in any way it'd be helpful

great tips and i will change my spelling haha...

Mine are from the Romanian gypsies, my brother thinks, but since it's such a shameful thing to be, we didn't bother looking it up. Good luck in your search!!

Hmm.. In my genealogy search in Finland romani gypsies also come up... I'm not sure where you'll end up - they seem to be everywhere.

Sorry I'm of no more help!