Eligibility question

Eligibility

I am very early in my journey, and am trying to figure out whether my chances are worth investing a lot more time and effort (and eventually money). I'd appreciate your help, but first want to thank the mods and participants in this sub -- you are all so generous in sharing your knowledge and I've already learned so much from you.

I know that cases for pre-1920 emigrants can be complicated, but am wondering if you think I (and my 2 kids) have a shot. My path is through my 2 great-grandparents and my paternal grandfather -- all 3 emigrated to the US in 1884-1888. All 3 were born in (I believe) the Austrian Partition -- Austrian Empire at time of birth and emigration, Poland between the World Wars, and Ukraine today. My grandfather was naturalized via his father's naturalization at age 8, but I believe that Poland has treated passive or non-consensual naturalization as not causing loss of Polish citizenship (?). He lived as a US citizen (ie, voted, registered for draft, etc) but never served in the military and (I believe) never got a US passport or traveled outside the US. Throughout his adult life, he claimed -- or perhaps even believed -- that he was born in the US.

Based on this, I'm hoping that my grandfather became a Polish citizen in 1920 and never lost his citizenship, that my father inherited it at birth via jus sanguinus, and that I (and my daughters) have a claim to having inherited it from him in turn. Here are the details:

Great-Grandparents:

  • Date married: approx 1879 (I have not yet found documentation, but in 1900 US census they reported being married for 21 years)

GGM:

  • Date, place of birth: 1860, Rawa Ruska (I think - don't yet have documentation)
  • Ethnicity and religion: Jewish
  • Occupation: housewife
  • Allegiance and dates of military service: NA Date, destination for emigration: approx 1888, US (brought the children, including my grandfather)
  • Date naturalized: Unknown (not yet naturalized as of 1900 census, so probably not)
  • Date, place of death: 1906, US

GGF:

  • Date, place of birth: 1848, Rawa Ruska (I have the birth registry image)
  • Ethnicity and religion: Jewish
  • Occupation: listed as 'Hatter - sizer' in 1895 NJ census
  • Allegiance and dates of military service: no military service
  • Date, destination for emigration: approx 1884, US (came approx 4 yrs before wife and kids)(all family members listed nationality as 'Austria')
  • Date naturalized: 1892
  • Date, place of death: 1922, US

Grandfather:

  • Sex: M
  • Date, place of birth: 1884, Boryslav (I have the birth registry image)
  • Date, destination for emigration: approx 1888, US
  • Date naturalized: One document (1917 voting registration) says his naturalization was through 'Father's papers'), ie 1892. Papers do not mention children at all, but I believe US law allowed children to be considered naturalized together with father. In all other/later papers I have found (all censuses, draft registration, etc.), he always inaccurately listed his birthplace as New Jersey.
  • Date married: 1915, US
  • Citizenship of spouse: British subject; naturalized in US sometime between 1910 and 1920 censuses (haven't yet found documentation)
  • Occupation: Schoolteacher
  • Allegiance and dates of military service: None
  • Date, place of death: Mar 16, 1951, US

Father:

  • Sex: M
  • Date, place of birth: 1928, US
  • Date married: 1953
  • Date, place of death: 2021, US

Me:

  • Sex: M
  • Date, place of birth: 1960, US

** My kids**

  • Sex: F / F
  • Date, place of birth: 1992 / 1996, US

Any insight you can offer would be hugely appreciated!

Posted Dec 1, 2025, 3:03 AM UTC

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