Many of these have not survived, but some are available in the relevant municipal archives or on microfilm through the Family History Library. Once you've used a variety of genealogy records to trace your family back to the original German ancestor, the next step is to find the name of the specific town, village or city in Germany where your immigrant ancestor lived. The title is: Ostpreussen in 1440 Bildern. Once you take your research prior to 1871, you may also be dealing with records from some of the original German states. However, even knowing the province your immigrant ancestor came from is usually not enough information to begin researching in German record collections. If the person emigrated before unification in 1871, as most of them did, the location of the town probably won't be given as "Germany," but as the state or principality that was later made part of Germany. How much of German blood can I honestly proclaim? To use them, though, you need to have a pretty good idea of when the event occurred. (see below). Burial lots here are leased for a specific number of years and if the lease isn't renewed, someone else can be, and usually is, buried there. Regularcensuseshave been conducted in Germany on a countrywide basis since 1871. 2005- 2022 eirenicon llc. (DAGV) Now the surname MILLER, and I assume it has been modified, makes sense.

Most of East Prussia (Ostpreussen) and Silesia (Schlesien) and part of Pomerania (Pommern) are now in Poland. What was left was then divided into East Germany and West Germany, a division that lasted until 1990. Should you wish to learn more about Prussia and its history, ManyRoads offers extensive texts as well as maps on Historical Germany and Europe. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Many Germany parish registers have been microfilmed by the LDS church and are available through the Family History Library or your localfamily history center. (Gro Kleeberg, Kreis Allenstein) Henry is listed as being from Wuertemberg and his wife Christina is listed as being from Hesse Darmstadt. She teaches at the Genealogical Institute of Pittsburgh and the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. We also love sharing our genealogy tips with our readers. Since Germany has no central repository for civil records of birth, marriage,and death, these records may be found in various locations including the local civil registrar's office, government archives, and on microfilm through the Family History Library. all rights reserved. (All vestages of German government and control were removed following WW2. Some census returns were also destroyed by bombing during World War II. (2021, February 16). In the United States, many German immigrants were listed on various federal censuses and other documents generically as being from Germany. States and cities also maintain archives and these, like the National Archives, usually allow visitors to look at their documents. I know that an ancestor born in Germany isnt necessarily German, because it is a blood thing, and some born someplace else like Russia may have German blood. To view this content, you need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. http://www.deutsche-kaiserreich.de/ Now, spurred in no small way by the cyberage, it has become a hobby for more ordinary people. http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp Parish registers are books maintained by church or parish offices to record baptisms, confirmations, marriages, burials and other church events and activities, and are a major source of family history information in Germany. Americans of German descent now residing in the homeland of their ancestors have an unparalleled opportunity to trace their roots to a certain town and perhaps meet with some distant relatives of the same name. http://www.heimat-bote.net(Kreis Samland, formerly west of Knigsberg) You must, as a starter, have this person's name.

There were many of these between the final demise of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 and the establishment of the German Reich by Bismarck in 1871. For more information on researching your German ancestors in census records, see our previous blog post, A New Development for German Census Records. It is becoming increasingly possible to go to one of the centers and access a file electronically even if it is located elsewhere. Its pretty common to see ancient UFOs over Germany and Switzerland in the 1500s where at St Nicholas church in switzerland formorly Germany, a spaceship was recorded sitting above the church an entire day. My great-grandmother Erika was German. Lower SaxonyDuchy of Braunschweig, Kingdom/Prussian, Province of Hannover, Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, Principality of Schaumburg-Lippe. If the parish is no longer in existence, the parish registers may be found in the office of the parish which took over for that area. If your German ancestor immigrated to America after 1892, you can probably find this information on the passenger arrival record for the ship on which they sailed to America. This is an English-German multi-lingual list. Ive encountered the same kind of data Surname MILLER and supposedly from in 1832 in France. Professional genealogists and family history researchers for hire, January 22, 2018 by Legacy Tree Genealogists 8 Comments. BrandenburgThe western portion of the Prussian Province of Brandenburg. Some may be found among the records of the six countries which have received portions of former Germany territory (Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Poland, and the USSR). Let us say you now have the vital data on your ancestor. Research into your German ancestors will have to start in the States. https://www.thoughtco.com/researching-german-ancestors-1421983 (accessed July 21, 2022). Genealogical research once was mainly the province of snobbish bluebloods seeking to connect their families to the nobility or the Mayflower. If the place appears to no longer exist, turn to historic German maps and finding aids to learn where the place used to be, and in which country, region or state the records may now exist. Checking records for the current spelling of the family name will often present problems. Take for instance this 1870 census for the Henry Blaser household. 2004 - 2021 Legacy Tree Genealogists. http://www2.genealogy.net/reg/OPRU/oprus.html, BorderChanges Other sources of Germany family history information include school records, military records, emigration records, ship passenger lists and city directories. Learn more tips for finding the birthplace of your immigrant ancestor. The Foreign Bank Account Reporting Deadline is Approaching What You Need to Know! If digging into these records on your own seems daunting, our expert researchers would be honored to help you through the process. Rheinland-PfalzPart of the Principality of Birkenfeld, Province of Rheinhessen, part of the Landgraviate of Hessen-Homburg, most of the Bavarian Rheinpfalz, part of the Prussian Rheinprovinz. Many people assume that Prussian ancestors were German, but this isn't necessarily the case. This book is available on the internet. The conquering allies after World War II didn't like the images it conjured up of blood, iron and militarism. http://www.progenealogists.com/poland/images/PLate.jpg prussia-roots-d-request@rootsweb.com(Digest Mode) We also discuss additional resources available in our previous article, 3 Essential Website for Germany Family History Research. It seems Aliens always visit us Germans. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organised and effective army. Cemetery records may also be helpful but, as in much of Europe, cemetery lots are leased for a specific number of years. Here are the states of modern Germany and the historical kingdoms, duchies and the like that they contain. The information available from German census records varies greatly by time period and area. ThoughtCo, Feb. 16, 2021, thoughtco.com/researching-german-ancestors-1421983. Tip: If you are researching this area and are examining a time frame earlier than 1947, you should focus on German place names and social conventions in order to maximize your success. Names were not spelled so consistently by Germans in the old days. Although it is not obvious today, Prussia was once one of the worlds great powers. Genealogy ranks right up there with sports and finances (and sex!) Instructions given to census takers for the 1870 census notes that the country of birth for individuals who were born outside the United States was to be listed as specifically as possible. In the case of those from Germany, census takers were to specify the State, as Prussia, Baden, Bavaria, Wurtemburg, Hesse Darmstadt, &c. This makes sense as the unification of Germany had not yet occurred. Perhaps a great aunt can fish an old family Bible out of an attic trunk. http://www.jomendorf.de(Jomendorf by Allenstein) Although borders have since been moved, she never stopped claiming she was German. She was adamant about the fact that she was German. Present German law does not permit the release of census information on a person until 30 years after his or her death or, if the date of death is not known, until110 years after birth. While an extremely brief overview of Germany's path through history, hopefully, this helps you understand some of the obstacles that German genealogists face. The regional associations in turn can probably tell you where the records from your ancestor's home community are kept. The National Archives also has a wealth of other useful documents, including naturalization records, ships' passenger lists and military records. The capital city was Knigsberg. Online German gazetteers can help locate the state in Germany in which a town, village or city can now be found. Some even include family registers (Seelenregister or Familienregister) where information about an individual family group is recorded togetherona single place. There are many possible sources of information within Germany. Prussia existed as an independent state from the 17th century until 1871, when it became the largest territory of the new German empire. Your first problem may be to locate the town in modern Germany.

(Anfragenverteilstelle, Postfach 50 04 08, D-45056 Essen) is an umbrella Hi Sonny,Thank you for sharing. In November 1918, the monarchies were abolished and the nobility lost its political power. Rabideau Henss Family Histories & Genealogy. If you are researching ancestors (family) in the US, it is unlikely that your family records are referring to this relationship or ethnic group membership. For a full report on its services, check its website at www.nara.gov. East Prussia was the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. Powell, Kimberly. Parish registers are generally kept by the local parish office.

Sachsen-AnhaltFormer Duchy of Anhalt, Prussian province of Sachsen. http://www.stadtgemeinschaft-koenigsberg.de Other common sources for locating an immigrant's hometown include vital records of birth, marriage,and death; census records; naturalization records and church records. Expat Tax Deadlines: There's More Than Just Your Tax Return Due Date! The town,kindom, principality orduchiewhere your ancestor lived in Germany may be hard to find on a map of modern Germany. So remember to check for variant spellings. History In somecases, however, the older parish registers may have been forwarded to a central parish register office or ecclesiastical archives, a state or municipal archive, or a local vital registration office. What does it mean when a record(s) says that your family member was Prussian? Good Work, i did never how hot to track my ancestors. To help you find your way around German records, this list outlines the states (bundeslnder) of modern Germany, along with the historical territories that they now contain. http://www.progenealogists.com/poland/images/PLate.jpg, E-Mail Lists

Probably the richest sources maintained by the National Archives are the records of the censuses, which the United States has conducted every ten years, without missing a single one, since 1790. Now part of a Russian territory known as Kaliningrad. Gravestones, too, can contain a few useful facts, and newspapers are often good sources of marriage notices, obituaries and birth announcements. German) is www.dagv.org; email to anfragen@dagv.org. More about the history visit the following: The more clues you can unearth the better. A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical interest in Brandenburg, Hannover (or Hanover), Ostpreussen (East Prussia), Pommern (Pomerania), Posen, Provinz Sachsen (Province of Saxony - northern Saxony), Schleswig-Holstein, Schlesien (Silesia), Westpreussen (West Prussia), Lubeck, Hamburg, and Bremen. I love being German my last DNA test said I was a little over sixteen percent close to a quarter so im sure its at least a quarter the way DNA matches things up a little shorter. They even factor in the possibility of spelling variations.

(For more see Wikipedia). Since most German records are not centralized, it is nearly impossible to trace your ancestors in Germany without this step. Sharon - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher, Jamie - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher, Trina - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher, Shelbie - Researcher with Legacy Tree Genealogists, Michelle - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher, [wpca_btn_reset_consent txt="Reset your consent" txt_resetting="Resetting now.."], A New Development for German Census Records, 3 Essential Website for Germany Family History Research, accessing church records from many areas of Germany, Ask a Genealogist: Tracing Ancestry in Spain, Ask a Genealogist: Exploring Your Cherokee Heritage, Guest Blog: My Genealogy Travels and Research, The Wrights in America: Tracing Immigrant Ancestors, Legacy Tree Genealogists to Sponsor DNA Innovation Contest at RootsTech, Uncovering Hidden Jewels in British Isles Genealogy Research, Ask a Genealogist: Interesting Facts about Finnish Genealogy Research, British Genealogy Brick Wall Breakthrough: A Case Study, Legacy Tree Onsite: Preparing for a Heritage Travel Tour in Ireland, Polish Genealogy Research in the Kingdom of Prussia, Tips and Resources for Researching Immigrant Ancestors from Austria, Finding Vital Records for Galicia, Austria-Hungary. Where available, foreign language newspapers should not be overlooked as obituaries in such papers often provide additional details not listed in their English language counterparts. While most German civil records only go back to around the 1870s, parish registers go back as far as the 15th century. The name of Prussia has disappeared from the map. Please contact our Client Solutions Specialists through the form on our Get in Touch page. The former German state of Prussia took its name from the Baltic Prussians, although it was led by Germans who had assimilated the Old Prussians; the old Prussian language was extinct by the 17th or early 18th century.The land of the Old Prussians consisted approximately of central and southern East Prussia the present-day Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship of Poland, the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia and the southern Region of Lithuania.

East Prussian Group Although early passenger lists and naturalization records usually only list a province or Germany as an individuals place of origin, naturalization records post 1906 as well as more modern passenger manifests often do list exact towns of birth. Even after the fall of the empire in 1918, it took many years for the borders to shrink to their current position.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unification_of_Germany#/media/File:Deutsches_Reich_1871-1918.png. Some counties and cities of Germany have also conducted separate censuses at irregular intervals over the years. Earlier census returns may be basic headcountsor include only the name of the head of household. Prussia was effectively abolished in 1932, and officially abolished in 1947. The Germans to America series should be consulted if your German ancestor arrived between 1850 and 1897.

Maps Mecklenburg-VorpommernGrand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (less the principality of Ratzeburg),westernportion of the Prussian province of Pomerania. This topic comes up frequently and seems to cause a lot of confusion, especially here in the US. If you don't know it, start by using the resources within your own family. It took considerable research but he was born in Bavaria. OW-PREUSSEN-L. A mailing list for those interested in sharing and exchanging information on genealogy and history which has a connection to the former East and West Prussia. The universe is connected to us Germans. "Researching German Ancestors." The website (in The biggest exception to this is East Germany (1945-1990), which destroyed all of its original census returns. Paying Medical Expenses/Health Insurance Claims, Using German Government Health Insurance (GKV), Tips on Health and Household Insurance Before Arrival, Tips about German Statutory Health Insurance, The Top 6 Things You Should Know About German Hospitals, Doctors and Healthcare, Relocation Companies - What They Can Do for You, Moving to Germany: four tips for a smooth transition into your new life abroad, SoFA, Diplomats and Other US Government Employees, Christmas Markets of Germany's Historic Cities. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); April 26, 2022 By Sharon - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher Leave a Comment, March 29, 2022 By Legacy Tree Genealogists 6 Comments, March 8, 2022 By Jamie - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher 2 Comments, January 25, 2022 By Legacy Tree Genealogists Leave a Comment, December 20, 2021 By Trina - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher 6 Comments, November 19, 2021 By Shelbie - Researcher with Legacy Tree Genealogists 2 Comments, September 26, 2019 By Michelle - Legacy Tree Genealogists Researcher 2 Comments. SaxonyKingdomof Sachsen, part of the Prussian province of Silesia. Given that Prussia (the country) covered as much as ~135,000 square miles with a population of nearly 40 million people; names and dates are not enough to go on for a successful genealogical search. Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Hoefer Verlag (Publishing) makes a map with German and Polish town names, as well as current roads. The two websites generally considered to be the most complete are RootsWeb www.rootsweb.com and the Mormon Church's Family Search www.familysearch.org. Once the town has been identified, church records and civil registration records (mandatory for the whole German Empire as of 1876), will be the most widely used sources for researching your German ancestors in Europe. But if the great aunt doesn't have this information, there are many other places to look. Can it be proven? As many of these records will be written in the antiquated German script, one will not only need to learn basic German genealogy vocabulary, but also learn to recognize those words written in the old script. Incredible information here. Although in some rare cases you may be able to identify your immigrants foreign hometown through indexes created from German collections, more often than not, traditional research will necessitate using church records, civil vital records, passenger lists, naturalization records, newspapers, and other such records in the country to which your ancestor immigrated in order to identify their place of origin. organization for most of the German genealogical agencies. Population-wise, the oblast is thoroughly Russian and Russophone in character, with almost none of the pre-World War II German, Lithuanian (Lietuvininks), Latvian speaking Kursenieki, or Polish population remaining in todays Kaliningrad Oblast. These were often used in the 19th century to record births, deaths and marriages Or perhaps she will have a yellowing certificate of a birth, christening, marriage or death, or maybe a school, medical or military record.

The historical state, political entity, of Prussia (English)/ Preuen (German)- see the blue map on the right.Again quoting from Wikipedia: East Prussia (English)/ Ostpreuen (German), was a political subdivision/ province in the nation-states of Prussia and Germany. in the vast number of websites given over to it. It's time to seek out your German roots and meet with your distant relatives. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. It does no research on its own, but can steer you to the regional association of interest to you. Today, this small town is located in northeastern Poland, however at the time it was part of Germany. ThuringiaDuchies and Principalities of Thringen, part ofPrussianprovince of Sachsen. To subscribe send "subscribe" to, kreis-neidenburg-l-request@rootsweb.com(Mail Mode) Which depending on the time period was part of Germany. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DTB3-8ZN?i=23&cc=1325221. After WWII the southern half was given to Poland, and the northern half including Koenigsberg was claimed by the Soviet Union https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6Q39-34K?i=33&cc=1438024. Notify me of followup comments via email. Prussia (Preussen) and Saxony (Sachsen) present special problems. For those with German ancestors of the Protestant Evangelical faith, accessing church records from many areas of Germany has gotten easier over the last several years. The knights kept the land they conquered and cut off Poland from the sea.

Church records in the community, primarily of baptisms and marriages, also can be helpful. Later census records provide more detail. Archives and Records Prior to the merger the area consisted of a multitude of separate kingdoms, duchies, and provinces. http://www.fahnenversand.de/shop/details.php?id=229&kategorie=16&main_kat=4&start=0&nr, http://www.stadtgemeinschaft-koenigsberg.de, http://www.progenealogists.com/germany/ewpruss/index.html, http://www2.genealogy.net/reg/OPRU/oprus.html, http://www.progenealogists.com/poland/images/PLate.jpg, http://www.genealogienetz.de/reg/OPRU/archive_fuer_preussenforschungar01.htm, http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp, http://www.fahnenversand.de/shop/details.php?id=229&kategorie=16&main_kat=4&start=0&nr. HesseFreeCity of Frankfurt am Main, Grand Duchy of Hessen-Darmstadt (less the province of Rheinhessen), part of Landgraviate Hessen-Homburg, Electorate of Hessen-Kassel, Duchy of Nassau, District of Wetzlar (part of the former Prussian Rheinprovinz), Principality of Waldeck. Site contents copyright 2022 by Chuck Emerson Media Services, Online Advertising and SEO Market in Germany, German SEO and Web Translation - 8 Steps to Success, Road Map for International Companies Wanting to Enter the German Market, 3 Currency Strategies to Help SMBs Slash Costs, The German Retirement and Pension System - Basic Facts, How To Get German Retirement Contributions Refunded, Investing in European Mutual Funds for US Citizens under FATCA, Housing Finding, Renting, Buying, Selling, Temporary, Temporary Furnished Rental Apartments in Munich, 7 Differences Between Corporate Housing and Hotels, Making the Most Money from Your Property Sale. )Once again excerpting from Wikipedia: The truth is you really need to know to which of these four groups your family belongs or area(s) from which they came, if you are to have any success in finding their evidence/ records. Your email address will not be published. Sometimes they are still in the community, but they often will have been moved to a central archive, perhaps operated by the state. Alternatively, if you know from which port in Germany they departed, you may be able to locate their hometown on the German passenger departure lists. We're based near the world's largest Family History Library and connected with genealogists and archives around the world, and we love doing what we do! The archive also will supply a copy of a document by mail, for a fee. The GGS collection of Germanic Genealogy Books at Concordia University in St. Paul, MN has 22 books specifically on East Prussia genealogy, of those 22 books 15 are in German. Some areas are no longer part of modern Germany. Rautenberg has a spectacular book of 1440 old photos of East Prussia. Locate the Birthplace of Your Immigrant Ancestor, Birth, Marriage & Death Records in Germany. These include records of court proceedings, deeds, wills, probates, birth records and death records. There is a state named Saxony, but the name Sachsen appears in two other states, Niedersachsen and Sachsen-Anhalt. They include books by Ed Brandt who has written an authoritative and extensive book on East and West Prussia. When an individual claims to have German ancestry they often mean that their ancestors lived within German Empire borders, although not necessarily only during the empire period. I just received this email link to your web page titled What does German really mean?. KREIS-NEIDENBURG A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical, historical, or cultural interest in Kreis Neidenburg, a former German state of East Prussia. To get a quick, pictorial view of the growth of the Nation State of Prussia (it was correctly called Knigreich Preuen- Kingdom of Prussia) what follows below is a set of maps show the nations evolution: West Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773-1824 and 1878-1919/20 which was created out of the earlier Polish fiefdom of Royal Prussia. Instructions for the 1900 census however indicate that census takers should not write Prussia or Saxony, but Germany. Also, in the case of Poland, they were to inquire whether the birthplace was what is now known as German Poland or Austrian Poland. Thus, at least in theory, earlier census enumerations should indicate a more specific area or region rather than the generic Germany. In practice, some census takers still used Germany in lieu of a more specific place. SaarlandPart of the Bavarian Rheinpfalz, part of the Prussian Rheinprovinz, part of the principality of Birkenfeld. We would love to help you trace your German immigrant ancestors back to their hometowns and extend their lines there. To subscribe send "subscribe" toprussia-roots-l-request@rootsweb.com(Mail Mode) Scale 1:200,000 Later, the 1900 census for the Henry Blaeser household lists both husband and wife as being from Germany. This crazy quilt of squabbling petty states, indeed, was largely responsible for emigration during that period as economic opportunities were few. These "second writings" are sometimes available when the original records are not, or are a good source for double-checking hard-to-decipher handwriting in the original register.

Less obvious records such as wills on occasion list the town of birth so it is important to check all record types in search of the immigrants town of origin. is only allowed with prior ManyRoads' approval, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Deutsche Vertriebenen German Expulsions (History), Flucht und Verteibung Flight & Expulsion (Videos), Dictionnaire Genealogique des Familles Canadiennes- Cyprien Tanguay, Preuen in der Vergangenheit Prussia in the Past (Videos), Robidou Association of North America (Rescue), Genealogy Databases and Immigrant Websites, Immigration from Germany to Eastern Europe (Ostsiedlung), On-line Prussian, Ukrainian, Russian Mennonite Records, Researching Mennonite Regions of Damals Preuen (former Prussia), Locating German WW1 & WW2 War Casualties & Prisoners, Researching the Eastern European German Diaspora, Jdische Familienforschung (Jewish Genealogy), [] Population Development across Eastern Prussia, To do so, please follow these instructions, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, Leo Hubert & Hedwig Schlein (Their Life and Fate).