Research Around the World

 

Delving into your family history is an exciting journey that connects you with your ancestors and their stories. Whether you're tracing your lineage to a single town or exploring connections across continents, having the right resources is key to uncovering your roots. This handout is designed to guide you with a curated list of websites that specialize in genealogical research for various countries and regions worldwide. From national archives and census records to cemetery databases and local history resources, these websites will help you navigate the rich tapestry of your family's past, no matter where their journey began.

NORTH AMERICA

• United States
  • FamilySearch Wiki Clickable Map Research information for each specific state
  • FamilySearch Catalog
  • FamilySearch Records
  • Ancestry
  • MyHeritage
  • Newspapers
  • Genealogybank
  • com
  • National Archives
  • org A collection of names of the enslaved after the Civil War
  • Freedmen’s Bureau Records
• Canada
  • org Wiki Clickable Map Research information for each specific province
  • FamilySearch Catalog
  • FamilySearch Records
  • Ancestry
  • MyHeritage
  • Library and Archives Canada
  • Prince Edward Island – The Island Register
• Mexico
  • FamilySearch Wiki Clickable Map Research information for each specific state
  • FamilySearch Catalog Births, marriages, deaths, censuses, and more
  • FamilySearch Records Births, marriages, deaths, censuses, and more
  • Ancestry Births, marriages, deaths, and the 1930 census
  • Border Crossing records 1903-1957 at FamilySearch and 1895-1964 at Ancestry
• Central America
  • FamilySearch Wiki Clickable Map Research information for each specific country

 

SOUTH AMERICA

• General Information
  • FamilySearch Wiki Clickable Map Research information for each specific country
  • FamilySearch Community groups, Facebook groups and Misc. groups are helpful with links at https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Genealogy_Research_Groups

 

EUROPE

British Isles

• England and Wales
  • FamilySearch Catalog
  • FamilySearch Records
  • Ancestry
  • Findmypast
  • General Register Office Birth index has mother’s maiden name and death index has age at death. Record may be ordered and delivered on line.
  • The National Archives Discovery Catalogue
  • Free BMD Birth, marriage, and death index
  • Historical parish map
• Scotland
  • FamilySearch Catalog
  • FamilySearch Records
  • Ancestry
  • gov.uk Uses paid for credits
• Ireland
  • FamilySearch Catalog
  • FamilySearch Records
  • Ancestry
  • Findmypast
  • ie Free website
  • ie A pay website contains the largest online collection of Irish parish register transcriptions including those from Baptist, Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Methodist, Presbyterian, and many other smaller faith groups.
  • Irish Ancestors

Scandinavia

• Sweden
  • FamilySearch Catalog
  • FamilySearch Records
  • Ancestry Births, marriages, deaths indexed from the 1860s. Try Search / Birth Marriage Death feature
  • Husförhör (Household) records – some indexed on FamilySearch and Ancestry
  • ArkivDigital Pay website – free at FS centers.
• Denmark
  • FamilySearch Catalog
  • FamilySearch Records
  • FamilySearch Wiki Shows the best location of records
  • Ancestry
  • MyHeritage
  • Dansk Demografisk Database
• Norway
  • FamilySearch Catalog
  • FamilySearch Records
  • RootsTech 2024 had a presentation titled “An Introduction to Scandinavian Church Records” by Jenny Hansen

• • Handwriting/Gothic script. "Den glemte skriften," by Knut Johannessen. It is in Norwegian, but has samples and practice tests (and keys) starting in the 1800s going back in time.
  • The book, "A Guide to Norwegian Genealogy, Emigration, and Transmigration," by Liv Marit Haakenstad
  • Bygdebooks are farm histories/genealogies where the author used church, census, tax, probate, land, and court records to document the history of the farm and the families on the farm. However, it is in Norwegian and some written in dialect and many areas do not have one. They also need to be verified but are very valuable.

• Finland
  • FamilySearch Catalog
  • FamilySearch Records
  • Finland was under Swedish reign for so long, that the most important trick to Finnish genealogy is to learn Swedish genealogy. 
• Iceland
  • Very difficult. Currently limited to Icelandic citizens issued an Icelandic ID number.

Germanic language

• Germany
  • Meyer’s Gazetteer Find the parish jurisdiction
  • Fuzzy Gazetteer can be helpful if you cannot decipher the village.
  • FamilySearch Catalog
  • FamilySearch Records
  • Ancestry
  • de Click on Research then databases
    • Search one database at a time because search engine stops after 10 seconds and then lists all the results found so far so some might be missed.
    • For Family books click online orts familienbucherthen then click online local family books or go straight to https://ofb.genealogy.net/
    • For a Name Search click genealogische datenbasis (Gedbas) then click start searching now or go straight to https://gedbas.genealogy.net/
  • de
    • 150,000 church books on line, mostly Protestant including Germany, former Eastern provinces, some Croatia, Serbia, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. Has East and West Prussia, Brandenburg, Pomerania, and Silesia.
  • Matricula
    • Predominately Catholic and is free. Includes Austria, Germany, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia.
  • Switzerland and Austria
    • FamilySearch Catalog
    • FamilySearch Records
    • FamilySearch Wiki

Other European Countries

• France
  • FamilySearch Catalog
  • FamilySearch Records
  • Filae
  • Ancestry
• Netherlands
  • FamilySearch Catalog
  • FamilySearch Records
  • Ancestry
  • MyHeritage
  • Wie Was Wie
• Italy
  • FamilySearch has civil records starting around 1806 with some gaps between 1810 – 1865.
  • Italia Indettaglio Has a variety of information on Italy including parish information
  • Italy Surname Map This will alert if the surname (surname spelling) exists in Italy and where that name is clustered today. Unlike the U.S., people do not move like we do. They inherit their familial homes and work the land of their fathers.
  • Italian Government Site
• Spain and Portugal
  • FamilySearch Catalog
  • FamilySearch Records
  • FamilySearch Wiki
  • Ancestry
  • MyHeritage
  • For Portugal – Arquivo Nacional da Torre Do Tombo

EASTERN EUROPE

• FamilySearch Wiki Information for each countries. Some records may be microfilmed and some may need on site research.
• FEEFHS (Foundation for Eastern Europe Family History Studies)
  • Journals no longer published which may have interesting articles of the past
  • 2025 annual conference is online (first full week in August) with access to about 60 (1 hour) classes for about $200 (including the recordings of these classes for re-watching).
• Russia
  • FamilySearch Wiki
  • Local Research
  • Volga German
    • FamilySearch
    • AHSGR
    • Volga German Institute
  • Poland
    • FamilySearch Catalog
    • FamilySearch Records
    • FamilySearch Wiki
    • Local Research

AFRICA

• General Information:
  • FamilySearch Wiki Clickable Map Research information for each specific country
  • FamilySearch Community groups, Facebook groups and Misc. groups are helpful with links at https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Genealogy_Research_Groups
  • Wiki African Oral Genealogies
• South Africa
  • FamilySearch and Ancestry have Dutch Reformed records for South Africa as well as other church and civil records. See the FamilySearch Wiki Online Genealogy records section for quick links.

OCEANIA

• General information:
  • Oceania includes Australia, New Zealand, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia
  • FamilySearch Wiki Clickable Map Research information for each specific island
  • FamilySearch Community groups, Facebook groups and Misc. groups are helpful with links at https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Genealogy_Research_Groups
• Australia
  • FamilySearch, Ancestry, Findmypast, and MyHeritage Births, marriages, deaths, but mostly indexes
• New Zealand
  • FamilySearch Births, marriages, and deaths: index and images
  • Ancestry and MyHeritage Indexes for births, marriages, and deaths
• Polynesia
  • FamilySearch Wiki - Polynesian Oral Genealogies

ASIA and MIDDLE EAST

• General Information
  • FamilySearch Wiki Clickable Map Research information for each specific country
  • FamilySearch Community groups, Facebook groups and Misc. groups are helpful with links at https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Genealogy_Research_Groups
  • FamilySearch Oral Genealogies for Indonesia, Malaysia, and others
• China
  • FamilySearch Research Wiki Step by step guide to finding records available
• Vietnam
  • Article on line “Vietnamese Genealogy – Searching for Your Vietnamese Family Tree” by Anita L. Hummel
• Philippines
  • FamilySearch Birth, marriage, and death records
  • Ancestry and MyHeritage Birth, marriage, and death records.
• India
  • Some records are available through FamilySearch and Findmypast, particularly if from England.
  • FamilySearch Wiki has a link to Irel Anon which has some parish registers and civil registration.

 

Price Genealogy has expert researchers and agents who specialize in research all over the globe. If you help with your family history research, reach out to Price Genealogy today!

Diane

 

Image 1: Public Doman; Cornell University Library, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Image 2: Public Domain; Bacon, George Washington (1830-1921), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Image 3: Public Doman; Maisrimer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons