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Genealogy News!
The following sites/ blogs provide the data you are able to access here. We maintain postings for a total of 15 days before they are deleted and replaced with new material(s). Dear Myrtle Genealogical Studies Family History Daily Olive Tree Genealogy The Indepth Genealogist NGS Genealogy Amy Johnson Crow Record Click Dick Eastman Find My Past MyHeritage Ancestry.com Familysearch.org Certificate Exchange News Genealogists.com Genealogy Tip of the Day Geneatopia Lisa Louise Cooke NARAtions.blogs.archives.gov The Genetic Genealogist Familytree.com Geneanet.org Geni.com Sassy Jane Genealogy
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Germans from the Volga and Bessarabia
Bessarabian and Volga Deutsch research is in many ways similar to other genealogical research, but in other ways it is quite unique. Like any genealogy or family history research, Germans from the Black Sea Region Research requires you have a good, sound foundation in the conduct of historical, genealogical research. If you do not already have a reliable degree of competency or comfort in the conduct of genealogical/ historical research, I recommend you check out the free courses and materials discussed on the ManyRoads’ Genealogy: Getting Started . Because the Germans from those regions originated from the German Empire and/or Kingdom of Prussia and were ultimately expelled from their homes in the Black…
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Finding Genealogy Data in Central & Eastern Europe
Lately, I have received a significant number of inquiries regarding how to ‘best’ approach the conduct of German- Prussian- Polish- Shoah research. The questions I have received point to a number of common questions, without specifically re-stating the questions, I will detail their responses here: I understand that English-speakers want European Records written and searchable in English. However… I am obligated to point out that our European ancestors may have spoken and written in languages other than English; and so… their records will ‘most likely’ be in their native languages (or perhaps Latin, Hebrew). As for genealogy and/or data search functions, I personally do not totally trust or rely on…
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Prussian/ German Genealogy Help
Welcome! If you are new to Prussian/ German (Polish, Mennonite & Shoah) research or just ‘stumped’ for additional clues and resources, hopefully this page will provide new sources of hope, inspiration, and information.In total, the ‘local’ ManyRoads’ libraries alone contain more than 500GB of original (digital) genealogical and historical source documents. In addition to our documents and tools, this page provides links to what I believe are the most helpful Internet research resources for conducting Prussian/ German research. Based upon your usage patterns and comments, plus my client research efforts, I will update the contents of this page frequently. Related Topics: ManyRoads’ collections, as well as all my “Preußische” research…
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Researching “Lost” Eastern German Provinces
Many people get confused when conducting searches for their Eastern German forebears; this is especially true if those forebears purport to have been from Prussia (Preussen), Pomerania (Pommern), Silesia (Schlesien). Note: I have written a detailed article on helping you determine whether or not your family was Prussian and if so, what type. It might not surprise you that I encounter a lot of people having trouble doing, or trying to do, ‘their’ Prussian research. Given I have fairly extensive research experience in those regions of Europe, I thought I’d put together a quick tutorial, or key, for identifying and finding clues to those Eastern German ancestors ‘of ours’ who…
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Locating German WW1 & WW2 War Casualties & Prisoners
This ‘compendium’ page is created to provide ManyRoads’ readers with a centralized location to find information, pointers, and links to assist in the search for WW1 & WW2 German War Casualties, Expellees, & Prisoners. Although, the information and pointers remain a work in progress, I hope you will find the information useful. Should you have additional information you believe we ought to include in our offering(s) here, please use the ManyRoads Contact Page to let me know. The following list of ManyRoads postings provide insight & links in a “how-to” form. The content in these articles is regularly (or semi-irregularly) updated and enhanced (I update each article as I…
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Ethnic German Genealogy
If you are interested in getting and sharing information, tips & pointers regarding the search for German Ancestors, Ethnic German Research may be the “perfect” LinkedIn Group for you. As many of you already know, I have a “small” but “abiding” interest in conducting German Research. My primary areas of interest include (but are not limited to) West Prussia (today part of Poland), Prussian and Swiss/Alsatian Mennonites (Amish), and the Ostgebiete des Deutschen Reiches oder auch ehemalige deutsche Ostgebiete (former Eastern German Regions). I, also, have been and remain highly interested in researching the area(s) formerly known as Darmstadt-Hesse (in today’s Western Germany). If like me, you have discovered these regions…
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Finding Former Eastern German Place Names
One of the great challenges in researching areas like the former German Eastern Provinces is that they are all gone- governments, people, Churches, libraries, Universities, and yes, in many cases, houses and villages as well. In an effort to help me, and perhaps others, identify place names, I am creating this document with its eclectic cross reference materials. Hopefully these documents, websites, etc. will prove useful to those of us who have difficulty in finding ‘our family’s’ former German places and locations. Former Prussian Places & Locations (Westpreußen u. mehr/ West Prussia & more) Documents Ravenstein’s Atlas des Deutschen Reichs 9000-Village-Names-in-Prussia 1.5 MB Errata for document: Zeyersvorderkampen = Kępiny Małe…
- Ancestry.com Thoughts, German Genealogy Pointers, Quebec Genealogy Pointers, Search Tricks & Tips, Technology & Tools
Kick-starting your genealogy efforts
I have put this little reminder checklist together to help me and others quickly examine our obvious options when we either are stuck or just getting started. This list is hardly exhaustive and if you try everything here without success you should not feel like you have to throw your hands up in despair, there are still many avenues to examine. Hopefully though, using these tools will prove useful and productive and fun. Enjoy! Have you checked? For basic name searches try these out. Not all of these tools are genealogy focused but they are all quite robust and helpful. Google Mocavo FamilySearch Ancestry If the above hasn’t provided you…
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Revised Tips & Pointers
For those of you who are interested in the tips etc. I have been writing, I have begun the process of both adding new materials and sorting my lists of articles into more useful (I hope) groupings. You can see everything as it evolves here or you may directly access my newly sorted areas from the lists below: Search Tricks & Tips: German Genealogy Pointers: Quebec Genealogy Pointers:
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Finding German Genealogy Data
So where are the best places to find German Genealogy data? I hear this question, or something similar, often. Perhaps it is because I am an American that I notice, but it seems most Americans I hear from expect to find German Genealogical record keeping and data ought to mirror that in the US. Unfortunately, they do not. A number of historical factors impact the quality and type of genealogical records to be found in Germany today. What follows are a few points regarding German history that merit understanding: A number of fairly destructive wars ran over German lands. These wars not only destroyed people and buildings, but also innumerable…
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15 Excellent & FREE Genealogy Sites
Numerous excellent FREE genealogy sites are available- probably too many to mention. Beyond the sites listed below from LovetoKnow, I suggest the following exceptional sites (obviously these relate heavily to my areas of research): Norwegian National Archives GenWIKI (German) Genealogy of Canada National Archives of Quebec (French) Progenealogists (Page of Links) sourced from LovetoKnow Roots Web Huge database of ancestry data. Be sure to check out the information on how to get started. Also offers many tools and resources in addition to information such as charts and forms for tracking your family tree. Also find related mailing lists and message boards. [This site is owned and operated by Ancestry.com these…
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Getting Started (Links)
25 Best Genealogy Websites for Beginners About.com: How To Begin Tracing Your Family Tree Ancestry.com Learning Center: First Steps BBC History Trails: Before You Start Your Family Tree Beginners Genealogy on the Internet Behind the Name FamilySearch- Family History for Beginners FamilyTreeMagazine: 10 Steps to Start Your Family Tree Finding Dulcinea: Beginning Family History Research FindMyPast: 10 tips to start your family history journey Free Mini-Course | How to Create Your Genealogy Website French Genealogy Genealogy Resources for Researching Your Family’s Background German Genealogy Kansas Heritage: Beginning Genealogy Lessons Manchester & Lancashire FHS: Beginning Your Family History National Archives- Start Your Genealogy Research National Archives of Australia: Beginning your family…
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Shoah – Holocaust Free Research Help
Scope In an effort to build a tutorial on researching the Holocaust era, I have included pointers to the information provided by me (on ManyRoads) to help you find your way through the confusion created as the legacy of this catastrophic historical period. I, also, share an anecdote or two on some of the experiences I have encountered. Finally, I will provide links, site synopses, and set research expectations. Listen to this article’s “Life in the Past Lane” Podcast! Podcast Show Notes: Holocaust Tutorial Notes.pdf 206 KB To begin let me say… Holocaust research is in many ways similar to other genealogical research, but in other ways it is quite…
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World War II: “The Resistance”
In conducting a client search recently, I had need to unearth information regarding Nazi Resistance and Group Membership. As part of my effort, I elected to gather and archive many of the links I used to help me conduct my investigation. The links are listed below, perhaps you will find them useful. Perhaps you have others you would like to share. Should you be seeking additional guidance and help in conducting European genealogical research, you will find help on our Prussian-German Free Genealogy Help page. WW1 & WW2 (Links)
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Shoah Research- Getting Started
Are you embarking on Shoah (Holocaust) research? Would you like a little coaching in this area of research? Although I can hardly claim to be a Shoah research expert, I am more than willing to share what I have learned. By way of providing some background, for the past nine months, or so, I have been helping folks attempt to unearth the stories behind their Jewish roots in Poland and Germany, trying to discover ‘lost’ family records, and more. It has been quite the adventure. Needless to say, the Shoah is an area of emotion, sadness, mystery, frustration, intrigue, and much more. I thought that perhaps others might benefit…
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Why are so many records missing?
Why is it so hard to find genealogy information in the areas of Prussia, Poland, and Germany? Where did all the information go? Was the information moved to some safe place? I hear this type of question and discussion often. The answers to those questions are actually quite simple and brief; although achieving an appreciation and understanding of their response is often somewhat more elusive. Question: Where did all the information go? Answer: Much was destroyed or lost, never to be recovered. Question: Was the information moved to some safe place? Answer: The truth is there were few, if any safe places. Early ‘on the eve of destruction‘, many ‘crucial’ records/documents…
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Using a Semantic Engine for Better Understanding
Suppose, for a moment, that you had a problem for which you had little understanding. Something that just made you to quote Winnie the Pooh: “Think, think, think”; but, for which you had no good answer. Perhaps you have several “puzzlers” like that in mind already, but if you do not, imagine for a minute that you might want to better understand: why did Germans leave in the 1850s what was the economic situation in Galicia in 1870 how were Mennonites treated in Prussia during the 1850s Now let’s imagine, we could construct a tool that would analyze data from across the Internet and promptly provide us with information related…
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Surname (Family Name) Discovery and Mapping
revised & updated: 4 Dec. 2014 Are you hoping to identify and/ or discover where a family name or surname of yours may have originated? In the various facebook groups where I participate, I have recently noticed a “tsunami” of inquiries regarding this particular genealogical dilemma/ problem. In order to provide a bit more robust guidance than that supported via a facebook discussion thread, I thought a blog post on ManyRoads might be helpful. Here are “summaries’ of the types of questions I have most recently noticed: Is [fill-in a name] spelled this way? What are variations for [fill-in a name]? Is [fill-in a name] a [fill-in the country group] name? I believe [fill-in a…
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Might your family be descended from Prussian Mennonites?
Do you believe you might be descended of “Prussian” Mennonites? Are you unsure? Is it worth a look? To get a good idea of who the Low German Mennonites were (and whether you might be descended of this group) please review the Family/ Surname list provided on MennoniteDNA. If you find one of your family names on that list then please “read on.” For those who research family in West & East Prussia (today the area is in Northeastern Poland) an important, but ‘not very well known’, set of genealogical source documents should be included in your search – West & East Prussian Mennonite church record books . I…
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Image Search “Google Tricks”
So you search for images as well, you say. I know I do. I find the search for images to be something of an obsession for me. I especially value those photos I am able to find that are of the German Expulsion or the area around Elbing in the former West Prussia, where my mother grew up. In keeping with my earlier article on Google Search Tips, I thought folks might appreciate some hints on Google search tricks for images. So here are a few. Firstly, it is important to note that the syntax for image searches is really not very different from the syntax for any other type…
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Adreßbücher- Address Books
ManyRoads is pleased to provide this collection of address books from West/ East Prussian, as well as other former Eastern German Provinces. Be advised, not surprised. These are German language texts. We are continually seeking additional texts for inclusion on these pages. Should you know of additional West Prussian address or business books that you believe we should archive and present, please use our Contact page to let us know. Former Places & Locations Former Eastern German Place Names Additional guidance is available on Finding Records from the Former German Eastern Provinces. External Address Books (Former German Eastern Provinces) Adreßbuch für Danzig und Vororte (click on MULTI-PART PUBLICATION. SHOW STRUCTURE! to view…
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Expertise, Associations & Memberships
Mark Rabideau of ManyRoads is pleased to enumerate his genealogy expertise as well as his genealogical memberships, affiliations, and associations. If you are looking for help with your genealogy, please view Our Services page. Background Created and maintain the one of the Internet’s single, largest individually owned and managed repositories of Prussian genealogy source documentation (biased towards West Prussia, East Prussia and Pomerania); the archives include maps, source documents, histories, guidance, and photographs Created and maintain one of the Internet’s most robust Prussian (Germany & Poland & Shoah) Research Support pages. 20+ years genealogical experience Adopted & Supported three (3) FamilySearch Wiki pages (discontinued in 2016): Westpreußen-West Prussia – Ostpreußen-East Prussia – Pommern-Pomerania Developed…
