| Germanic Genealogy FAQ | |
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Frequently Asked Questions About Germanic Genealogy Research |
On this page you'll find some of the more frequently asked questions (FAQs) I have received from readers who want to know how to research their family history in German. I don't claim to be an expert in genealogy, but I have done my own German family history research, and you'll find many helpful pages to help you with your own Germanic genealogy project, plus links to other useful resources. You may also find help in our German Forum.
For more FAQs related to German, see our German FAQ Menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I get started with my Germanic family research?
- What is the meaning of my German last name?
- What is the German word for... ?
- Where can I find a German birth (death, baptismal) certificate?
- Can you recommend any books for Germanic genealogy and names?
- Related Links
Answers to the FAQs
- How do I get started with my Germanic family research? If you're not sure where to begin, a good place to start is our feature entitled German and Genealogy. That article talks about the basics of genealogy in German and links to more detailed information.
- What is the meaning of my German last name? First, keep in mind that name origins and translations are not always that easy. Names have often changed in ways that may hinder an accurate determination. But you can start with German Last Names and Their Meanings and the German Surname Lexikon. If you don't see your name listed there, then use our many genealogy links to sites and sources that may be able to help. You can also post a message in our German Forum
- What is the German word for... ? We have several English-German glossaries for genealogy. The Germanic Genealogy: Vocabulary page has lots of basic German vocabulary encountered in family research. For German place names, see German Names (3).
- Where can I find a German birth (death, baptismal) certificate? Depending on when and where in the German-speaking world your ancestors were born, married or died, the records may be in a church archive or a civil registry (Standesamt). Also remember that Germany was not even a unified country until 1871. For a personal account of just such a search, including sample documents, see German Roots: A Personal Search. Our Germanic Genealogy Guide also offers more about such matters.
- Can you recommend any books for Germanic genealogy and names? You'll find a selection of books related to Germanic genealogy and names on this page: Germanic Genealogy Books
- Related Links See below.
If you still haven't found the answer you're looking for, I suggest you look at our Germanic Genealogy: Contents page and the links below. You may also find help in our German Forum. For questions on genealogy in general, see the About.com Genealogy site.
Related Pages
Germanic Genealogy: Contents
Our genealogy start page links to all of our Germanic genealogy pages and resources.
German Roots: A Personal Search
A personal account of a search for a family's genealogical records in a small German town.
Books: Germanic Genealogy
A selection books and references by your Guide to help you in a Germanic genealogy search.
Books: German Names
A special collection of books related to Germanic first and last names. From your Guide.
First Names - Vornamen
An annotated A-Z lexicon of Germanic given names and popular non-German names.
From Hamburg to Amerika
The Hamburg State Archive is putting emigrant passenger lists online.
German and Genealogy
A beginner's guide to tracing your Germanic roots and German vocabulary related to Germanic genealogy.
German Last Names and Their Meanings
Find out the English meaning of a German surname. Also see the...
German Surname Lexikon
An annotated A-Z lexicon of Germanic family names with their English meanings. From your Guide.
Books: German Names
A special collection of books related to Germanic first and last names.
Germanic Genealogy
Web Links for Germanic genealogy resources. From your Guide.
German Names - Links
A special collection of Web links related to names.
Dictionaries
Links from your Guide for online and print dictionaries that can help you translate German genealogical terms.
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