Finding the Germany Place of Origin
Knowing the place of origin (city, town, or parish) in Germany is essential in finding the desired ancestor. Most records were kept on the town level, so in order to find these records the town must be known. Try the following suggestions:
- Survey previous research of the ancestor and their family (including parents, siblings, spouses, children).
- Search records in country of arrival. Some useful records include:
- Birth, marriage, death certificates
- Cemetery records
- Census records
- Church records
- County histories
- Family Bibles
- Immigration records
- Land and property records
- Military records
- Naturalization records
- Passenger lists
- Passport applications
- Prayer books
- Probate records
- Search records in Germany. Some useful records include:
- Localize the surname. Some surnames are more common in certain areas, so checking a surname distribution map may locate the likely region or area an ancestor is from.
After place is located:
Go to Germany Guided Research to find the vital records of your ancestor.