German Genealogy
German-American GenealogyResearching your German Immigrant
Ancestors
Elaine Jones [email protected] County Library
SystemOctober 2014
Introduce yourself. Tell me if you cant hear me, ask questions,
should be done by 8:30ish.
1
I assume you are here because you know you have an ancestor that
immigrated from Germany. There are various ways you may have found
that out (family stories, obituary mention, printed family history,
etc.) but one way you may have found that out is through the U.S.
Census in the years where they asked where a person was born
country or state (particularily in the years 1910, 20 and 30
because those years specifically ask about immigration and
naturalization information). This is the 1920 census for Nemaha
County, Kansas and August Haug (age 69) is my great-grandfather. He
says he immigrated in 1869 that hes naturalized and the
naturalization in 1890. Census taker wrote down Wuerttemberg, and
crossed it out and wrote Germany. Well get back to this.2
I know I have a German Immigrant Ancestor. Now What?You need to
know a name (full birth name if possible).Date of an event that
happened in Germany. Usually a birth/baptism or marriage.Location
of the event in a certain area in Germany.Religion of your
ancestor.Occupation if possible.
So, however you found out, you now know you have a German
ancestor and you want to learn more. These are the things you want
to find out. The first three things are musts (at least to find
records in Germany), the last two are optional but will really help
you if you know this.3
How do I start?Record what you already know.Begin your research
at home and talk to relatives.Look for published information in
books and computer databases. Research the history of the places
they lived.Look for records in the US:Census RecordsVital
RecordsObituariesSocial Security Death IndexLand and Probate
RecordsMilitary RecordsChurch RecordsThen look for your ancestors
in Germany.
Im assuming/hoping that you already know the basics of genealogy
research. Record what you already know: start with yourself and
work backward in time one generation at a time verifying
relationships. Record them on pedigree charts or in a genealogy
computer program like FamilyTree Maker, Legacy, etc. If you know
what you already know you can see what you need to find out and
keep track of all those clues youll accumulate. Make sure youve
gathered together all your home sources and talk to your relatives
about what they know, not just the dates and places but the
stories. Look for published sources, dont reinvent the wheel if the
info is already out there. Do your background research, very
important with Germanic ancestors because the history of the area
is so complex. Look for records in the U.S. first, this is where
youll find the clues to find your family back in Germany. 4
Best sites to start any genealogy search on the web.Ancestry.com
or Ancestry Library EditionHeritage Quest (access through
laramiecountylibrary.org)FamilySearch familysearch.orgFindaGrave
www.findagrave.comRootsWeb www.rootsweb.ancestry.comUSGenWeb
usgenweb.orgCyndis List www.cyndislist.com/germanyU.S. National
Archives www.archives.govGoogle.com www.google.com
Here are some good places to start. (Go through these and say
what theyre good for.)Show Cyndis list (Fraktur, Geburts, and
Taufscheins) US GenWeb Pennsylvannia. Do a quick advanced google
search.5
German Immigration WavesSeveral Germans among Jamestown settlers
in 1607-8.Amish & Mennonites (and others) to Pennsylvania(1681
to early 1700s)Palatines (from the Pfalz) in the early 1800s.Family
chain migration (for economic/political reasons) in the mid to late
1800s. Mostly Lutherans or Catholics.From 1820 to 1915 six million
Germans immigrated to the U.S.This group includes the Volga Germans
(Germans from Russia) who settled heavily in the high plains.
Some background information about Germany helps.6
I had a family story that my mothers mothers people were
Pennsylvania Dutch and I didnt know what that meant. Here is what
Pennsylvania Dutch means.7
Who were the Palatines?
From the Palatinate (or Pfaltz) region of Germany.8
The map at the top tells you where people who said they were
born in Germany lived at the time of 1900 census. The chart below
has immigration from 1820-1988, with German immigration divided
out. Large groups immigrated in the 1870-1900. Lots of anti-German
sentiment during this time period. Very strict quotas after 1910
and anti-German immigration laws.9
Germanys borders changed a lot over time and for most of history
was a group of German speaking Principalities rather than a unified
Germany. This is what the German Empire looked like in the time
when most of our ancestors immigrated (or at least when they
answered the birth, immigration questions in the U.S. census). If
this is not the time period youre looking at, find a map that
reflects the time period. Stretched from Belgium and the
Netherlands to Prussia is all the colored states. Present borders
of Germany. All the other places that speak German; Austria,
Switzerland, parts of France and Italy.10
Germany Today
Good German Immigration WebsitesEllis Island New York
1892-1954libertyellisfoundation.org/passengerCastle Garden New York
1820-1890www.castlegarden.orgOnline German
Emigration/Immigrationwww.germanroots.com/emigration.htmlImmigrant
Ship Transcriber Guildwww.immigrantships.net
Ellis Island and Castle Garden are for New York immigrants but
immigrants could come through any port (or airport later).
Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans and Boston also so lots of
German immigrants. Why New Orleans? Whats the difference between
Emigration with an e and immigration with an I? 12
Case Study: the Search for Great-Grandpa HaugAugust Wilhelm Haug
born August 1850 in Germany.Immigrated to the U.S. as a young man
(~1865-1872). Family legend says he was 21. Traveled with his
brother. Settled in Kansas as a farmer.Married Katherine Selbach in
Kansas in 1872.Catholic
This is what I knew initially about Great-Grandpa Haug. This is
my mothers, fathers father. So I have a full name and date of an
event that happened in Germany. I also know his religion. Think
back to slide 5 about what you need to know. I have those top two
criteria so Im in business. I dont know where in Germany but I can
figure that out with these other clues and by searching U.S.
records.14Immigration Records
Back to that 1920 census we saw before. This is the summary page
in Ancestry Library Edition for that page. Notice the stuff off to
the side these records may also be relevant. I recommend that you
look at all of these things. If you are on Ancestry.com at home
these may all come at as shaking leaves. Make sure you consider
each record individually and not just blindly add them. We are
going to look at these now to help find out more about
August.15
Here it is again. Look at it in more detail. Right name, right
place, right time, right wifes name and some of the kids names and
ages fit but there is some discrepancy with the kids (first name,
common name, nickname differences). This is 1920 and he says hes 69
which means he was born in 1849-1851 which fits. It says he
immigrated in 1869 (which would have made him 19 not 21), says hes
naturalized and that happened in 1890. The census taker is supposed
to write down country or state only, He writes Wuerttemberg and
marks it out and wrote Germany. He speaks German at home. Notice
all the Germans living nearby. Browse the whole area to look for
family also you may find that some of these people were neighbors
back in Germany too. Other clues kids birth places, wifes
birthplace.16
1910 census note that they are at the bottom of the page, check
the next page, yes the rest of the family is on the next page. Note
the 15/14 on Katherines line and the 39 by both of them.
Immigration date still says 1869.17
18
1900 census. This one tells you the month and year of birth, he
says August 1850. 27 years of marriage. This time he says that he
immigrated in 1870. Pa equals pending.19
Another resource in ancestry is the Wuerttemberg Emigration
Index. Where do these indexes come from, they were published as
books first. Note that emigration is spelled with an e so that you
know that is talking about leaving Germany. They needed to apply to
the government to be able to leave legally. You had to prove that
you werent leaving to avoid paying debt, or serving in the military
or serving a prison sentence, etc. So this is information from
Germany. See that the birth place in Wurmligen and an exact date of
birth is shown. But thats all its an index to original records,
note that the number is obscured. This is actually a film number at
the FHL in SLC.20
Wuerttemberg Emigration Index
We have the Wuerttemberg Emigration Index in the LCLS library.
Heres the shelf they are on. Here is the page where I find August
Haug. I see birth date of 17 August 1850. Application date of
February 1869 and the full fill number is there so I can (and did)
order the film from the LDS FHL. Also note that further down the
page is Reinhard Haug, same place, same date, same film number. Is
this the brother? Other people with the birthplace of Wurmlingen
but none with the same date and film number.21Wuertemberg
Emigration Index
New York Passenger Lists does this fit? Date of passage and
birthdate does. Also note the Passenger Ships and Images database
because we are going to click on that in a minute to see the
Westphalia.But first lets look at the actual Passenger List. Note
that this is a New York Passenger List approximately 23 years
before Ellis Island Opened in 1892 so they are not as detailed as
the Immigration Ship Passenger Lists youll see at Ellis
Island.22
Middle of the page, Reinhard Haug age 22 with August right below
him (age 19). Name age, sex, occupation (smith and cartwright) from
Germany, going to the United States. Where on ship: Between decks
is steerage.23
24
How many funnels do you see? How many masts? So this is a
picture of the older version, the one on which August and Reinhard
traveled.26
Where is Wurmlingen?
This is the Wikipedia entry for Wurmlingen with a picture added
that I found elsewhere.Where is Wurmlingen? Baden-Wuerttemburg,
Admin. Region = Freiburg, District TutlingenI want to go here, walk
through a church yard, go the public records office and churches
and just flip open the phone books to count the Haugs (or Von
Haugs).27
Problems you might have finding YOUR ancestors birthplace:You
dont read German.You cant decipher German Gothic script.The place
name you found does not match any place that now exists.The place
name you found matches more than one location in Germany.
German Gothic Script was used regularly until after WWII.28
Deciphering Old German Documents
English German birth Geburten, Geburtsregister, Geborene,
geboren burial Beerdigungen, begraben, Begrbnisse, bestattet,
beerdigt Catholic katholisch child Kind, Kinder christening Taufe,
Taufen, Getaufte confirmations Konfirmationen, Firmungen civil
registry Standesamt death Tote, Tod, sterben, starb, verstorben,
gestorben, Sterbefall father Vater husband Mann, Ehemann, Gatte
index Verzeichnis, Register Jewish jdisch, Jude(n), israelitisch
marriage banns Proklamationen, Aufgebote, Verkndigungen marriage
Heiraten, Trauungen, Getraute, Ehe, Kopulation, kopulieren,
verheiratet, Verehelichungen, Eheschliessungen month Monat mother
Mutter name, given Vorname, Name name, surname Zuname,
Familienname, Geschlechtsname, Name parents Eltern parish Pfarrei,
Kirchspiel, Gemeinde Protestant evangelisch, lutherisch, Protestant
Reformed reformiert wife Frau, Ehegattin, Weib, Ehefrau, Hausfrau,
Gattin year Jahr
These are some of your handouts I gave you. Just so you German
Gothic Type and Script.29
Meyers Gazetteer of the German Empire
On Ancestry.com and Ancestry Library Edition in German Gothic
Script.On the shelf in the genealogy collection at LCLS, GEN
929.343 WRIG
Buchold, a village in Bayern (Bavaria) in the middle of the
government district of Lower Franconia; railway station located in
Karlstadt; bus station in Arnstein; Wurzburg is the military
district headquarters; 693 inhabitants; the railway station and
post office, birth registry office, ranger station, civil register,
Catholic parish church, and the government distillery are in
Arnstein (6 kms east); nearby town is Sachserhof which is 8 kms
east and has 76 inhabitants.
This is one resource to help find the location of a town that no
longer exists under that name.
It is in German, written in 1912 in German Gothic Type. Also
uses German grammar and sentence structure and some very unique
abbreviations. But can be deciphered. This took me more than an
hour.30
Heritage Books:Ortssippenbuchor Ortsfamilienbuch
An Ortssippenbuch (town lineage book) or Ortsfamilienbuch (town
family book) includes birth, marriage, and death data for all
persons found in the local records during a specified time period,
compiled into families. Sources may include the local parish
registers, civil registration records, court and land records, and
sometimes published material.
Online Ortsfamilienbucherwww.online-ofb.de
orwiki-de.genealogy.net/Kategorie:OrtsfamilienbuchTo translate:
translate.google.com
This is a good resource to online German Heritage Books or
Family Books.Notice the list by location.Go down to
Baden-Wuerttemberg and pick a location near Wurmlingen.32
Down at the bottom of the page is Baden-Wuerttemberg. I clicked
on that and then searched for the Haug family in Gerlingen.33
Note that here all I had to do was click on the British flag to
have it translated into English. I clicked on Johannes Haug.34
This is what we have for Johannes Haug. I was actually looking
for Josef or Peter Haug and didnt find them so Ill have to search
in another location. I actually do have a Johannes Haug who was
born in 1784 so thats not him and there are lots and lots of
Johannes Haugs so Im looking for the more uncommon Josef and
Peters.35
Germany: Census RecordsMecklenburg-Schwerin Census 1819Available
at www.akvz.de and Ancestry.com and Ancestry Library Edition.
Schleswig-Holstein Census 1769-1860 (a German speaking area
which was part of Denmark until 1860) includes- Lubeck, Hamburg,
OldenburgAvailable at www.akvz.de and Ancestry.com and Ancestry
Library Edition (at least in part).
1938-39 Census for Minoritieswww.ushmm.org
Other Good German Genealogy WebsitesAmerican Historical Society
of Germans from Russia www.ahsgr.orgFoundation of Eastern European
Family History Societiesfeefhs.org/links/germany.htmlGerman Culture
&
Genealogywww.germanculture.com.ua/library/links/genealogy.htmThe
German Genealogy Group germangenealogygroup.comGermanic Genealogy
Society www.ggsmn.orgGerman Roots www.germanroots.comPalatines
(rootsweb)www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ote/palatinesPalatines to
America Genealogy Society www.palam.orgPennsylvania German Society
www.pgs.org
These are some good sites to start searching for genealogy
information online. Mention and click on AHSGR, GGS and the
Pennsylvania German Society.37
This one is very good but focused on the New York/New Jersey
area.39
Palatines to America society does have some searchable
databases, books to purchase, and lots of educational
information.40
Archives in GermanyLists of Government and Church Archives in
Germany:home.bawue.de/~hanacek/info/earchive.htm
familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Germany_Archives_and_Libraries
www.genealoger.com/german/german_genealogy.htm
Open these.41
Poznan Project (Poland formerly in
Prussia)poznan-project.psnc.pl
There were/are German speaking people (ethnic Germans) in
Poland. So your search may also take you to Poland.42
Bohemian Germans? Try www.cgsi.org:
Bohemia is now in the Czech Republic (former Czechoslovakia) but
was part of the Austria-Hungarian Empire until the end of WWI. So
there are German speaking Germans from Czechoslovakia also.43
Where Can I Learn More?German Genealogy Society websites (see
handouts).FamilySearch.orgAncestry.com (subscription database) and
Ancestry Library Edition (in the library)CyndisList.comGet a good
German history and/or Genealogy book.See bibliography/webography
handouts.
Come to our Special Collections room at LCLS and get some help
from our Genealogy Volunteers.
Show how you get to this information.45
Go to Cyndis List and show this. Click on a few items.47
Happy Searching!Consider:Researching in the LCLS Genealogy
CollectionIn books, microforms and Ancestry Library EditionAsk a
Genealogy Volunteer or LCLS Reference Staff for assistanceChecking
out a Genealogy How-To BookDewey Decimal Call Number 929Searching
Heritage Quest online through the LCLS website at
laramiecountylibrary.org. Youll need your library card number and
your PIN; the default PIN is wyld.
Use our Special Collections room fully by taking advantage of
the computer database access (Ancestry Library Edition and more!),
our book collection (non-circulating), our microforms, AND the
expertise of our volunteers.48
