Researching German Ancestors
Germans have been emigrating to America since the seventeenth century and today are the largest self-reported ancestry group living in the country. No matter when your ancestors arrived in the U.S., this online seminar will teach you how to trace your German ancestry. You will discover key records, resources, and repositories, while gaining important skills and strategies for finding your ancestors. Topics include: migration patterns, finding German origins, deciphering records and German script, using and accessing records, and leveraging online resources.
Image Credit: Index of American Design - Hornung, Clarence P., Treasury of American Design, New York: 1970, p. 722, no. 2634.
July 2 - Class 1: Getting Started
In this first session, Senior Genealogist Rhonda R. McClure will walk you through the beginning steps of German research: understanding waves of immigration to America, getting back to the immigrant generation, finding where in Germany your ancestors came from, and understanding the many German border changes pre- and post-unification.
July 9 - Class 2: Basics of German Language and Script
This second class will provide the basics on key terms you’re likely to encounter and how to decipher old German script—Kurrent/Sütterlin or "deutsche Schrift"—and German Gothic (Fraktur) font.
July 16 - Class 3: German Civil and Religious Records
As with any type of family history research, civil and religious records are your first, go-to resource in German genealogy. For many locations in Germany, civil registration began as early as the late 18th century and some church records (Kirchenbücher) date back to the 16th century. Beyond baptisms, marriages, and burials, many churches also kept family registers (Familienregister or Familienbücher). This session will discuss what records exist, what information they contain, and how to access these important resources.
July 23 - Class 4: More German Records
Beyond civil and church records, there are many resources that can assist you in your family history research. This session will review town Lineage/family books (Ortssippenbuch/Ortsfamilienbuch), census records (Volkszählungen), emigration records, occupational records, and military records. We will also discuss how to work with German archives and researchers remotely.
July 30 - Class 5: Research Strategies and Case Studies
Using several examples and case studies, this final class will demonstrate some key strategies for breaking down genealogical brick walls in German research, including finding your ancestor’s origins and hometown, maiden names of female ancestors, parent’s names, and connecting generations.
