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Explore Your German Heritage

Herzlich willkommen! From language guides to websites, everything you need for your German genealogy journey. Plus, research tips on finding Austrian, Prussian and other German-speaking ancestors.

 

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German Genealogy Cheat Sheet

The German Genealogy Cheat Sheet is designed to quickly deliver the information you need to understand the records of your German ancestors.

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German Genealogy Fast Facts

Key Dates in History

800
Charlemagne crowned
1517
Martin Luther starts Protestant Reformation
1683
Germantown, Penn. founded
1772
Poland's lands partitioned between Prussia, Austria, and Russia
1882
More than 250,000 German immigrants arrive in the US
1945
Germany divided into
East and West
1990
Germany reunited
2009
Vital records blackout periods relaxed

Vital Records Kept

Varies by state

Best Records for Genealogists

Civil Registration (1792; 1876)
Parish Civil Records (1500s; 1648)
Village Family Histories (varies)
Fraktur Baptismal Certificates (1754–1900)
Newspapers (1732–1918)

Immigration Waves

First Wave: 1600s–1770s
Second Wave: 1800s–1918

FROM THE FAMILY TREE SHOP

German Genealogy Websites Cheat Sheet

Learn more about your German ancestry! This quick-guide download will show you the web’s best resources for German genealogy–and how to use genealogy websites to grow your family tree.

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