Deutsch Lands
Trace your ancestry in Prussia, Bavaria and more with our guide to research in Germany’s historical regions.
Moving from micro to macro

Reviewing the records
Surveying the states
So don’t be thrown for a loop if you encounter an ancestor who seems to have been born in multiple regions. He or she might just have been reacting to those changes and reporting a birthplace by its then-current ownership rather than what it was called when he or she was born.
Bavaria (Bayern): Bavaria weathered centuries of inter-German wars and less-than-stable rulers (Mad King Ludwig, anyone?). As an example of how deep a regard Bavarians have for their history, they still refer to ethnic divisions in the state in terms of tribes: The Old Bavarians (Altbayern) occupy the eastern half of the modern state, while the Franks (Franken) occupy the northern districts, and the southwestern Swabians (Schwaben) became part of Bavaria only in the early 19th century. Germany’s largest state in terms of geography is also its most Roman Catholic area, but substantial numbers of Protestants reside in the Franconian areas. You can find more information on Wikipedia.
Conquering the challenges
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