|
| Genealogy
New Zealand Family History
|
The Collection
The Genealogy (or Family History) section is part of the New Zealand and Pacific Islands Zone on the 2nd floor. We have books to borrow, microfiche, microfilm, magazines, local newspaper index, local photographs, and electronic resources, as well as scanning and printing facilities.
|
| |
New Subscription to FindMyPast.com
FindMyPast.com is a family history and genealogy website based in London, England, containing over 550 million family history records, with more being added all the time. It is a a world class family history resource, and it is now free to view the records when you visit us at the Central Library.
Since its launch, findmypast.com has expanded markedly from just birth, marriage and death records to now include the 1841, 1861, 1871 and 1891 censuses for England and Wales, an extensive collection of military records, a number of occupations directories and an electoral roll search. Also available, are the Passenger Lists for all ships leaving the UK from 1890-1960. These records were previously available only from the National Archives at Kew, London, and weren't indexed, meaning that searching them was notoriously difficult.
New CD ROM titles added to our Collections
 |
Gazettes are a unique, useful, and extremely fascinating resource - they were published by the Government as means of communication to Officials and the Geneneral Public - included is a range of information such as notice of acts, contracts, partnerships, land transactions, legal notices, government institutions and positions, statistics. You will also find lists of officiating Ministers of marriage, as well as medical practitioners, postmasters and even deceased estates. |
 |
Directories are a useful tool for establishing when and where a person lived. However this is just a starting point, look further in the directory to find out more information about the society in which they lived, the occupation they held and the people they knew. This Wise's NZ directory contains towns, alphabetical lists, trade and miscellaneous sections which lists the names, addresses and professions of people in NZ in 1900. It also includes a street guide which names the head of the household for each house in some of the major towns, and seperate directories for banking, medical, legal, ecclesiastical, educational, pastoral, municipal and government. |
 |
This CD contains nearly 4,000 birth, death and marriage records arranged alphabetically. Includes all notices from the Waikato Times 1872-1900, birth and death marriage registers, Daily Southern Cross 1868-1872 and other newspapers such as the New Zealand Herald and the Thames Advertiser |
Instead of trawling through microfiche or trying to find your way around the Varcoes Index, why not try this CD ROM first - it's easy to use and a great place to start you search for marriages pre 1956 ..........
|
|
Marriages from 1836-1956
Now available to search on the computer in the New Zealand and Pacific Islands Zone. This CD matches all brides and grooms for the above dates. Just type in a name. This will also give other known surnames of the bride and groom - especially helpful for re-marriages.
|
|
Ancestry Library Edition
This database is free to access from within the Library. It provides the most comprehensive online source of information for conducting genealogical research available.
|
|
|
Content is steadily growing. Includes census, vital statistics, church, military, court, land, probate, immigration and naturalisation records.
|
| |
Tips to Get You Started
- Read basic guides on how to start family history research
- Check directories for the names of people who may also be researching your surnames
- Research the indexes to New Zealand Births, Deaths and Marriages on microfiche
- Research Electoral Rolls and Post Office Directories to establish exactly where your ancestor lived, and their occupations
If your family lived in the Manawatu check our local resources, for example:
Researching Cemetery records
Transcripts on microfiche are helpful for names and dates. Check online also as Palmerston North City Council, along with an increasing number of other councils, has listed its cemetery databases online. A great place to begin is http://nzgenealogy.rootschat.net/cemetery.html
|
| |
|
|
Burial Locator
Containing more than one million names, this CD will assist you in locating a burial or death - mainly in New Zealand. Includes some overseas information. Sources are many and varied - they include cemetery burial records, monumental inscriptions, cremation records, newspaper death notices, obituaries, funeral directors' records and more. This CD is available to search at the Central Library only.
|
|
Computer Resources
There are now many resources available online. They include web sites and electronic resources, some of which are available to search from home, and others you can access from within the libraries only.
A selective list of some interesting New Zealand genealogy web sites:
New Zealand Births, Deaths and Marriages Office Instructions for people wanting to request copies of certificates and other information.
GENEoNZ Includes Maori whakapapa/genealogy.
New Zealand Society of Genealogists This website has a information to help you start researching your family history.
Archives New Zealand (search Archway) Archway is Archives New Zealand's system for documenting government records in the context of their creation and use. Archway contains descriptions of more than 1.5 million records that have been transferred from government agencies to Archives New Zealand's four offices in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission The "Debt of Honour Register" is the Commission's database listing the 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during the two world wars, and the 23,000 cemeteries, memorials and other locations world wide where they are commemorated. The register can also be searched for details of the 67,000 Commonwealth civilians who died as a result of enemy action in the Second World War.
Te Puna Web Directory The aim of Te Puna Web Directory is to provide a subject gateway to selected New Zealand and Pacific Islands internet information resources.
|
|
|
|
|
|
List of other interesting genealogy websites.pdf (36KB)
|
|
Visit these pages to see related topics
|
|
|
Book reviews
Settlers: New Zealand Immigrants from England, Ireland & Scotland 1800-1945 by Jock Phillips & Terry Hearn
This book explores the question of who New Zealand's Pakeha ancestors were. The book looks at such issues as the geographical origins of the founding ancestors, their occupational and class background, their religions and their values. Using individual examples of immigrants and their families, vividly depicted in the many illustrations, this book makes a significant contribution to understanding the origins of New Zealand identity. Bookdata Online
Forty Years On ... the development of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists 1967-2007 by Vivienne M Parker
This history is a tribute to all those people who have made the New Zealand Society of Genealogists what it is today. It will also be of interest to genealogists in general, historians, and students as well as everyday people in the wider community who are looking for a good read concerning NZ family and social history.
Graeme Constable.
President, NZSG Inc
Local History Week April 7-13 2008
The Library hosted it's inaugral Local History Week in April - if you missed out, worry not - you can listen to the podcasts here.
A highlight was the launch of Pātaka Ipurangi: Manawatu Memory Online - our new Digital Library. New material is being added all the time - including photographs, artifacts, texts and aerial maps.
Volunteers
We are fortunate to have experienced genealogists from the Local Branch of the New Zealand Genealogy Society in the Central Library every week at the following times:
| Friday |
10:30am-1pm |
| Saturday |
1pm-4pm |
| Sunday |
1pm-4pm |
Volunteers can provide guidance with your family history research - if you are unable to come into the Library yourself, then please contact our New Zealand and Pacific Islands Librarian.
New Brochure
Are you new to family history research? Check out this brochure for some hot tips on getting started and avoiding the pitfalls.
Top tips for the beginning genealogist.pdf (1666KB)
Magazines
Internet Genalogy Magazine Researching Your Family Roots Online
Internet Genealogy is your guide to successful genealogical research using the ever-increasing power of the World Wide Web. Internet Genealogy will also tell you what to do if you cannot find the records you need and how to confirm your findings. The magazine also covers advanced genealogical methods such as DNA analysis, as well as software and technology reviews, case studies, databases and other
Internet-related family history topics. Published six times a year, it's well worth as look.
Browse our collection of genealogy magazines. They have very helpful tips for all genealogists.
Titles include:
|
