Genealogy Research Guide

The Boniuk Library houses registries of survivors and victims and general genealogy resources and information specific to the Jewish community. Our staff can assist with family history and genealogy research for families who lost relatives in the Holocaust. Some genealogy resources are in our reference collection and cannot be removed from the library.

RESOURCES

All resources are provided in MLA format.

Arolsen Archives

The Arolsen Archives are an international center on Nazi persecution with the world’s most extensive collection of documents about the victims and survivors of National Socialism. The documents relate to the various groups persecuted by the Nazi regime and contain references to around 17.5 million people, making them an important source of knowledge for society today.

Dolan, Allison. The Family Tree Guidebook to Europe: Your Essential Guide to Trace your Genealogy in Europe. Family Tree Books, 2013.

Call number: CS403 .D65 2013

This book contains beginner-friendly instructions to help research your European ancestors. It provides invaluable information about more than 35 countries.

Galveston Immigration Database – Galveston Historical Foundation

The Galveston Historic Seaport has compiled the nation’s only computerized listing of immigrants to Galveston, Texas. The museum’s immigration exhibit features text and historic photographs illustrating Galveston’s role in immigration history and the major organized immigration movements of the 19th and 20th Centuries. Computer terminals in the exhibit area allow visitors to search for information taken from ships’ passenger manifests pertaining to their ancestors’ arrival in Texas.

Greater Houston Jewish Genealogical Society

The Greater Houston Jewish Genealogical Society (GHJGS) is dedicated to collecting, preserving and disseminating genealogical information, techniques, and research tools among individuals who are interested in Jewish genealogy and family history. The GJHGS has members with a broad-range of genealogical skills and knowledge who are willing to share information with both the beginner and more experienced researchers.

Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research

The Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research is one of the nation’s top genealogical research collections. It houses genealogy research materials covering all U.S. states, as well as international sources for identifying immigrant origins.

International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies: The World of Jewish Ancestry

The International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies is an independent organization coordinating the activities and annual conference of more than 90 national and local Jewish Genealogical Societies around the world.

International Jewish Cemetery Project

The International Jewish Cemetery Project includes information about thousands of Jewish cemetery sites all over the world along with information on the location of the cemetery, and how to obtain more information.

JewishGen

JewishGen serves as the global home for Jewish genealogy. Featuring unparalleled access to millions of records, it offers unique search tools, along with opportunities for researchers to connect with others who share similar interests.

Kurzweil, Arthur. From Generation to Generation: How to Trace your Jewish Genealogy and Personal History. William Morrow and Company, 1980.

Call number: CS21 .K87 1980

This book is a definitive guide to Jewish genealogical investigation. It contains all the information one needs to trace one’s genealogy.

Powell, Kimberly. The Everything Guide to Online Genealogy: Trace your Roots, Share your History, and Create a Family Tree. 3rd ed., Adams Media, 2013.

Call number: CS21.5 .P69 2014

This book is packed with tips on using free databases, new websites, and a growing number of genealogy apps to help you scour the Internet and find your ancestors.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Benjamin and Vladka Meed Registry of Jewish Holocaust Survivors 2000. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in cooperation with the American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors, 2000.

Call number: REF D804 .N37 2000 V.1

This book is based on the records of the Benjamin and Vladka Meed Registry of Jewish Holocaust Survivors, a digital registry which lists more than 170,000 names of Holocaust survivors and some members of their families.

Rottenberg, Dan. Finding our Fathers: A Guidebook to Jewish Genealogy. Genealogical Pub. Co., Baltimore, 1998.

Call number: CS21 .R58 1998

This book is a how-to guide for probing the memories of living relatives, examining marriage licenses, gravestones, ship passenger lists, naturalization records, birth and death certificates, and other public documents, and looking for clues in family traditions and customs.

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Resources on Survivors and Victims

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum provides various online and in-house resources to identify and learn more about survivors and victims of the Holocaust.

The Central Database of Shoah Victims’ Names

The Central Database of Shoah Victims’ Names contains the names and biographical details of more than 4 million victims of systematic anti-Jewish persecution during the Holocaust (Shoah) period. This database includes information regarding victims of the Shoah: those who were murdered, many whose fate has yet to be determined as well as some who survived.