I am asked sometimes for help in family researches. The first step is to use professional tools or ask for help in the state archives. The list of them you will find below in this article. I can help by suggesting the proper cities where you should start your search or by giving some other kind of information – when needed. But my possibilities are limited. Remember also that Poland was once divided into Prussia, Austria and Russia (1795 – 1918), the present size and shape of Poland were created after the Second World War. Poland lost big territories and gained new ones, so many older archives are lost or are kept in other countries. If my help is time consuming I would be grateful for a symbolic gratification. Contact: Renata Głuszek pol4ned@gmail.com
People looking for their ancestors in Poland can do it through the following institutions or tools:
State Archives
Here you will receive electronic copies of documents in possession of a given archive – this service is not for free (15 Euro for example). In the linked article you will find a list of consultation points operating by the archives.
Data needed to search for people: first name and last name, place of birth, marriage, death (depending on the type of document) and at least an approximate date of issue of the documents sought.
IMPORTANT NOTE
The archives do not have all the record and record documentation of the residents, which were created in the area of their activities. This is due to the fact that the books of births are transferred to state archives after 100 years, while the books of marriages and deaths are transferred after 80 years. Record books created later are still kept in the registry offices, territorially competent for individual localities. Some of the record books are still kept in the municipal offices. Due to the large number of genealogical applications coming from the country and abroad, the archives do not have the ability to conduct time-consuming searches. (Information compiled on the basis of the papers of the State Archives in Bydgoszcz)
Websites of the archives
You can do your own research here.
SZUKAJ W ARCHIWACH (Search the archives) – szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl EN (also in PL, DE, RUS)
GENEALOGIA W ARCHIWACH (Genealogy in archives) genealogiawarchiwach.pl EN (also in PL, DE)
Municipal Offices
Here you will find birth records less than 100 years old and marriage and death records less than 80 years old. After this time, the above-mentioned documents are transferred to the State Archives. To find contact type: Urząd Miasta (Town Office) / Urząd Gminy (Commune Office) + name of the place.
Parishes appropriate for a given place or person
Record files are stored here, but documentation may be incomplete (it may come from the period after the Second World War for instance) and there is no guarantee of reply, especially for obligation to protect personal data (GDPR)
Private Genealogue Companies
More Maiorum (PL, EN) / Genus Meum (PL, EN )
A family search guide