German Genealogy

Now What: Surnames and Ethnicity Premium

Expert answers on German origins.

Key Terms for Researching German Nobility Premium

Familiarize yourself with these German place names related to the type of noble who ruled them.

Searching the Meyers Orts- Step by Step on Ancestry.com Premium

Tips for searching Ancestry.com's version of the classic resource for locating German villages.

Researching Genealogy in Historical German States

Trace your ancestry in Prussia, Bavaria and more with our guide to research in Germany's historical regions

Old-Zeit Religion: Catholics and Protestants in Germany Premium

The religion of your German ancestors may have been subject to change.

German Genealogy Websites, Books and Archives Premium

Access the best websites, books and organizations for researching your German roots.

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When You Think You’re German, But You Aren’t

Q. I’ve made little headway in 30 years of researching my Hondlenk line. I was under the assumption Hondlenk is a German name, but a friend went to Germany and asked everyone about it. Germans told her the name is probably Dutch or Danish. Now I don’t know what nationality it is. A. From the […]