Tracing your Posen Roots
For those tracing their ancestry, Posen offers rich resources to uncover family historie
For those researching their family history, Posen, Prussia offers a wealth of historical records that provide valuable insights into generations past.
Church Records
Church registers are essential for genealogy, often dating back centuries. These records document baptisms, marriages, and burials, and many can still be accessed through Polish and German archives.
Civil Registration Documents
Before 1874, vital records in Posen were primarily kept by churches, but afterward, Prussian registry offices (Standesämter) maintained comprehensive records of births, marriages, and deaths.
Online Databases
Genealogical research is more accessible than ever, thanks to digitized records available on platforms such as Genealogy.net, FamilySearch, and Ancestry.com. These resources contain church books, census data, and local historical records from the former province of Posen.
Genealogy Societies and Archives
Organizations like the Poznań Society of Friends of Learning and German family history groups provide assistance in locating ancestral records. The Polish State Archives and the Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz in Berlin hold crucial collections of Prussian-era documents from Posen.

Town family books
Posen had local family records known as Ortsfamilienbücher, which document birth, marriage, and death details of individuals in specific towns. Researchers can find digitized versions in Polish genealogical repositories such as Szukajwarchiwach and State Archives Databases, as well as in German genealogical repositories like FamilySearch’s Posen Town Genealogies and Posen Genealogie. These resources offer a valuable tool for tracing family roots and uncovering ancestral connections.
Explore the rich history of Posen, Prussia, and uncover your family’s legacy through historical archives and expert resources.