Mining FamilySearch Historical Records for Name Articles

Jeanne Marie Lacroix, Noir Licorne

Last revised 5 August 2020

FamilySearch Historical Records provide a wealth of primary sources for period names. (For our purposes scan/microfilmed of records created in period, even indices, are considered primary records.) Some of those, mostly non-European, are presented here. Whether extracting a single name for a submitter or creating a name article for be sure to include: a brief description of the source, where you got it (the url), and for records in non-Latin characters what transcription system you use. Below are examples of some of the records available. Note: I am working from the catalog descriptions, some of these may not actually be usable for our purposes.

Accessing Images: FamilySearch requires a free account to access records. Many images can be viewed from anywhere, but some are limited to the Family History Library and FamilySearch centers. You can probably access those at your local stake - there is no charge for this. Other records are currently only available on microfilm.^[1]

Finding Records: Click Search then Catalog. Under place enter a country or small division (county, city, etc.). Look for relevant categories. Keep in mind the reason that the Church has microfilmed these records - you will be able to find records that tie people to a given place at a given date in any category but some are more useful than others. I recommend starting with Census, Church Records, and Military Records.

Hints: The FamilySearch wiki often has word lists and hints on reading the writing as well as information on the types of records available for a given country/area. This is always a good place to start. The main page is https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Main_Page.^[2]

Brazil

• Note that references to "New Christians" refer to Jews. If you can find a copy (it's not available online) of Cristãos Novos na Bahia by Anita Novinsky (in Portuguese) you will find names of New Christians (Jews) from the 1646 Inquiry in the "indice onomástico".
• Church Records - Information about these records can be found at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Brazil_Church_Records. Examples:
  • Catholic Church records from Bahia 1598-2007, https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2177272. See Salvador - Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Praia for some pre-1650 records, there are probably other parishes with early records. The records are in Portuguese (possibly with some Latin.
  • Dutch Reformed Church, Pernambuco Brazil (baptisms 1633-1653), https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/005855663?cc=2037985&cat=73129 (item 4). The records are in Dutch.
• Inventários e testamentos (Inventories and Wills, extracts) covering 1633-1651 (vol. 41), available on microfilm (FHL # 962230, https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/95936) but not yet digitalized.

China

• Compiled genealogies (Jiapu) are available online. These aren't really primary sources as they may have been created at any point of time; however, given the limited information we have available it is likely these would be accepted by Pelican. We accept secondary sources in other languages. Information on this source can be found at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Chinese_Research_Helps and information about what is in a Jiapu is at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/img_auth.php/1/14/Whats_in_a_Jiapu_%281%29.pdf (this is interesting reading even if you're not interested in extracting names at this time). The records primarily use traditional Chinese. The images are at https://www.familysearch.org/search/image/index?owc=https://www.familysearch.org/service/cds/recapi/sord/collection/1787988/waypoints.

India

• See "Genealogical Records of Medieval India", https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Genealogical_Records_of_Medieval_India, for some ideas of where names can be found. Unfortunately the referenced genealogies don’t seem to be in the catalog.
• Hindu pilgrimage records: Most are available online only to Church members, but you may be able to access them at your local stake, https://www.familysearch.org/search/image/index?owc=https://www.familysearch.org/service/cds/recapi/sord/collection/1867930/waypoints. Records cover 1194-2015. Information on this source is found at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/India,_Hindu_Pilgrimage_Records_-_FamilySearch_Historical_Records.

Korea

• Census records (including family registrations) - can include records of all classes, including slaves and females.  Examples:
  • https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1878078,경상도 산음 동면 수다곡리(장적)慶尙道 山陰 東面 水多谷里(帳籍), 1600 (From the notes, Gim, Sik family registration who lived in Sudakok-ri in 1600.), FHL #1697096, item 1. Images available on-line.
  • https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1909616, 대구大邱 기유己酉 장적帳籍- 동중면東中面 : 수군水軍 김부흥金副興, 1546-1604, FHL #1697126, item 2. Images available on-line.
• Civil service examination records (from 1326-1900) - Records are in Korean and Chinese. Includes names of spouse, https://familysearch.org/search/image/index#uri=https://familysearch.org/recapi/sord/collection/2316009/waypoints (because of the nature of the url, you will need to paste it in your browser rather than clicking the hyperlink). The wiki has more information on this source -https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Korea_Civil_Service_Examinations_and_Records_of_Officials_and_Employees_-_FamilySearch_Historical_Records.
• Officials and employees - 관북관찰사선생안 關北觀察使先生案, 1497-1877, https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1192270. Images are available on-line.

Mexico

• Aztec: Kaxtolli yeipohual makuilli tekatokaitl axtekameh = Treiscientos sesenta y cinco nombres aztecas, a list of 365 Aztec names with Spanish definitions. This is a secondary source and needs to be evaluated for suitability, but given our lack of sources for Aztec names this is likely to a good starting point. The microfilm has not yet been digitalized (FHL # 1224510, item 6, https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/446083).
• Church records contain names of both Spanish and Indian converts. The records are in Spanish. Records of Indians will generally be in a separate book, or section of a book. For example Mexico, Coahuila, Catholic Church records = México, Coahuila, registros parroquiales, 1627-1978 - Salito, San Esteban Promaártir - Deunciones (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6963-HC2?owc=waypoints&wc=MKC3-GP8%3A64891201%2C67295101%2C67952701&cc=1502401).
• There is a book (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1928218) with transcription of two Mayan manuscripts (and a parallel Spanish translation) that may have useful information. The manuscripts are from mid-16th century: Documento n.1 del deslinde de tierras en Yaxkukul, Yuc, by Alfredo Barrera Vásquez. The document is in Mayan and Spanish. (This book is available in a number of university libraries. It has not been digitalized so far as I can tell, but Hathi Trust has a limited search available, https://catalog.hathitrust.org/api/volumes/oclc/12810804.html.

Mongolia

• Genealogical tables of the descendants of Dayan-qan - the digital version of this microfilm is available at FamilySearch centers (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/198517). This "includes a list of Mongols who were given Chinese military ranks from 1571 to 1613." It is a secondary source but may have usable information on names.

Sweden

• Mönsterrullor, 1620-1723 (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/434583). This is a secondary source and the names may be normalized. The records are in Swedish and have not yet been digitalized. From the catalog “Muster rolls, inventory of regiments and commanders, and card index of officers, etc. of Greater Sweden, including Army personnel of Finland; enlisted soldiers in Swedish service of Germany, the Baltic States; list of soldiers stationed in garrisons of Pomerania, now Poland; Mecklenburg, Bremen-Verden, Wismar, in Holstein and other coastal garrisons; of Kaporie or Koporje and Ingermanland, now Leningrad region in Russia.”

This just scratches the surface of records available through the Family History Library/Family Search Historical Records that are available for those interested in creating name articles for the SCA (or simply researching a name). Enjoy!

---

This is the official website of the College of Arms of the Society for Creative Anachronism. Copyright © 1995-2026 Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. The copyright for some material is retained by its original contributors. Links to third-party websites do not represent an endorsement of, and the SCA is not responsible for, their content. This website and the data it collects are governed by the SCA.org Privacy Policy. This page was last updated on Monday, September 2, 2024. To report website issues, contact Codex Herald.