Mining FamiliySearch Historical Records For Name Articles
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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

China

India

Korea

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!

Copyright Information: ©2020 by Martha L. Ranc; all rights reserved. Permission is granted to copy for heraldic use within the Society for Creative Anachronism providing that the revision date, originating URL, and author are shown.  Distribution of substantively modified versions of this document is prohibited without the explicit permission of the copyright holder.

[1] You used to be able to have a copy of the microfilm sent to your local FamilySearch center; however, that rental program was discontinues in 2017 as the Church is in the process of digitalizing all of their microfilm. You can always check to see if a local stake near you has copies of the microfilms you are interested in if they have not yet been digitalized.

[2] All urls cited in this article were verified as active in August 2020. All items mentioned were also checked for digitalization status. This will change frequently.