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Genealogical Resources

Handbooks

  • Hoskins, Janina W. Polish genealogy & heraldry: an introduction to research. LML Pol.Coll. CS 872 H67 1987, LML Docs US LC 35.9:P75 Includes useful historical notes and chronologies and a list of important addresses in Poland, the U.S., and elsewhere, as well as a list of relevant books, most of them in the Library of Congress, in Washington, D.C
  • Greenwood, Val D. The researcher's guide to American genealogy. LML CS 47 G73, LML Ref CS 47 G79 2000 For tracing family in the United States, and for general methodology.
    Prinke, Rafal. Poradnik genealoga amatora. LML Pol.Coll. CS 12 P75 1992

Geographical Resources

  • Slownik geograficzny Krolestwa Polskiego. LML Pol. Coll. DJK 7 S46 1975 This 15-volume set is a reprint of a geographical dictionary published in 1880, so it lists towns and cities under the names used at that time, just before the period of heaviest emigration to the United Stated. It is in Polish. There are often several towns with the same name. Cites detailed information about churches and populations.
    Pogonowski, Iwo. Poland: a historical atlas. LML, LML Pol.Coll. G 1951 S1 P34 1987 Gives a clear outline of changes in Poland's borders over the centuries.
  • Topographical maps of Poland produced by the U.S. Army Map Service. These maps housed in the Map Collection at the Science and Engineering Library, at Capen Hall, have a scale of 1:250,000, so 4 miles of land looks like about an inch. They were produced from the 1940s to 1960s. Gazetteers help you find particular towns on a map.
  • Slownik nazw geograficznych Polski zachodniej i polnocnej. LML Pol.Coll. DK 403 R6 Two volumes. Translates Polish place names to German, and vice versa.
    Bialecki, Tadeusz. Nazewnictwo geograficzne miasta Szczecina. LML Pol.Coll. DD 901 S79 B5 Lists geographic names in German and Polish in the Szczecin area.
    Hrabec, Stefan. Nazwy dzielnic i okolic Gdanska. LML DD 901 D42 H7 Lists German and Polish geographic names in the Gdansk region.

Armorials

  • Niesiecki, Kaspar. Herbarz Polski. LML Pol.Coll. CS 874 N6 1979 The most comprehensive Polish armorial. Originally published in 1845, reprinted in 1979 and 1995. Ten volumes listing family names and describing the coats of arms of each. Only a few are illustrated.
  • Stupnicki, Hipolit. Herbarz polski i imionospis zasluzonych w Polsce ludzi wszystkich stanow i czasow. LML Pol.Coll. CS 874 S7, vols. 1/3 Originally published in 1855, this supplements Niesiecki's work.
  • Herby rodow polskich. LML Pol.Coll. CR 616 H47 1990 Includes color illustrations of coats of arms and lists of names associated with them.
  • Gumowski, Marian. Handbuch der polnischen Heraldik. LML Pol.Coll. CR 613 P7 G8 Explains different kinds of coats of arms and the symbols involved.

Biographical sources

  • Polski slownik biograficzny LML Pol.Coll. CT 1230 P6 Started publication in 1935.
  • Kto jest kim w Polsce. LML Pol.Coll. CT 1230 K84 Selectively lists important (living) people in Poland today, and what they are known for. Excludes many prominent politicians.
  • Genealogia, Tablice. LML Pol.Coll. CS 874 D83 Suppl. Family trees of some important royal or noble families.
  • Materialy do biografii, genealogii i heraldyki polskiej. LML Pol.Coll. CT 1230 K6 9 volumes of materials relating to Polish biography, genealogy, and heraldry, with summaries in English, bibliographies, and name indexes at end of each volume.

Directories

  • Polish research guide. LML Pol.Coll. AS 258 P6 1974 Lists archives, universities, and research organizations in Poland, but it is somewhat out of date, because it was published in 1974. Unfortunately, it does not list churches.
  • Informator nauki polskiej. LML Pol.Coll. AS 256 P7 I5 Similar to the Polish research guide above, but in Polish and issued annually, so it is more up-to-date