Genealogical Resources
Genealogical Resources of Interest to North American Amish & Mennonites
A growing number of resources are available to persons interested in Mennonite family history. Although many ethnic and language groups are part of the Mennonite community in North America, this has only been the case since the 1950s. The immigrants who brought the Mennonite faith to North America in the 18th and 19th centuries originated from the 16th century Anabaptist movement in Europe. One stream originated in Switzerland/South Germany, the other in Netherlands/North Germany.
Many of the Swiss/South German Mennonites immigrated to North America in the 18th and 19th century. Some lived in Pennsylvania for several generations before coming to Canada. Others, like the first Canadian Amish, came directly from Europe. These Mennonites are sometimes popularly called "Swiss" Mennonites.
Many Dutch/North German Mennonites immigrated to Prussia and Russia (present-day Ukraine) before immigrating to North America in the 19th and 20th centuries. Some of these Mennonites immigrated again to Mexico in the 1920s; many descendents of this migration returned to Canada in the last quarter of the 20th century. The Mennonites of this heritage are sometimes popularly called "Russian" Mennonites.
General Sources
- Library of Congress (Washington, D. C.) (Library of Congress, Washington DC, in December 2008 had over 920 books on the Amish, including 36 genealogies, and 1,390 books on the Mennonites, including 140 genealogies)
- Family History Library (Salt Lake City, Utah) (In December 2008 the Family History Library had 248 books on the Amish and 1,542 on the Mennonites. Many are genealogies.)
Canadian Sources
- The Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society has made available many source lists for genealogists interested in the Dutch/North German stream..
- An introductory article on "Russian" Mennonite genealogy has been prepared by Anna Epp Ens for the Mennonite Heritage Centre (Winnipeg, MB). This article is a good starting point
- The Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta has also made some resources available; a current project are the records of the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization.
- The Mennonite Historical Society of British Columbia has links to several obituary indexes and a number of lists related to the "Russian Mennonite" experience.
- Mennonite Cemetery Transcriptions, Saskatchewan
- Mennonite Cemetery Transcriptions, Alberta
- Mennonite Brethren Herald Obituaries Online
- Mennonite Genealogical Data Index
provides links to a wide variety of genealogical resources of interest to
Mennonites.
- Conrad Grebel University College Library (Waterloo, ON) has prepared a genealogical finding aid of its resources, primarily for "Swiss" Mennonites.
- Some personal web sites contain useful links to a wide variety of of genealogical sites. One such is managed by Tim Janzen in Portland OR
- See also the Mennonite and Amish libraries and archives that relate to the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada
U.S. Sources
Some Mennonite Historical Libraries in the United States have significant genealogical resources of interest to North American Amish &Mennonites. These include:
- Mennonite Library
and Archives (North Newton Kansas)
- Strong in "Russian" Mennonite history and genealogy, especially from 19th century immigration
- Center for
Mennonite Brethren Studies (Fresno, California)
- "Russian" Mennonite genealogy
-
Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society
(Lancaster, Pa.)
- "Swiss" Mennonite and Amish genealogy
- Menno Simons
Historical Library (Harrisonburg, Virginia)
- "Swiss" Mennonite, particularly with connections in Virginia
- Mennonite Historical Library (Goshen
College, Goshen, Indiana)
The Goshen College library is searchable via the PALNI Library network. A search on this network also includes the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (Elkhart, Indiana). - Mennonite Historical Library
(Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio)
- The Library is searchable through the Ohio Private Academic Libraries (OPAL) online system
- Particular strength in Amish and "Swiss" Mennonite genealogy
- Swiss Anabaptist Genealogical
Association - OMII (Kidron, Ohio)
- Particular strength in Amish and "Swiss" Mennonite genealogy
Amish & Mennonite family names with web sites
Additional submissions to this list are welcome
Last updated 3 January 2009
