Research Sources
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Genealogical Research Sources
FamilySearch - NEW! Good news! The GSFA has received FamilySearch Affiliate Library Status. That means, that additional resources will be available to those who visit our library to do their research through FamilySearch. If you have not created an account with FamilySearch, you must do so and use that account when you work from our library. These are records you will not be able to access from home. For more information, call us at 586-777-2720 during regular business hours. Monday, Friday and the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.
New - Youth Resources
NEW! AAA State of Play - Genealogy for Kids: Building a Family Tree (thanks to our favorite Boy Scout, Isaac, for suggesting this!) - https://www.aaastateofplay.com/genealogy-for-kids-building-a-family-tree/
Detroit Area Sources
The Buyse Library Research Center at GSFA - The Genealogical Society of Flemish American' s Buyse Library Research Center has become the largest collection of Flemish genealogical records outside of Belgium, the GSFA helps people trace their Flemish and Belgian heritage; publishes a newsletter and magazine of pictures, stories, queries, and genealogy information; and has a large library of genealogy and Belgian heritage material at the American House in Roseville, Michigan, USA. Learn more about our Library Services.
The Belgian American Association - Founded in 1927, the Belgian-American Association has been an integral part of Detroit’s Belgian Community for 90+ years. The purpose of the Belgian-American Association is to encourage fellowship among its members, promote social and cultural activities within the membership and preserve the Belgian heritage.
LIBRARIES (US)
Genealogy Research at Public Libraries -
Public Library Links, By County (SE MI)- Macomb | Oakland | Wayne | St. Clair | Washtenaw | Other MI Public Libraries By County
County Public Libaries - By US states
Genealogy Research at Academic/College/Universities - Michigan | US by State
Other Library Links - State Libraries | National Libraries | Regional Consortia | Special and School Libraries
National Archives: The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper. Of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States Federal government, only 1%-3% are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept by us forever. Those valuable records are preserved and are available to you, whether you want to see if they contain clues about your family's history, need to prove a veteran's military service, or are researching a historical topic that interests you.
Your Family and Friends
Five Things All Family Historians Should Do Before They Die - This is a timely and insightful article that discusses the necessity of getting our family stories recorded and the current available methods to do so.
General Genealogy Sources
Ancestry.com - A family tree takes you back generations—the world’s largest collection of online records makes it possible.
Family Search -Online search of the LDS (Mormon) archives. You can order a handy Dutch Genealogy word list.
Ancestral Findings - Ancestral Findings allows you to request one free genealogy search per day in your choice of a wide range of historical records, including birth, marriage, census, land, military, and state records.
Ellis Island- The Statue Of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc. You'll find authoritative information about Liberty and Ellis Island.
Geneanet - Geneanet is a community of more than 3 million members who share their genealogical information for free: more than 6 billion individuals in the family trees, some digitized archival records, some family pictures, some indexes, all available through a powerful search engine, and a blog.
Belgian Genealogy Sites
Rock Island County Historical Society - Home of the digital collection of the Gazette van Moline.
Center for Belgian Culture of Western Illinois & Belgian Museum of the Quad Cities (CBC) - Established to preserve and share our proud heritage, forming a social and professional network to help Belgians residing in, or visiting the Quad Cities area.
The Belgian Researchers (Belgian American Heritage Association) - Our organization was founded in 1976 and welcomes as members any person of Belgian descent interested in Genealogy, History, Biography or Heraldry, either amateur or professional.
Flanders House - A great site dedicated to a better understanding of the region of Flanders, including its culture, history, government, research, education, and innovation.
The Ontario County Historical Society - Preserves and promotes the history of the county in the broader context from its origins to the present to help people gain perspective from the past and find purpose for the future.
National Archives of Belgium (English)
Belgium Genealogy @ancestry.com - How to find your Roots in Belgium.
Database Akten West-Vlaanderen- In Dutch - There is two parts: 'Burgerlijke Stand' is government while 'Parochieregisters' is church. Each part is divided into Birth/Baptism (Geboorten/Dopen), Marriage (Huwelijken) and Death (Begrafenissen/Overlidjens). When you choose the subgroup, click on the last one of the three ovals at the bottom (Zoekscherm). All the records are in West Flanders.
Heruitgeverij (Historical Re-Editing). Dutch site. - Check their catalog for your relatives. They also publish Belgian history books.
Genealogie in het Hageland - Our working group for Genealogy in the Hageland and East-Brabant has almost all parish records between 1574 10 1900 of the parishes between Leuven, Aarschot, Diest en Tienen.
Genealogie en geschiedenis van Sint-Amands - Sint Amands is a town southwest of Antwerpen - in Dutch only
Cyndislist - Belgium / Belgique / België » Societies & Groups
GenealogyLinks.net - Belgium Genealogy links.
Belgian Family Specific Genealogy Websites
Laukens family genealogy - mostly in Dutch; however there is a section in English. Almost every Laukens in Belgium can trace their roots to the village Achel (near Dutch border).
Vandenbossche, Michaux, Beeckman, Decoster
Familienaam Rog(ghe)man(ns) [plays music when page loads] - the surname Rogman (other variations are Rogmans, Roggman, Roggmann) - in Dutch with some English.
Belgian Regional City/County Sites
Try Belgian cities in this format - www.city.be - you replace the word city with a Belgian city of your choice to check if they have a website in that city. If you do find a link to a town that is not listed in here, please send me an email.
Aalst City info, plus some genealogy | Antwerp (In English) | Beveren | Brugge | Harelbeke | Hasselt | Izegem in West Flanders | Koksijde - click on 'English' for English version. | Kortrijk | Leuven | Mechelen - in Dutch | Namur | Oostende (In English) | Poperinge a town in West Flanders - Click on EN for English version | Tielt | Tongeren |Sint Gillis Waas | Waregem - in Dutch | Wervik | Westhoek | Wevelgem | Zwevegem | Zwijndrecht
Flanders Today - Flanders Today, an English-language online newspaper, is an initiative of the Flemish Region and is financially supported by the Flemish authorities.
Directories
Belgium Ad-Valvas - (Internet directory for Belgium) In Dutch or French only.
World Wide Walloons have much info, including new Belgian town pictures.
Translators
Old Flemish Words List - GSFA's list of old Flemish words that you may encounter in your research.
Google Translate - Instant translation from Dutch to English
Learn Dutch - This site builds your vocabulary, gives you the feeling of the language, and has sound files so you can hear the pronunciation. Do it before they start charging for it!!
Clubs
The Belgium Club - Manitoba, Canada
Volk in Nood - A Flemish charity, mostly in Dutch with some English pages and more coming. We've challenged them to educate more Americans about Flemish history, roots and politics. They have a great Links page if you're in the mood for surfing Belgium. A freebie: a currency translator, including Euros. Download dll.zip, euroe.exe and ocx.zip, about 600K.
Music & Art
Tintin - Belgium's most famous cartoon character. Bigger than the Smurfs.
Non-Genealogy
Belgian Recipes and traditions
Brewery Ommegang -In Cooperstown, NY makes beer the Belgian way, and has interesting info at their site about why Belgian beer is different from American beer. LOTS different! Plus lots of Belgian stuff to buy, like Tintin posters and Duvel Beer t shirts. The dark Abbey-style is really good
The Belgian Shop - Hundreds of Belgian products shipped globally. Beer, cheese, chocolate, spirit, glasses, Christmas, Xmas gift delivered AT YOUR DOOR. BelgianShop, the reference regarding the Belgian beers.