Polish family history guides
Find your next step in Polish family history. Start with the research planning guide, explore the record groups below, or ask for help with your family’s search.
Military history and Polish forces
- Polish Army in France
- The Polish Resettlement Corps
- A guide to Polish military records
- No. 303 Squadron RAF – The Story of Poland's Finest Fighter Pilots
- Battle of Britain
- Polish service records held in the UK
- Polish Military Identity Cards
- Polish Military Decorations and Medals
- Polish Prisoner of War Records – How to obtain WW2 POW Documents
- Austrian Military Records – Tracing Galician Ancestors in the Austro-Hungarian Army
- German World War II Service Records – How to Find and Request Them
- Anders' Army Records: How to Trace Your Ancestor in the 2nd Polish Corps
- Polish Air Force in the UK: How to Find Personnel and Squadron Files
- General Haller’s Blue Army: Tracing Polish Volunteers from WWI
- Home Army (Armia Krajowa) Records: Researching the Underground
- Searching for Service Records of the Polish Navy in Great Britain
Births, marriages, deaths and parish records
- Finding Polish birth records
- Cemeteries in Poland
- Polish State Archives
- Vital Records from Poland
- Finding Polish marriage records
- Finding Polish death records
- Polish parish and church records
- Causes of death in Latin: Morbus et Qualitas Mortis
- The 100-Year Privacy Rule for Polish Birth Records Explained
- Reading Latin Birth Records: A Guide to Polish Parish Registers
- Deciphering Russian Cyrillic in Polish Vital Records
- Reading German Script in Records from the Prussian Partition
- Searching for Evangelical and Lutheran Ancestors in Poland
- How to Search for Greek Catholic and Uniate Records in Poland
- Using Polish Allegata Records to Find Missing details
- Tracking Illegitimate Birth Records in Old Polish Registers
- Identifying your ancestor’s parish
- Searching Geneteka
- Tracing Ancestors via Polish Marriage Banns
- Finding Divorce and Annulment Records in Polish Genealogy
- Using Polish Cemetery Records to Trace Your Ancestors
- Identifying Religious Conversions Inside Vital Records
- Occupations and Social Status Inside Polish Vital Records
- Late Registration and Delayed Acts in Polish Vital Records
Getting started and Polish families in Britain
Historical figures
- Tadeusz Kościuszko: Soldier of Liberty in Poland and America
- Kazimierz Pułaski (Casimir Pulaski) Genealogy: Family's Polish Origins
- Stanisław August Poniatowski: Tracing the Poniatowski Line Through Genealogical Records
- Maria Skłodowska-Curie: A Detailed Look at Her Polish Origins and Early Life
- Fryderyk Chopin’s Family Tree: A Genealogical Guide to His Polish Roots
Citizenship research
Archival sources and everyday life
- Notarial Records in Poland
- Pre-War Polish Passport and ID Applications
- Polish Population and Residence Registers
- An introduction to Polish archival sources
- How to Find Polish Census Records – Years 1921, 1931 and Earlier
- Polish Passenger Lists
- Displaced Persons (DP) Records
- Border Crossing Permits from Poland
- Polish Land and Mortgage Registers
- Wills and Testaments of Polish Ancestors
- Court Records and Litigation
- Polish School Certificates and Records
- University Student Files in Poland
- Guild and Trade Records from Poland
- Civil Service Personnel Files
- Parish Census Records (Polish Status Animarum)
- Polish Nobility Records (Legitymacja Szlachectwa)
- Polish Police and Law Enforcement Records
Family stories and Polish roots
- Max Factor’s Polish Origins: The True Story of Maksymilian Faktorowicz
- Helena Rubinstein: The Polish Origins of a Global Beauty Icon
- Pola Negri: The Polish Star Who Conquered Silent-Era Hollywood
- The Warner Brothers’ Polish Roots: Uncovering the Wonskolaser Family History
- Antoni Patek: The Polish-Born Watchmaker Who Built a Life in Switzerland
Polish names, places and heritage
- The Meaning of Poland’s Flag: Colours, History and Proper Use
- Polish Ancestry Traits: Signs You Can Verify
- The Many Names of Poland (Explained): Polska, Polonia, Lechia and More
- Polish Population in the UK: Latest Figures, Trends and Where Polish Communities Live
- Polish Surnames Explained: Endings, Spelling Variants, Meanings & Research Tips