Polish Genealogy Research
Hire a Polish genealogist from the UK
You know their name. Find the family behind it.
A grandparent left Poland, but the family story stops there. Commission research into one ancestor or family line, starting with the names and documents you already hold in Britain. We investigate original Polish records and provide a written report in English, with references and copies where available.
- 4.9 / 5client rating
- 10+ yearsin Polish archives
- Englishreports and copies
Does this sound familiar?
What is stopping your search?
Open the situation closest to yours. You do not need to solve it before getting in touch.
01You have a name, but no village
A British certificate says only Poland. A remembered place has several spellings. You cannot tell which parish to search.
How we help: We compare names, dates and places across your existing documents, then investigate the parish or locality that fits the evidence.
02You cannot read the records
Even a promising entry can be difficult to use when it is handwritten in Polish, Latin, Russian or German.
How we help: We read the relevant entries, check the family relationships and explain in English what the documents establish and what remains uncertain.
03Polish offices and archives feel hard to navigate
You are unsure where the registers are held, how to phrase an enquiry or which access rules apply.
How we help: We identify the holding institution and handle relevant research enquiries in Polish where appropriate. If a request needs authorisation or supporting documents, we explain the next step. Official copies are a separate service.
Your research, with help in Poland
What your Polish genealogy research includes
You bring the names, memories and documents. The Polish Genealogist brings experience with the sources, the languages and the practical work of archival research.
A search built around your question
Start with a question such as “Who were my grandparent’s parents, and where did they live?” We follow the evidence relevant to that person or family line.
Help with the language and the archives
We identify relevant collections, read the original material and deal with research enquiries where appropriate. You receive explanations in English.
A result you can keep and understand
Your written report records the searches, findings, sources and remaining gaps. Digital copies are included where available and permitted.
Missing records and uncertain matches are part of research. We explain them openly, so you can distinguish documented family history from a possible lead.
Start with what you have
Trace your Polish ancestors from British documents
The search often starts with papers your family already keeps in Britain. We connect those details with Polish records.
British clues we work from
- Marriage certificateNames both fathers and their occupations.
- Death registrationSince 1969 records the place of birth in England and Wales.
- Naturalisation papersUsually give a date and place of birth.
- Polish forces recordsBirthplace and often next of kin. About UK-held records
- Letters and photographsParish names, postmarks and original spellings.
Behind every name
What Polish ancestry records can tell you
Polish registers were kept in detail. Depending on the region and period, a single entry can show:
Three generations in one entry
Galician baptism entries frequently name the parents of both the father and the mother.
Parents and maiden names
Marriage entries in central Poland usually name both sets of parents, with the mothers’ maiden names.
The house they lived in
Galician registers often give the house number, linking generations under one roof.
Work and standing
Occupations and status: farmer, craftsman, servant, townsman or gentry.
Household and moves
Population registers list households with arrivals and departures.
How their lives ended
Date and age at death and, in some regions, the cause.
Written in
- Polish
- Latin
- Russian
- German
Explained to you in English.
What you receive
A clear written report in English
- The research question and the sources we checked
- Every record found, with archive and catalogue references
- Digital copies or images of the records, where the archive allows
- An explanation of what the records show and what remains uncertain
- Searches that found nothing, so the same work is not repeated
- Recommendations for the next step, if more could be found
How long it takes: most cases are completed within 3 to 6 months. A simpler case can take about 2 months, and an exceptionally complex one around 7 months, depending on the archives involved. Your report is delivered by email.
Buy with confidence
- More than 10 years of professional researchPolish civil, parish, military and archival records, explained in clear English.
- 14 days to change your mindIf you withdraw within 14 days of your order and before research begins, you receive a full refund. See our terms.
- Secure online paymentYour payment uses an encrypted connection. Card details are entered only on the secure payment page.
- A registered business in PolandFull business details are in our terms and privacy policy.
Simple from the UK
How our Polish genealogy research works
1Tell us what you knowNames, rough dates, places and copies of any documents.
2Choose your research timeCompare the packages and prices below. Ask us which service fits if you are unsure.
3We search the recordsPolish registers and archives. No travel or Polish letters for you.
4Your report by emailRecords, copies, sources and the next step, in English.
Before you start
Questions about hiring a Polish genealogist
How much does a Polish genealogist cost?
Our fixed packages cover 10, 20 or 30 hours of professional research. Compare the package prices below before deciding whether to order. Archive charges, certified copies, extensive translation or travel are not included and are never incurred without your approval.
Why hire a Polish genealogist?
Online indexes cover only part of the surviving registers, and many entries are handwritten in Latin, Russian or German. A professional genealogist identifies the right parish, reads the original entries and checks that each record belongs to your family, not to someone with a similar name.
I only know a name and a rough date. Is that enough?
Often it is. We use the name, the date and any place clue from your British documents to find the right parish, then work outwards from the first record we find.
My grandfather came to Britain with the Polish forces. Can you trace his family?
That is one of the most useful starting points. His service records can point to a birthplace, and from there we search the Polish registers for his parents and earlier generations. For his military career, see our military records research.
Our surname was anglicised in Britain. Will that stop the search?
No. We work from the original Polish forms and spelling variants, and check each match against dates, places and family details, not the surname alone.
Were the records destroyed in the war?
Some were lost, but far more survive than many families expect. In central Poland civil registers were kept in two copies, so a lost parish book can often be replaced by its duplicate.
How far back can you go?
It depends on the parish. Many registers reach well into the 1700s. A larger package gives us more time to follow the evidence for the agreed family line and question.
Was my family noble?
Registers often state social standing, and land records show who held property. We report what the documents show, whether gentry, farmers or townspeople.
Do I need to travel to Poland or speak Polish?
No. You order and pay from the UK in pounds sterling, and receive your report and copies by email, in English.
What if a record cannot be found?
You pay for research time, so no one can promise a record survives. You still receive a clear account of every source checked and the most promising next step.
How long does it take?
Most cases take 3 to 6 months, depending on the archives. A simpler case can take about 2 months, an exceptionally complex one around 7.
Your next step
Polish genealogy research cost and packages
Choose the time you want us to devote to one family line and one research question. Every package includes a written report in English.
The prices below cover professional research time, rather than a guaranteed discovery. Archive charges, certified copies, extensive translation and travel are separate and require your approval. Most cases take 3 to 6 months, depending on the archives involved.
Unsure which package fits? Send us your question. We reply with the relevant service and price or a quote before you decide whether to commission research.
Focused search
£75010 hours of research
Best for one ancestor or family line and one clear question.
- Review of the names, dates and documents you already hold
- The most promising civil and parish records searched
- English-language report with sources and copies where available
Save £200
Deeper investigation
£1,30020 hours of research
Best when you want to go further back or the family story has gaps.
- Everything in the 10-hour package
- Time to follow new leads into additional archives
- Archive enquiries prepared and followed up
- Earlier generations traced where the registers allow
Save £350
Extended research
£1,90030 hours of research
Best for a complex family line, changing borders or conflicting records.
- Everything in the 20-hour package
- Research across several parishes, archives or regions
- Analysis of conflicting or incomplete records
- A fuller family picture across the generations
Begin your research
Order your Polish genealogy research
- 1Choose your research time and tell us about your family
- 2Pay securely in pounds sterling
- 3We confirm your research question by email before archival work begins
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Start with one question
The records are in Polish archives. The clues are in your family.
Your next step can be one focused question. Compare the packages above, or tell us what you are looking for and we will reply with the fitting service and price or a quote.