China Collection of Genealogies - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
中國, 族譜收藏

Record Description
This collection will include records from 1239-2014.

This collection is comprised of Chinese genealogy records collected from various institutions and sources in China, North America, and some Southeast Asian areas.

The records are mostly about families who have lived in various provinces in China for several generations. They consist of clan genealogies, civil records, compiled biographies, histories, and genealogy charts. Although some genealogies reach as far back as 1239, the time period and content of the records will vary from one genealogy to the next.

Since most of the records are written in traditional Chinese characters, it is assumed that the user should be able to read Chinese or get help from someone who can read Chinese to fully benefit from this collection. See the section titled For Help Reading These Records for translation tools.

These records are written in Chinese.

Record Content
Genealogy collections generally include the following information:


 * A brief history of the origin of the family and the dispersion pattern of some of the branches
 * A list of male ancestors’ names according to generation order
 * The birth year or death year of the ancestor, if known
 * The maiden name or surname of the spouse, if known
 * The number and names of the male descendants of each couple, if known

How to Use the Record
To begin your search, it is helpful to know the following information:


 * Ancestor's name
 * Approximate year and place of birth
 * Province
 * Any family relationships

Search the Collection
To search by image: To search the collection by image, select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page: ⇒Select the appropriate "Family Name" ⇒Select the appropriate "Country" ⇒Select the appropriate "Province" ⇒Select the appropriate "County" ⇒Select the appropriate "Title and Year" which will take you to the images.

Search the collection by image and compare the information you find with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to compare several images in order to make this determination.

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in Chinese. For help reading the records, see the following links:
 * Chinese Research Helps
 * Chinese Translation

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct; there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor.
 * Your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.
 * Check for variant spellings of the names.

General Information about These Records
The size, generational depth, and type of information included in clan genealogies is varied. Some of the records have been obtained from private households and collectors in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, and the United States. These records may be hand-copied, single volume manuscripts that only contain information about recent generations in a few pages of pedigree charts. Other records may be published in a standard format or have a deeper wealth of information. Most of the records are easily readable, although some documents have been damaged due to aging, water droplets, and tight bindings.

Records in this collection primarily contain information between the Qing dynasty and the Republic era (1700s to early 1900s), though some material from earlier and later dates is included.

Most of the genealogies that have been microfilmed in the various library collections are printed books that average ten volumes per title.

Clan or lineage genealogies constitute the major source material for Chinese family historians and genealogists. Scholars have shown that clan genealogies can be a valuable source for research into Chinese history.

The objectives of Chinese genealogical research have changed tremendously over time. Researchers are now studying Chinese genealogies as a supplement to other research areas, such as social and economic history, geographical history, history of law, population history, religion and culture, history of overseas Chinese, inheritance practices, and biography of historical figures.

In the history of the Chinese people, there are three elements that are significant: (a) China's history, (b) the local gazette, and (c) a clan's genealogy. Of these three elements, clan genealogies have the longest history and are the most influential. Family genealogies were recorded first as objects tied onto knotted rope and later by writing on turtle shells, cow bones, and bronze. These purpose of these records was to memorialize changes in a family's lineage and honor that family's ancestors.

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Websites

 * The Complicated Chinese Family Tree
 * Chinese Genealogy
 * The Origin of Chinese Surnames
 * Online genealogical resources for Chinese research
 * Online histories of China
 * China Maps

Related Wiki Articles

 * China Genealogy
 * China History
 * China Emigration and Immigration
 * China

Citations for This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Image Citation: