Japan Genealogies - FamilySearch Historical Records

Japan

What is in the Collection?
This collection will include records from 850 to 2012. These records are in Japanese. See the For Help Reading These Records section of this article for translation tools.

This is a collection of Japanese clan genealogies from Japan. The records are arranged by family. Dates and localities will vary for each record depending on the family. All records from this collection are housed at the National Archives of Japan in Tokyo.

Some families have genealogies detailing pedigrees back to medieval times, listing descent from notable individuals.

What Can these Records Tell Me?
Clan Genealogies may include the following information:


 * Family name
 * Name of spouse
 * Name of children
 * Children's birth dates
 * Occupation
 * Date and place of birth
 * Date and place of death
 * Names of parents

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Ancestors name
 * Approximate year and place of birth
 * Prefecture

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page.
 * 1) Select Family Name
 * 2) Select Country
 * 3) Select Prefecture
 * 4) Select County or City, Town or Village
 * 5) Select Title, Vol./Page, and Year to view the images.

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in Japanese. For help with reading the records, see the following resources:


 * The Genealogy of the Japanese Language
 * Glossary of Japanese Genealogical Terms

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images.

I Can't Find Who I"m Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date.
 * Look at all entries for a name before deciding which is correct.
 * Check for variant spellings of any names.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.

Citing 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: