New Zealand Cultural Groups

Several ethnic minority groups including Jews, Germans, Swedes, Polish, and others help make up New Zealand society.

It's important to learn the history of the ethnic, racial, and religious groups your ancestors belonged to. For example, there are a significant number of compiled studies which you might study such as a history of the Jews in England and eastern Europe, or the Germanic cultural background of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, or the Swedes in Scandinavia.

This historical background can help you identify where your ancestors lived and when they lived there, where they migrated, the types of records in which they might be listed, the archives that hold records about them and other information to help you understand your family's history.

For some minorities in New Zealand there are some unique records and resources available. These include histories, gazetteers, biographical sources, settlement patterns, and handbooks.

FamilySearch
The FamilySearch Library collects records of these minority groups, especially published histories. These are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog, Place Search, under:



Other sources are also in the Subject section of the FamilySearch Catalog under the name of the minority, such as Jews, Germans, or Swedes.

Jewish Culture

 * New Zealand, by Claire Buell, provides a thorough discussion of Jewish records that were kept and how they can be accessed.
 * For searching Jews in New Zealand, you can also search the FamilySearch Catalog:

Maori Culture
For Maori (Polynesian natives of New Zealand) background and genealogical information, see:


 * Maori customs and historical background Wiki page explaining genealogical culture.
 * Maori research ideas Wiki page with sources and places for genealogical research.
 * New Zealand Native Races Wiki page briefly explains their oral genealogies.