Periodicals & Magazines

Collection Information

Family historians gather information from a wide variety of sources. This information may be raw data about our ancestors, tips on research in a particular area, historical articles, or details on record collections unique to that area. The use of periodicals to disseminate this type of information is not new. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, the publication of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, has been published since January 1847, and there are historical periodicals which predate this by several centuries. In genealogical periodicals you can expect to find extracts from records, how-to articles, as well as queries submitted by members seeking to connect with others who share their ancestral lines.

Millions of pages of information about our ancestors have been published in a wide variety of periodicals.

Most useful for finding specific information about specific individuals are the hundreds of historical and genealogical magazines that have been published over the last two centuries. Information found in articles in periodicals will often lead to the original sources used as a basis for compilation.

Sample Images

Search Tips

  • Search wide in local genealogical publications, including searches for cousins, siblings, in-laws and other family members. Information about a person’s extended family may provide clues that can help you in your research.
  • Many genealogical publications contain an index of names at the back Browse the index other possible relatives who may be mentioned in the same publication.