Manuel Rodriguez. Compendio Geografico, c.1768. Case broadside BX3706.A2 C56 1768.

Our Chicago Suburbs - Hinsdale, ILL. and the Residence of O.J. Stough, Esq. 1873. Case Wing H 94.005.

The Newberry has been collecting genealogy and local history materials since 1887. Staff at the Genealogy and Local History desk can help you explore the Newberry’s rich collections of family histories; local histories; censuses, probate, deed, court, tax, and cemetery records; military rosters; periodicals; genealogical guides; and reference works.

The library is developing an ongoing series of pathfinders covering Newberry collection highlights for selected genealogical research topics. Peggy Sinko’s Guide to Local and Family History at the Newberry Library was published in 1987 and provides a good summary of the collections up to the time of publication; however, researchers should note that much has been added since then. See Research Guides for checklists, resources, and bibliographies that may be useful for researchers at the Newberry; in addition to those listed below, there are also individual genealogical guides for various ethnic groups, states, and more.

Finding What We Have

Explore the Newberry’s Catalogs and Guides, the primary tools for identifying and locating books, maps, periodicals, and manuscripts relevant to your research.

Programs and Additional Support

Researchers may wish to acquaint themselves with our Rights and Reproductions and Interlibrary Loan policies for information about requesting photocopies of materials from the Newberry and elsewhere. Registered readers may order microform materials through the Newberry’s Family History Library Film program. For more information about the Newberry’s Family History Library Film program as well as for help in hiring a genealogy researcher, see Referrals. Contact a Librarian for assistance with research questions, or plan Research Visits and Group Visits for Genealogists.

The Newberry also offers an assortment of programs that may be of use to genealogical researchers. See Programs for Genealogists to learn more about upcoming lectures and workshops. See our Adult Education Seminars or browse Seminars by Subject for more programs which may aid the genealogical researcher.

Learn more about how to Donate Books and Materials to the Local and Family History Collection.

Genealogy Collection Strengths

Genealogies

The Newberry has over 17,000 published genealogies. The collection’s coverage of colonial America and New England is particularly strong. Many rare titles covering gentry and noble families of the British Isles are also included.

Local Histories

The local history collection includes county, city, town, church, and other local histories from all regions of the United States, as well as from Canada and the British Isles. The Newberry holds a comprehensive collection of New England town histories, as well as a strong collection of county histories from the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states. The collection of local histories from the British Isles is also noteworthy.

Census

Subscriptions to Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest Online allow online searching of all the federal censuses. The Newberry’s federal census microfilm holdings are complete for the entire country 1790-1850, and for all Midwestern states through 1880. The 1870 holdings are complete for all southern and border states, while the 1860 and 1880 holdings for many of these states are also complete. With the exception of a few out-of-state counties, Illinois is the only state for which the Newberry has any twentieth century federal census microfilm (1900 - 1930). The Library holds census indexes for all states through 1850 with indexes for most states in 1860. State census holdings include 1855 and 1865 Illinois, 1905 Wisconsin, and substantial but incomplete New York census for 1855, 1875, 1905, and 1925. Canadian census holdings are complete for Quebec 1831-1891 and for Ontario 1851-1871.

Genealogical Source Material

Published indexes, abstracts or transcriptions of pre-twentieth century records of birth, death, and marriage, as well as probate, deed, court, tax, and cemetery records form an important segment of the Newberry’s genealogy collection. These materials are primarily from the area of the Mississippi Valley to the Eastern Seaboard, as well as from Canada and the British Isles.

Military Records

The Newberry collects roster and pension reference works covering the colonial wars through the Civil War. Some materials on the Spanish American War and World War One are also available. The Newberry’s collection of Civil War unit histories is one of the country’s best.

Electronic Resources

The Newberry has subscriptions to several Electronic Resources of interest to genealogists. Among them are American Ancestors, Ancestry.com, Fold3, Gen-line, and HeritageQuest On-line. These databases are only accessible from within the Newberry.

Periodicals

The library has complete runs of many state and county historical and genealogical publications, as well as important regional and national journals such as The New England Genealogical and Historical Register, The American Genealogist, and The National Genealogical Society Quarterly. The Newberry also holds British journals of local and regional history and genealogy. Article subjects from US and Canadian journals are indexed in the Periodical Source Index (PERSI), available online from within the library.