StLGS German Special Interest Group (G-SIG)

Information on this year’s meetings and recorded G-SIG webinars are further down this page.

Click here to watch a short video on the G-SIG and the St. Louis Genealogical Society.

The St. Louis Genealogical Society German Special Interest Group focuses on teaching family history research, providing genealogy classes, and research opportunities. We welcome those interested in researching their German-speaking ancestors from the Second German Empire or earlier German states, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Switzerland, and any other German-speaking enclave. We host four German genealogy meetings annually. These are supplemented by several German-specific classes yearly as part of St. Louis Genealogical Society’s ongoing education program.

StLGS and the G-SIG often provide suggestions to St. Louis County Library for expansion of their large German genealogy collection. G-SIG is instrumental in StLGS’s efforts to collect, preserve, and publish genealogical and historical records.

For details or information about the German SIG, contact Carol Whitton, G-SIG coordinator, at

International German Genealogical Partnership, IGGP

The German SIG of St. Louis Genealogical Society is a member of the International German Genealogical Partnership (IGGP). Partner societies in IGGP include more than 100 individual German Genealogy Societies in the U.S., Germany, and several other countries. For more information on this organization, German Genealogical activities, and bi-annual U.S. German Genealogy Conferences visit https://iggpartner.org/

Names of Our German SIG Immigrants

To further connections between German SIG participants and relatives in the U.S. and Germany, we have encouraged participants to submit information about their German-speaking immigrant ancestors. On the Immigrant List page, you may find arrival dates, residences, and locations in Europe. Check out the page for specific information. click here.

German Research Websites

When you are ready to start researching your German ancestors, you will find many online resources. For an annotated list of some of the better websites, click here.

The Germans in St. Louis

German settlement in St. Louis began in the early 1800s and accelerated throughout the nineteenth century. For the past 150 years, Germans have played an enormous part in the history of St. Louis. For more information on their role in the St. Louis metropolitan area, click here.

G-SIG Meetings for 2024

Carol Whitton will email the G-SIG mailing list with specifics for each meeting. If you are not on the SIG mailing list, please send an email to

All German SIG meetings are free and open to the public; however it is necessary to register, if you want to join the Zoom webinar. You do NOT need to register for the in-person meeting or to view the digital recording that will be posted on this page. All meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. (Central)

 

For a PDF version of this year’s meeting flyer, click here.

Next Meeting

Wednesday, 20 March 2024

Breaking Through Brick Walls with the German Immigrants in American Church Records Series

 

The associate editor of Dr. Roger Minert’s German Immigrants in American Church Records books will walk us through solutions to brick walls using these valuable tools for tracing German origins.

Featured Speaker: Joseph B. Everett, AG, MLS

This meeting is via Zoom only. To register . . .

      • You will need a link and a passcode to join the meeting, so it is necessary to preregister.
      • Click on the Registration Button below and follow the simple instructions that appear on your screen.
      • Once you have filled in the registration form, an invitation with a link and a passcode to attend the meeting will be sent to the email you provided.

 

registration button

 

The handout for this meeting is here.

Remaining Meetings for 2024

 

Wednesday, 26 June 2024

St. Louis German Social Organizations

Many St. Louisans of German ancestry participated in social clubs and organizations. Some were fraternal/benevolent, some centered on music, athletics, literature, or specific regions in Germany. learn more about these groups and how they offer a more well-rounded picture of our ancestors’ lives.

Featured Speaker: Emily Jaycox, research librarian, Missouri Historical Society Library & Research Center

 

Wednesday, 18 September 2024

German Resources at the St. Louis County Library

Explore the many resources for German research in the History & Genealogy Department at St. Louis County Library, including Ortssippenbücher, Marxkors books, St. Louis German church records, the Archion database, and more.

Featured Speaker: Robin McDonough, research librarian, St. Louis County Library

 

 

Recorded SIG Meetings Available Online

Following an Ancestor with a German Farm Name or Hofname—January 2024

If you missed this meeting, the recorded webinar can be viewed here.

Password for the recording is  KAP1d%C0

The handout for this meeting is here.

Prior to the mid-1800s, parts of Germany had farm names or Hofname. Learn what a Hofname is and where in Germany to expect to find them. Identifying an ancestor with a Hofname requires recognizing the clues in the records and then carefully and thoroughly following them.

Featured Speaker: Carol Whitton, StLGS projects director and German SIG leader

 

German Genealogy: What Do You Need to Know?

This was the first meeting of 2020, which was held virtually. If you missed it, the recorded webinar can be viewed here.

The handout for this meeting is here

Ultimately, we seek the German village of origin in U.S. records, but other questions about our immigrant families need answering first. The answers to those questions will lead us toward our goal. By reviewing the basics, learning about Germany and its resources, and finding our U.S. records, we may be successful.

Featured Speaker: Carol Whitton, StLGS projects director and German SIG leader

 

Last modified: 14-Mar-2024 09:42