The Mennonite Library & Archives holds extensive resources for the study of Mennonite genealogy, particularly for those Mennonites whose ancestors once lived in Poland or Russia. The following lists include some of the most useful resources.
- GRANDMA Project
The "Genealogical Register and Database of Mennonite Ancestry" contains data on over 1.4 million people with Mennonite ancestors who once lived in Poland or Russia. A working copy of GRANDMA is available in the Mennonite Library & Archives free of charge (25 cents per page for print-outs). More information about purchasing GRANDMA is also available.
- Published family histories
The Mennonite Library holds over 400 published family histories on specific families with Mennonite ancestry. Most are cataloged in the CS39 call number range. Most can be found in the discovery service by performing a subject search for the surname followed by the word "family" (for example, Wiens family).
- Family history periodicals
- Mennonite Family History
- Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage
- Obituaries
Many Mennonite periodicals include obituaries, which often can be a valuable source of genealogical information. Some of the most valuable include:
- Bibel und Pflug (Brazil)
- Der Bote (General Conference Mennonites in Canada)
- The Christian Leader (Mennonite Brethren in the United States)
- Christlicher Bundesbote (General Conference Mennonite)
- Mennoblatt (Paraguay)
- Mennonite Brethren Herald (Mennonite Brethren in Canada)
- Mennonitische Rundschau (Canada)
- Messenger of Truth (Church of God in Christ, Mennonite)
- Der Wahrheitsfreund (Krimmer Mennonite Brethren)
- Zionsbote (Mennonite Brethren)
- Passenger lists for Mennonites migrating from Russia to North America have been compiled and published in various forms.
- Mennonite congregational records
Records of congregations often include birth, marriage, and death information. The MLA has records for the following congregations:
- Church books for several Polish Mennonite churches have been preserved on microfilm.
- The MLA holds records for most North American Mennonite Brethren churches that were founded before the 1970s. To find records for a specific church, perform an author search for the name of that congregation (for example, College Community Church Mennonite Brethren).
