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All Palm Beach County Library System locations & Ask a Librarian’s Statewide chat service will be closed on Mon, May 30 for Memorial Day. No materials will be due on this day.
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Trusted Information for Your Research Needs
The Palm Beach County Library System’s Genealogy Research information site is provided as a public service by the Library’s Government Research Service (GRS) and research services staff. Its mission is to promote the wealth of family history resources available through the Library System, local organizations and the internet, and to assist the public in its use. GRS section staff was awarded the 2006 Genealogy Outstanding Achievement Award by the Florida Genealogical Society in recognition of contribution in the field of Florida genealogy and local history. Please submit local genealogy requests to: grs@pbclibrary.org.
Family History Databases
- Ancestry Library Edition Find out about your history. Includes over one billion records from Social Security Death Index, U.S. Federal Census Images, Military, and Immigration and Naturalization Records. (NOTE: Database access from Main Library and 16 branch locations.)
- Biography In Context Database contains more than 600,000 biographical profiles and photos.
- Family Search (LDS) Official site of the LDS Library.
- Heritage Quest Search more than 25,000 family and local histories, census records, and more.
- ProQuest Global Newsstream Online gateway to over 1,300 newspapers with archives going back to the 1980's. For an obituary search, select the advanced search option and choose "obituary" under "document type".
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers: U.S. Southeast Collection This collection of historical newspapers provides users with online, easily-searchable firsthand accounts and coverage of the politics, society and events of this region. (Includes Palm Beach Post coverage starting in 1916)
- Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970 Digital access to historic maps of nearly 150 Florida towns and cities.
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers: U.S. Southeast Collection This collection of historical newspapers provides users with online, easily-searchable firsthand accounts and coverage of the politics, society and events of this region. (Includes Palm Beach Post coverage starting in 1916)
Newspapers & Magazines
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers: U.S. Southeast Collection This collection of historical newspapers provides users with online, easily-searchable firsthand accounts and coverage of the politics, society and events of this region. (Includes Palm Beach Post coverage starting in 1916)
- Bound Print Volumes: (Belle Glade Branch) Belle Glade Herald (1949-1952).
- Chronicling America Provides access to information about historic American newspapers
- Ethnic Newspapers from Florida The Ethnic Newspapers from Florida collection includes newspapers, newsletters and magazines produced by and for immigrant, ethnic, racial, and linguistic minorities, as well as indigenous groups living in Florida.
- Florida Digital Newspaper Library - University of Florida Archival editions of Florida newspapers and news accounts pertaining to Florida.
- Florida Genealogist Florida State Genealogical Society
- Florida Historical Quarterly
- Foundation News Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach County
- Genealogical Society of Palm Beach County Ancestry Journal Index
- Genealogy Today
- Glades Newspapers on microfilm (Main Library) Pahokee News (Jan. 1932 – Dec. 1953) Everglades News (March 1924 – Sept. 1967) Belle Glade News (Jan. 1939 – Dec. 1941) Belle Glade Herald (July 1941 – July 1949) Glades Observer (Jan. 1954 – Dec. 1965) Glades Observer/Everglades Observer (Jan. 1966 – Dec. 1967) Everglades Observer (Jan. 1968 – Dec. 1978) Everglades Observer/Herald Observer (Jan. – Dec. 1979)
- Google News Archive
- Historical Society of Palm Beach County News
- Jewish Genealogical Society - Scattered Seeds
- Jewish Newspaper Project University of Florida Digital Collection.
- Palm Beach County Library System microfilm holdings and locations Main Library: Pahokee News (Jan. 1932 – Dec. 1953) Everglades News (March 1924 – Sept. 1967) Belle Glade News (Jan. 1939 – Dec. 1941) Belle Glade Herald (July 1941 – July 1949) Glades Observer (Jan. 1954 – Dec. 1965) Glades Observer/Everglades Observer (Jan. 1966 – Dec. 1967) Everglades Observer (Jan. 1968 – Dec. 1978) Everglades Observer/Herald Observer (Jan. – Dec. 1979) Palm Beach Daily Business Review, Jan. 1992 - Sept. 2012; Palm Beach Evening Times, Jan. 1985 - May 1987; Palm Beach Post, 1916-1923, 1925, 1928--; New York Times, Jan. 1920-- ; Sun-Sentinel, 1/1985-- (Classifieds not on microfilm). Wall Street Journal, Jan. 1981 --;
- Prologue Magazine National Archives and Records Administration
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers: U.S. Southeast Collection This collection of historical newspapers provides users with online, easily-searchable firsthand accounts and coverage of the politics, society and events of this region. (Includes Palm Beach Post coverage starting in 1916)
- The Archivist National Archives of Canada journal
- U.S. News Archives on the web
Archives & Records Centers
- Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online Canadian biographies from the year 1,000 to 1930.
- Eastern European Genealogy Maps and genealogical record sites.
- European Repositories Archives Portal Europe site.
- Florida State Archives Historical guides and documents, includes colonial Spanish Land Grant records and World War I service cards.
- Libraries and Archives in Latin America LANIC provides links to archives in Latin America and the Caribbean.
- National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) The official U.S. archives site.
- National Archives of Canada Genealogy and Family History.
- Repositories - Africa African archival and library sources.
- Repositories - Asia & Pacific Repositories of Primary Sources.
- Repositories - Middle East Access Middle East archives, libraries and museum records using Cyndi's List.
- State Archives in the U.S. A list of contact information for State Archives in all 50 states.
- University of Florida Digital Collections The University of Florida Digital Collection provides free access to over 300 digital collections that include maps, photographs, oral histories, and more.
Local Organizations
- Boca Raton Historical Society
- Boynton Beach Historical Society
- Daughters of the American Revolution Florida Chapter sites include Boca Raton, Lake Worth, Palm Beach, Tequesta, West Palm Beach and Wellington.
- Delray Beach Historical Society
- FLGenWeb - Palm Beach County
- Florida Genealogical Societies
- Genealogical Society of Palm Beach County GSPBC Collection located in the lower level of the County Library's Main Library
- Greenacres Historical Society Museum
- Historical Societies of Florida
- Historical Society of Palm Beach County
- Jewish Genealogical Society of Palm Beach County
- LDS Family History Centers
- Loxahatchee River Historical Society
- Palm Beach Gardens Historical Society
History Books & eBooks
- County Library E-Books Access biographical and history e-books.
- Family Search Digital Library One of the largest online resource for digitized genealogy and local history books.
- Florida Heritage Collection View full-text online Florida historical documents and e-books provided by the State University System (SUS).
- Genealogy How-To Books County Library's digital catalog of family history book titles in collection.
- Research & Document Request E-Form - County Library Submit questions about local obituaries, cemetery listings and residences. Select Genealogy on the "Type of Inquiry" menu and enter request.
Genealogy Internet Links
- Access Genealogy
- AncestralFindings.com
- Castle Garden
- Cemeteries of Palm Beach County
- Census Atlas of the U.S.
- Census Finder U.S., UK, State, Native American records.
- Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System
- Cyndi's List
- Dead or Alive?
- Ellis Island American Family Immigration History Center
- Family Search Research Wiki
- Find a Grave
- Florida Memory Collection
- Florida Pioneer Descendants Program
- Florida Tombstone Project
- Genealogy Relationship Terms and Definitions
- Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild
- Interment.net: Cemeteries & Cemetery Records
- International Civic Arms
- Legacy.com U.S. Newspaper Obituaries
- Library of Congress Map Collections: 1500-2004
- Military Personnel Records (National Archives)
- National WWII Memorial Registry
- New York Times - Archives
- Obituary Daily Times
- Palm Beach County Birth, Death Request Forms
- Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller Records
- Passenger Lists (19th Century)
- Public Records Online Directory (NETR Online)
- RootsWeb.com
- South Florida VA National Cemetery: Grave Locator
- State Library: Genealogy Page
- The Florida GenWeb Project
- The Seminole Tribe of Florida-Genealogy and Anthropology
- The Ships List
- Trace Your American Indian Ancestry (Dept. of Interior)
- USA.gov Family History and Genealogy records
- USGenWeb Project Archives
- Vital Records by State (CDC)