Research

The team of "Research and Travel" carries out research to locate places of origin of emigrants and to provide documents or relevant information on emigration or family history. We are working close together with ancestry, the worldwide largest database for historical-biographical information.

Inquiry Research

Main sources are:

  • passenger departure and arrival records
  • applications for passports
  • registrations of emigrants
  • church registers
  • a variety of regional archival holdings and sources
  • consultation of local experts and historical societies
  • online or internet-sources and databases

How does it work and how much does it cost?

We check your request and describe the amount and kind of work as well as possible results that we think we can provide in your case. Along with our proposal we quote the costs for our services. You can then decide if you want to hire our services.

Costs for research are calculated on the basis of an hourly fee of EUR 55 (incl. taxes). In most cases the costs for research in archival holdings and routine investigations are between EUR 300 and EUR 500 (around USD 340 and USD 560).

Research on emigration and family history requires expertise and can be very time-consuming. Genealogical research by nature can even be endless: there is always the next generation or the next family line. Therefore we usually agree with our customers on a limit for budgets and on a step-by-step progressive plan. Sometimes additional costs apply from archives (usually between 30 - 80 €, around 50 - 150 USD)

How do you pay?

We send you an invoice along with our results and reports. You can then mail a personal check or arrange money transfer to our account. No pre-payments or deposits are required.

Please contact us with your request and we will gladly send you a proposal and cost estimation.

Research Destinations

In the past years we have been researching family and emigration history. The following map shows the places, in which we have done research from 2008 until 2011. Many of these places have become destinations for private excursions of our American guests.


Research destinations on a larger map including a list of the towns and villages.

Examples of historic documents of immigrants

Ein historischer Reisepass von Oldenburg
A historical travel passport from Oldenburg, Germany
Auszug aus einem Kirchenbuch: Getaufte 1815
An entry in a german churchbook: Baptism 1815
Eine Passagierliste eines Auswandererschiffes nach 						Amerika
A passenger manifest of an immigration ship to America