Family History

Family History Research at Hastings Library

The Genealogy Section upstairs in Hastings Library has a wide range of resources for researching your family history.

Need help? Not sure where to start?

Ask at the Reference Desk.  We will show you our resources and suggest  where to search next.

Genealogy Websites

Some of our favourite family history websites for:

  • Hawke's Bay
  • New Zealand
  • International

Featured website

Have you tried searching for your ancestors on the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre?

Search thousands of texts simultaneously, including The Cyclopedia of New Zealand:

http://www.nzetc.org

Microfilm and Microfiche Readers

2 Microfilm and 6 Microfiche Readers are available upstairs in Hastings Library.

There are 2 Canon 800 Microfilm Readers with the following services:

Ancestry Library Edition

Library Access

Conditions:
Access from library only

Ancestry Library Edition is a tool created for libraries for genealogy and history researchers.  

It provides Instant access to a wide range of resources

  • New! Now includes the following New Zealand records:
    • New Zealand Electoral Rolls 1853-1981
    • Maori Voter and Electoral Rolls 1908 & 1919
    • Naturalisations 1843-1981
    • City & Area Directories 1866-1955
    • Jury Lists 1842-1962
    • Maori Land Claims 1858-1980
    • Canterbury, New Zealand, Provincial Rolls, 1868-1874
      Also...
  • Records from the United States
  • Records the United Kingdom
  • Some census records from Australia, Canada and Germany

Access Notes:
Available in our libraries (no charge) only.

Newspapers on Microfilm

Hastings Library holds the following newspapers on microfilm:

  •     Hastings Standard     Apr 1896- Dec 1910
  •     HB Tribune                Dec 1910 - Jun 1937
  •     HB Herald Tribune     1937 [Jan] - 1970 [Apr], 1970 [Jun] - 1978 [Nov], 1979 [Jan] - 01 May 1999
  •     Hawke's Bay Today    Apr 1999 -

May be viewed on our two microfilm readers.  Printing available.

Call upstairs and ask at the Reference Desk for assistance in using these.  

Papers Past

Digitised historic newspapers

Papers Past contains more than one million pages of digitised New Zealand newspapers and periodicals.

The collection covers the years 1839 to 1945 and includes 68 publications from all regions of New Zealand.

Search full text at http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast

Five Hawke's Bay newspapers are available.

A useful tool for family history research or for anyone keen on our history.  Even the advertisements are interesting.

Shipping Records & Passenger Lists

Shipping records and passenger lists are found in many different records.

Listed here are just some of the resources available.

Genealogy Collection & Microforms

The Genealogy Collection is located upstairs at Hastings Library and includes:

  • Microfiche, microfilms (listed below), including
  • New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages to 1990
  • Hawke's Bay newspapers on microfilm
  • Genealogy reference books
  • Local telephone directories
  • Journals (many donated - thanks for this!)
  • Electoral rolls for NZ on microfiche & in print

Available on our Research Computers (free) are:

  • Ancestry Library Edition
  • New Zealand Gazette Archives (one PC only)
  • Papers Past - historic New Zealand newspapers online

New Zealand Society of Genealogists

The Hawke's Bay branch of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists has resources to assist with your local family history research.

Hawke's Bay Biographical Index

A unique collection of local records - searches on surnames undertaken, and directions to sources given to follow up.

 

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