Archives by Country
National archives, civil records, military records, newspapers, and key research portals arranged by country.
Belgium
State Archives, AGATHA, BelgicaPress, military heritage.
France
FranceArchives, Gallica, RetroNews, military archives, IGN maps.
Germany
Bundesarchiv, ZEFYS, Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek, war graves.
Netherlands
Nationaal Archief, WieWasWie, Open Archives, Delpher.
United Kingdom
National Archives, CWGC, IWM, Scotland's People, The Gazette.
United States
NARA, Library of Congress, Chronicling America, FamilySearch.
Sweden
Riksarkivet, ArkivDigital, military archives, parish registers.
Italy
Portale Antenati, civil registration records, state archives.
Ireland
National Archives genealogy, civil records, military archives.
Denmark
Danish National Archives online records and research guides.
Norway
Digitalarkivet and Arkivverket records.
Canada
Library and Archives Canada, genealogy, military, vital records.
Australia
National Archives of Australia and defence service records.
New Zealand
Archives New Zealand, BDM records, war records.
Poland
Szukaj w Archiwach and military history collections.
Portugal
Digitarq and Portuguese military archives.
Spain
PARES and Spanish state archive records.
Finland
Astia and Finnish National Archives services.
Estonia
Rahvusarhiiv family and archival research.
Luxembourg
National archives and civil research sources.
Austria
Austrian State Archives and Kriegsarchiv holdings.
Japan
JACAR and modern Asian historical records.
Belgium
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGATHA — State Archives Search | Search environment of the Belgian State Archives for parish registers, civil records, and archival descriptions. | Free / account | NL/FR/DE/EN | |
| BelgicaPress | KBR platform for digitised Belgian historical newspapers with OCR search. | Free / mixed | FR/NL | |
| State Archives in Belgium | Official Belgian State Archives portal. Entry point for Belgian archival research. | Free / mixed | NL/FR/DE/EN | |
| Open Archives | Aggregates genealogical records from open archives including Belgian and Dutch sources. | Free / mixed | NL/EN | |
| War Heritage Institute | Belgian military heritage institution and museum network. Online research access is limited. | Free / mixed | NL/FR/EN | |
| Cegesoma | Belgian research centre for war and contemporary history. WWII Belgium, occupation, resistance. Some material requires reading-room access. | Free / mixed | NL/FR/EN | |
| BelgicaPeriodicals | KBR platform for digitised Belgian periodicals and journals. Coverage is selective. | Free / mixed | FR/NL |
France
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FranceArchives | French national archives gateway aggregating finding aids from state, regional, and departmental archives across France. First stop for French archival research. | Free | FR | |
| Gallica (BnF) | BnF digital library. Books, newspapers, maps, images, and periodicals. OCR quality varies. | Free | FR/EN | |
| RetroNews | BnF press platform for French historical newspapers and articles. Some access requires subscription. | Mixed | FR | |
| Geneanet | Genealogy community with trees, indexes, and records. Strong for French and European genealogy. | Mixed | Multiple | |
| Remonter le temps — IGN | IGN platform for historical maps and aerial imagery. French local history and landscape change. | Free | FR | |
| Mémoire des hommes | French military personnel and war-dead database. French military casualties and service research. | Needs verification | FR | |
| Service historique de la Défense | French defence archives and research guides for military archival research. | Needs verification | FR |
Germany
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bundesarchiv | German Federal Archives portal for state, military, film, image, and historical records. Catalogue work often required. | Free / mixed | DE/EN | |
| Arolsen Archives Online Search | Online archive for Nazi persecution, forced labour, camps, and displaced persons. Name variants matter. | Free | DE/EN | |
| Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek | German digital portal for cultural and scientific heritage. Links out to holding institutions. | Free / mixed | DE/EN | |
| ZEFYS | Berlin State Library portal for digitised historical German newspapers. Coverage is selective. | Free | DE | |
| Volksbund Gräbersuche Online | German War Graves Commission online grave search. German military casualties and burials. Data completeness varies. | Free | DE | |
| Archivsuche NRW | Search portal for archives across North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany's most populous state); Landesarchiv NRW. Useful for researching records from the Rhineland and Westphalia regions. | Free | DE/EN/NL |
Netherlands
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WieWasWie | Dutch genealogical search site for civil registration and person records. Births, marriages, deaths, population records. | Mixed | NL/EN | |
| Nationaal Archief | Dutch National Archives portal for state, colonial, and photo records. Research guides available. | Free / mixed | NL/EN | |
| Open Archives | Aggregates genealogical records from open archives and historical societies. Dutch and Belgian name searches. | Free / mixed | NL/EN | |
| Delpher | Dutch digitised newspapers, books, and journals. Key resource for Dutch press research. | Free | NL |
United Kingdom
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The National Archives — Discovery | UK National Archives catalogue and discovery search for government records. Many records are not digitised. | Free / mixed | EN | |
| Commonwealth War Graves Commission | Official database of Commonwealth war dead and cemeteries for WWI and WWII. | Free | EN | |
| Scotland's People | Official Scottish genealogy site for registers, census, wills, maps, and images. | Mixed | EN | |
| FreeBMD | Volunteer index of civil registration births, marriages, and deaths for England and Wales. | Free | EN | |
| FreeREG | Volunteer database of UK parish baptisms, marriages, and burials. | Free | EN | |
| Imperial War Museums Collections | IWM photos, documents, film, art, and objects. British and Commonwealth war history. | Free / mixed | EN | |
| The Gazette | Official UK public record for honours, military appointments, and legal notices. Not a general newspaper archive. | Free / mixed | EN | |
| National Library of Scotland Maps | Major historical map portal. OS maps, town plans, military maps, especially strong for Britain. | Free | EN |
United States
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. National Archives | Main U.S. federal archival research gateway. Federal records, census, immigration, land, court, military. | Free / mixed | EN | |
| FamilySearch | Free genealogy platform with U.S. and international records. Free account required. | Account required | Multiple | |
| Chronicling America | Library of Congress collection of digitised historical U.S. newspapers. | Free | EN | |
| Library of Congress | U.S. national library portal for books, manuscripts, maps, newspapers, photos, and media. | Free | EN | |
| Digital Public Library of America | Aggregates images, texts, videos, and sounds from U.S. institutions. Rights vary by provider. | Free / mixed | EN | |
| Veterans Legacy Memorial | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs memorial search for veterans. Focused on VA-linked records. | Free | EN |
Sweden
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riksarkivet | Swedish National Archives online search for parish registers, household examination rolls, census records, and emigration data. English interface available. Some collections require free registration. | Free / account | SV/EN | |
| ArkivDigital | Leading subscription database of Swedish parish registers, household examination rolls (husförhörslängder), and migration records. Most comprehensive digital collection of Swedish church records. | Subscription | SV/EN | |
| Krigsarkivet | Swedish Military Archives division of Riksarkivet. Service records, muster rolls, and administrative records from the Swedish army, navy, and air force. | Free / mixed | SV |
Italy
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portale Antenati | Italian national portal for civil registration records — births, marriages, and deaths. Digitised registers from Italian state archives, run by Ministero della Cultura. Free. | Free | IT | |
| Sistema Archivistico Nazionale | National Archival System portal (SAN) for finding aids, institutional descriptions, and discovery across Italian state archives. Free to browse. | Free | IT | |
| Archivi di Stato | Portal for the network of Italian state archives with contact information, collection descriptions, and access to partially digitised holdings across all regions. | Free / mixed | IT |
Ireland
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Archives Genealogy | Irish census, wills, valuation records, transportation records, and other genealogy collections. | Free | EN | |
| IrishGenealogy.ie | Official civil registration and church record portal for Irish births, marriages, deaths, and parish records. | Free | EN/GA | |
| Military Archives | Irish Defence Forces archives, including collections for independence, service, and military history research. | Free / mixed | EN |
Denmark
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danish National Archives Online Records | Official guide to Danish online records, including census, parish, probate, military, and property material. | Free | DA/EN |
Norway
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digitalarkivet / Arkivverket | Norwegian national archive services and searchable digitised records for genealogy and historical research. | Free | NO/EN |
Canada
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Library and Archives Canada Genealogy | Canadian census, immigration, land, military, Indigenous, and family history research guides and databases. | Free | EN/FR | |
| Library and Archives Canada | National library and archive portal for government records, maps, photographs, newspapers, and military files. | Free / mixed | EN/FR | |
| Nova Scotia Archives Vital Statistics | Birth, marriage, and death records from Nova Scotia Archives. Useful for Atlantic Canada research. | Free | EN |
Australia
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Archives of Australia | Australian Commonwealth records, migration, defence, citizenship, photographs, maps, and government files. | Free / mixed | EN | |
| Defence and War Service Records | NAA guide to Australian defence service records and war-related holdings. | Free / mixed | EN |
New Zealand
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archives New Zealand | New Zealand government archives, finding aids, digitised records, and research guidance. | Free / mixed | EN | |
| BDM Historical Records | Official New Zealand historical birth, death, and marriage index. | Mixed | EN | |
| War Records | Archives New Zealand guide for service files, war records, and defence-related material. | Free / mixed | EN |
Poland
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Szukaj w Archiwach | Polish state archive search portal for digitised archival material, civil records, maps, and photographs. | Free | PL/EN | |
| Wojskowe Biuro Historyczne | Polish military history bureau and archive portal for military records and research guidance. | Free / mixed | PL |
Portugal
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digitarq | Portuguese archive search platform for national and regional archival holdings and digitised records. | Free | PT | |
| Arquivo Histórico Militar | Portuguese military archive for army history, service records, campaigns, and military collections. | Free / mixed | PT |
Spain
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PARES | Spanish Archives Portal for state archive finding aids, digitised records, maps, and historical collections. | Free | ES |
Finland
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astia | National Archives of Finland service for searching, ordering, and viewing archival records. | Free / mixed | FI/SV/EN |
Estonia
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rahvusarhiiv Family Research | Estonian National Archives guide for family research, church books, population records, and archival services. | Free / mixed | ET/EN |
Luxembourg
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archives nationales de Luxembourg | Luxembourg national archives portal for archival descriptions, digitised records, and research services. | Free / mixed | FR/DE/LB |
Austria
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austrian State Archives | Austrian state archive portal, including the Kriegsarchiv for military and imperial records. | Free / mixed | DE |
Japan
| Priority | Source | Description | Access | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan Center for Asian Historical Records | JACAR portal for modern Japanese government and military records connected to Asia and the Pacific. | Free | JA/EN |