North America
Explore North American genealogy
North America has a complex genealogical history shaped by Indigenous peoples, migration, colonization, slavery, immigration and changing national borders. Explore genealogy resources by country, region, community and historical context.
Countries & regions
Start with the country or geographic area connected to your family history. Historical territories and modern political boundaries do not always match, so some research may cross several regions.
United States
Explore federal, state, county, church, census, immigration, military and other records for American family history.
Canada
Research Canadian provinces and territories, First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities, migration and historical records.
Mexico
Discover Mexican civil registration, church records, Indigenous communities, migration history and regional genealogy resources.
Caribbean
Explore the genealogy of Caribbean islands and territories, including migration, colonial records and African diaspora research.
Greenland & the Arctic
Research Greenlandic Inuit history and wider Arctic family connections across national borders.
Historical North America
Explore historical territories, changing borders, migration routes and jurisdictions that may differ from modern maps.
Peoples & communities
Many North American family histories cannot be understood through national borders alone. Explore communities whose histories span multiple countries and regions.
Indigenous & Native Peoples
Research Native American, First Nations, Inuit, Métis and other Indigenous peoples across North America.
African Diaspora
Explore African American, Afro-Caribbean and other African diaspora communities and their genealogical records.
European Diaspora
Research immigrant communities from Europe and their settlement patterns across North America.
Asian Diaspora
Explore Asian migration, settlement and community records across North America.
Key genealogy research areas
Depending on your family history, different record types may become important at different stages of your research.
Research across changing borders
North American genealogy often requires researchers to look beyond modern national boundaries. Historical territories, colonies, states, provinces and Indigenous lands changed over time, while families continued to move across them. A useful research strategy is therefore to identify both the place where an ancestor lived and the historical jurisdiction that governed that place at the time.
Find the right research path
Start with a country, region or community, then follow the records, archives and genealogy resources connected to your family’s history.
DNA Academy - Quick Answers
What formats are your free templates available in?
Our templates are available as downloadable Excel/Google Sheets files (for digital tracking).
How do I use a research log effectively?
A research log helps you track which records you’ve searched, what you found, and what’s still missing. We recommend filling it out as you go, it prevents duplicate searches and helps you identify patterns. Our template includes columns for date, source, location, and findings.
Are the templates available in languages other than English?
Currently, our templates are in English only. We are exploring translations into Swedish, Spanish, and German based on user requests. If you need a specific language, contact us and we’ll prioritize it.