Early American Jewish Families

Did your ancestors come to America in the 19th century or earlier? Do you have a family mystery you've always wanted to solve?

As part of Early American Jewish Families: 250 Years of History, Thousands of Family Stories, the Center for Jewish History is seeking genealogy questions from the public about Jewish relatives who lived in America before the great waves of Eastern European immigration.

Our genealogy experts will select compelling stories to research about the often-overlooked history of Jewish life in America. From Sephardic pioneers and Revolutionary War soldiers to German Jewish immigrants, Southern merchants, Midwestern settlers, and other remarkable individuals, these stories will illuminate the many ways Jewish families helped shape the American experience.

We'd love to hear from you. Submit your genealogy question using the form below, and your family's history could become part of this exciting public history project.

Tell Us About Your Family

First name *

Last name *

Email (please check your entry) *

Phone Number *

What is your primary research question? *

Are you researching your own family or on behalf of someone else? *

Please provide as much detail as possible about the individual(s) you are researching including name, maiden name (if applicable), date and place of birth, date and place of death, as well as any detail that you can provide about the individual's parents. *

Please tell us any other information that you have about the individual you are researching, such as marriages, children, siblings, employment, education, immigration, etc.

Do you have any of the following materials related to your family history?

Family Tree (If online, please provide the link in the notes field below.)

Naturalization Papers

Photographs

Vital Records (birth/marriage/death certificates)

Other

Additional notes or questions for the genealogist

Early American Jewish Families is an educational video series that will be posted on social media. Your submission may be chosen to be featured on social media or in the mainstream media. You will be given a formal consent form to sign, if your submission is selected.

I would like my submission to be featured on social media or in the mainstream media.