All locations will be closed on Friday, February 7 for Staff Development Day. To contact Vital Statistics for birth and death certificates, please call (214) 670-3248.
Genealogy
The Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck Genealogy Collection on the 8th floor of the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library holds one of the largest and most comprehensive collections for family history research in the Southwest. The collection encompasses resources from every U.S. state and many countries throughout the world - making it a destination for any genealogy researcher. Expert staff is ready to assist you with your family history search.
The collection is open for browsing, with books arranged in sections of Genealogies, Countries and by U.S. States and their counties. Most items are not available to check out. The collection also includes historical documents on microform, family information in vertical files and a Family Bible Collection.
Search the Collection
For assistance using the online catalog for genealogical research please see a brief tutorial. [TC – on Niche]
Microform
Needs description of what’s here
Search the Microform Finding Aid [TC – Recollect – currently https://dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/resources_microformGuide.php]
Search the microfiche database from the Dallas Genealogical Society
Vertical Files of Family Research
The Genealogy & History Division has collected over 3,000 files of family research donated by the library's patrons. An index of surnames can be searched to locate if the library has a local vertical file on a surname you are researching.
Important, hard-to-find family history
View the most recent books added to the genealogy collection.
African American/Black Genealogy new books: https://bit.ly/newDPLAAGen
Indigenous/Native American new books: https://bit.ly/DPLNativeAmericanResearchArrivals
Hispanic new books: https://bit.ly/DPLHispanicGen
Veterans Oral History Project ‐ Capture Your Story
Dallas Public Library's Genealogy & History Division is preserving the memories of U.S. military veterans, support staff and family members of veterans in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, capturing their stories and experiences for future generations to understand and learn from the past. Interviews are added to Dallas Public Library's Oral History Collection and the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.
The Veterans Oral History Project at Dallas Public Library is sponsored by the Friends of the Dallas Public Library and the General Levi Casey Chapter, NSDAR.
Genealogy Databases
American Ancestors - In library access only
Resources of the New England Historic Genealogical Society
Ancestry Library - In library access only
FamilySearch's Digital Library
The Genealogy & History Division of the Dallas Public Library is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library with access to over 400,000 additional digital records available only on affliate library computers. Dallas Public Library is a FamilySearch Book Scanning Partner - a program which makes many of the library's public domain genealogy materials available digitally
Fold3 (ProQuest) (Login Required - click here to access your account)
Fold3 provides convenient access to military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served.
Explore your family history with the premier collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for in-depth genealogical research from 1704 – today. HeritageHub helps you easily identify relatives, uncover new information and potentially unknown family members. Includes deep coverage from all 50 states, hard-to-find content from the mid 1900’s, and original obituary images. Access is available 24/7.
HeritageQuest® Online combines digital, searchable images of U.S. federal census records with the digitized version of the popular ProQuest Genealogy & Local History collection and other valuable content. Powered by Ancestry® with more than 4.4 billion records and coverage dating back to the 1700s.
ProQuest African American Heritage (Login Required - click here to access your account)
Search essential historical records for African Americans, including Federal Census, Marriage and Cohabitation Records, Military Draft and Service Records, Registers of Slaves and Free(d) Persons of Color, Freedman's Bank, and more.
Dallas Genealogical Society
The Dallas Genealogical Society was founded to create, foster, and maintain interest in genealogy and to assist and support the Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck Genealogy Collection of Dallas Public Library. DGS collects, preserves, copies, and indexes information relating to Dallas County and its history and provides material and financial support to the Genealogy Section. The organization also presents workshops and other programs that offer on-going educational opportunities for the genealogical community.
DGS Resources
Dallas Genealogical Society's Dallas County Records of Interest to the Genealogist at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library-Dallas Public Library System compiled by Shirley Remnant Sloat for the Dallas Genealogical Society and the J. Erik Jonsson Public Library
Dallas Genealogical Society's Dallasearch – A Guide to Genealogical Resources in Dallas County, Texas created by McFarland, Jan Bishop; Jacoby Jr, W.F. (Bill); Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt; Smolovik, Cindy C; Riddle, Peggy.
Dallas County 14th District Court Abstracts: Minute Book A, 1846 - 1855
Index to Witnesses in the Dallas County, Texas District Court Civil Case Papers, 1846-1900
Index to McGowan Funeral Home Records, Dallas, Texas