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Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia (GRIVA)

Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia (GRIVA)

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German SIG

May 5, 2026: Germans in Colonial North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia

12 May, 2026 by Sylvia Elchinger

Send questions/comments on this or any other topic to GRIVA.GermanSIG@gmail.com. In our last SIG of the year, we addressed the three southernmost colonies – North Carolina South Carolina, and Georgia. North Carolina Like Virginia, North … Read more

Categories German SIG

April 7, 2026: Germans in Colonial Virginia

9 April, 2026 by Sylvia Elchinger

Germans have explored and settled in colonial Virginia since the early 1600s. Johannes Fleischer, a botanist from Breslau, landed in Jamestown with the British in 1607. His goal was to explore the area for medicinal … Read more

Categories German SIG

March 3, 2026: Germans in Colonial Pennsylvania

7 March, 2026 by Sylvia Elchinger

Per the 1790 census, German immigrants made up about 8.6% of the overall population of the thirteen newly minted states. In Pennsylvania, however, that number rises dramatically – to 34%. So there is a lot … Read more

Categories German SIG

February 3, 2026: Palatines in New York

7 February, 2026 by Sylvia Elchinger

The Palatines of New York are one of the earliest groups of German settlers in the British colonies of North America. Their story is in some ways tragic, but in others a testament to perseverance. … Read more

Categories German SIG

September 2, 2025 Background: German Emigration to Colonial America

2 February, 20266 September, 2025 by Sylvia Elchinger

In September, the German SIG examined the emigration process in the 1600s and 1700s. Where did emigrants come from? How did they get here? Where did they settle?

Categories German SIG

April 2025 – Civil Registration Records

26 June, 202525 April, 2025 by Sylvia Elchinger

For blank civil registration record for birth, marriage, and death, as well as transcriptions and translations of each, see the handout from this presentation. This month we discussed the history of civil registration in Germany. The earliest … Read more

Categories German SIG

March 2025 – Deep Dive into Death Records

25 June, 202525 March, 2025 by Sylvia Elchinger

In March we took a look at funeral guidelines and regulations, everything from a quiet burial to the so-called donkey’s burial. We’re using the same volumes as in February and November, so look there for … Read more

Categories German SIG

February 2025 – Deep Dive into Marriage Records

25 June, 202525 February, 2025 by Sylvia Elchinger

This month, we took a deep dive into German church records for marriage – why do they look like they do, how they change over time, and how they vary from place to place. There … Read more

Categories German SIG

Upcoming Programs

Jun 9
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT

June 2026 DNA SIG – The Men Who Contribute to Our DNA

Jul 7
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm EDT

July 2026 DNA SIG – Read Between the ThruLines: Clues, Cousins, and a Healthy Dose of Skepticism

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Genealogical Research Institute of Virginia
P.O. Box 29178
Henrico, VA 23242-0178

Email: mail@griva.org
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