Chicago Genealogy: Polish-American Resources is today’s post.
Given the border changes over time, also consider links to
German-American resources for Chicago.
For links to other ethnic Chicago resources, click here.
Please note: This list is meant to include resources in addition to the ones found at the traditional genealogical sites like FamilySearch, Ancestry, Fold3, and the like. And the lists are by no means exhaustive, so if you know of other digital collections on Chicago and Illinois that you’ve found useful in your research, please let me know.
Organizations
Polish Genealogical Society of America
The Society, headquartered in Chicago, is open to anyone doing research within the borders of the old Commonwealth of Poland. They provide books, newsletters, bulletins, printed information, regular Society meetings, and an annual workshop. With 2,000 members in all 50 states and 10 countries, the Society encourages its members to communicate with each other and share leads, research sources, and any other information that may prove mutually beneficial.
PGSA databases include:
- Index to Death Notices in Dziennik Chicagoski, 1890-1920 – Searchable database for death notices in the leading Chicago Polish-American newspaper
- Index to Death Notices in Dziennik Chicagoski, 1930-1971 – Searchable database for death notices in the leading Chicago Polish-American newspaper
- Polish Marriages in Chicago through 1915 – Searchable database of marriages in Chicago Catholic parishes
PGSA Library Services:
PGSA volunteers work at the library of the Polish Museum of America (PMA), where they handle mail and in-person requests. Staffing does not permit them to do your research, but they can advise you. Their collections do NOT contain birth, marriage, death, immigration, or naturalization records.
| Research Requests by Mail | Members | Non Members | Request Form |
| Dziennik Chicagoski newspaper obituary per obituary | $5 | $8 | Form |
| Hallers Army record copies per line entry | $5 to $7 | $8 to 10 | Form |
| Heraldry per name | $5 | $8 | Form |
| Location of town/villages per name | $8 | $12 | Form |
| PRCUA Insurance death record copies per name | $10 | $15 | Form |
| Surnames per name | $5 | $8 | Form |
| Who’s Who in Polish America per name | $5 | $8 | Form |
| Writing Home per letter | $5 | $8 | Form |
Polish Museum of America, Chicago
“The Museum is one of the oldest and largest ethnic museums in the U.S. With its 60,000 volumes, 250 periodicals, collections of Polish music records and cassettes, the Museum Library ranks as one of the best, outside of Poland. The website provides information regarding opening hours and location of the museum and the library.”
Newspapers and City Directories
Free Chicago City Directories Online
The Newberry Library
• Polish Genealogy at the Newberry:
• Chicago City Directory – Polish-Americans 1903 (Call # F 548.9.P7P6)
Illinois Newspaper Project
Search here by title or OCLC number for information on repository and holdings for the following titles:
Polish-American Chicago Newspapers in the INP:
- Chicagowianin 1936 – 19uu
- Dziennik Chicagoski = Chicago daily news (Polish), 1890 – 1971
- Dziennik Chicagowski, 1990 – uuuu
- Dziennik ludowy ( l.), 1907 – 1925
- Dziennik narodowy, 1900 – 1923
- Dziennik zjednoczenia (City edition), 18uu – 19uu
- Dziennik zwiazkowy. 1908 – 9999
- Gazeta Chicagoska = Chicago gazette. 19uu – 19uu
- Gazeta katolicka
- Glos polek (Chicago, Ill.) 1902 – 9999
- Jednosc ( l.)1971 – 19uu
- Kuryer chicagoski, 190u – 19uu
- Kuryer polski = Polish courier, 1966 – 19uu
- Narod polski = Polish nation, 1897 – 9999
- Niedzielny glos polski, 1925 – 19uu
- Nowe zycie ( l.) 1890 – 1uuu
- Nowiny z Cicero Cicero, IL 193u – 19uu
- Nowy dziennik chicagoski = Chicago Polish daily news. 1986 – uuuu
- Polonia (l. 1971) 1971 – 9999
- Prawda (l.)1935 – 19uu
- Prawda dla ludu = The Truth for the people. 1935 – 19uu
- Telegraf (l. 1936) 1uuu – 19uu
- Telegraf (l.)1897 – 19uu
That’s today’s post on Chicago Genealogy: Polish-American Resources.
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