Place Names Research at FamilySearch makes geographic research easier.

What began as a tool called Standard Finder from the FamilySearch Labs back in 2010 has evolved. Now available at www.familysearch.org/research/places, this resource has a simple search interface that delivers lots of information.

Search results pinpoint locations on Google Maps and provide links to other geo-referencing sites such as What Was There, HistoryPin, and TheClio, as well as a link to Wikipedia (don’t laugh – it’s great for geographic research). And the all important Alternate Names section is also there.

Best of all, the advanced search function includes searching by a range of dates, an invaluable new addition.

The example below is shows results for Freienwalde, Pomerania, the name and province at the time my great-grandmother’s family lived there, but now known Chociwel, Poland. And Freienwalde in Pomerania is different from Bad Freienwalde in Brandenburg, as I learned early in my research.

Even if you’ve already searched your place names on FamilySearch, come back and try again for some great new information.

Place Names Research at FamilySearch