Pasifika — Family history
This guide outlines Family History resources related to the Pacific. There are more general resources at the top followed by individual sections for each island.
Introduction
This guide outlines Family History resources related to the Pacific. There are more general research guides for Family history and Pasifika.
Family history research guide
Pasifika research guide
There are a number of ways to search for information that the National Library and Alexander Turnbull Library hold. A good place to start is searching on the website. Look for the magnifying glass icon at the top of the library’s website to search for published and unpublished items that the Library has concerning New Zealand, the Pacific and the world.
You can use the National Library Catalogue to search specifically for published items such as books, maps, magazines or journals.
You can use the Alexander Turnbull catalogue Tiaki to search specifically for unpublished material such as manuscripts, photographs, drawings and paintings or rare books.
National Library Catalogue
Alexander Turnbull Library catalogue
Help — find out more about searching on the National Library website.
Pacific Island scene painted by , William Anson McCleverty, 1806-1897. Ref: WC-343. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Overview of Pacific Island resources
Below is a list of some of the main resources available for individual islands in the Pacific and the Pacific region more generally.
National Library catalogues and resources with information about the Pacific
Index New Zealand: an online index to magazine and newspaper articles held by the library, including abstracts.
Te Puna Search: lists titles of books and serials held in libraries throughout New Zealand.
Papers Past: database of historical newspapers published in New Zealand (1839-1949) and Samoa (1877-1930). New Zealand newspapers often contained reports from across the Pacific. Also available via Papers Past are full text magazines, letters and diaries and the NZ Parliamentary papers (which include reports from the Pacific and reports on New Zealand’s Pacific territories).
Key websites with Pacific-related genealogy resources
Ancestry Library Edition and Find My Past are both subscription databases that include Pacific-related resources and are available from the Library’s Reading Room computers.
Family Search includes digitised Pacific resources freely available online. If you visit the Library's Reading Rooms in Wellington there are volunteers from the Society of Genealogists on hand to assist you with all family history searches using this site. To discover the full range of available materials, try the Family Search catalogue of genealogical materials.
Trove gives you access to historic Australian newspapers, including reports relating to the Pacific.
Digital Pasifik hosts Pasifika content especially from instuitions all over the world and allows for user stories to be shared amongst one another regarding those treasures such as photographs, artefacts and oral histories.
Group on Mauke Island, Cook Islands. Ref: 1/2-065821-F. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Pacific Manuscripts Bureau
Pacific Manuscripts Bureau — Archives, manuscripts and rare printed material from countries across the Pacific available on microfilm reels held in the Turnbull Library. The PMB website includes a catalogue of these resources and other digitised material plus detailed inventories for the larger collections. You can also search for PMB microfilms on the Library’s own website and catalogues.
Church records
The following church missionary organisations have records held in Turnbull Library on microfilm. Detailed inventories of these collections are held in the Katherine Mansfield Reading Room.
London Missionary Society, 1795 – 1923 (Micro-MS-Coll-02) — Minutes and selected records relating to Australia and the South Pacific.
Methodist Missionary Society, 1812 – 1889 (Micro-MS-Coll-03) — Papers related to mission affairs in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, with particularly strong coverage for Fiji. Consisting of reports of missionaries, correspondence between missions and the Society Head Office, committee and district minutes, personal papers of missionaries, papers relating to mission ships and other related material including drawings, portraits, and religious books in Pacific Island languages.
Oceania Marist Pacific (Micro-MS-Coll-21)
Archives of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Tonga (1842-1951)
Diocese of Samoa and the Tokelau (1845-1962)
Marist Fathers, Papers relating to the Marist Mission in the Pacific (1836-1935)
Diocese of Wallis and Futuna (1838-1973)
Diocese of Port Vila (1837-1939)
Archdiocese of Noumea (1842-1976)
Catholic Church Oceania Marist Province (1893-1971).
Inventory to the collection — The Catholic Church in the Western Pacific: a guide to records on microfilm, edited by Robert Langdon (Canberra: ANU, 1985). Copy held in Katherine Mansfield Reading Room.
United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (Micro-MS-Coll-17) – This organisation is comparable in structure to the London Missionary Society, besides spreading the Gospel throughout various countries in the Pacific, the SPG worked for better education, established libraries and promoted prison reform. In 1965 their name was changed from Society for the Propagation of the Gospel to the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel. The records comprise annual reports, journals, minutes of standing committees, correspondence, candidate's papers, clipping books and photographs.
A village in Samoa ca. 1920s. Panorama by Robert Percy Moore. Ref: Pan-0416-F. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Cook Islands
Useful websites and resources to help with your family history research related to Cook Islands.
Cook Islands — Family Search
Cook Islands genealogy page — Guide to Cook Islands ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
Cook Islands civil registration — Civil registers containing records of births, marriages, and deaths as well as other public records. Originals held at Land and Survey Office, Avarua, Cook Islands and the Justice Department, Rarotonga, Cook Islands.
Cook Islands, public records – Family Search historical records — This collection contains an index to birth, marriage, and death records. The original records are held by the Cook Islands Ministry of Justice.
Cook Islands online genealogy records — Guide to Cook Islands records for researching ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth, marriage, death, census, church, military, immigration, and naturalization records.
Cook Islands church records — Catholic records, Apostolic records, Assemblies of God records, Cook Islands Christian church records, Seventh Day Adventist records
Cook Islands — Pacific Manuscripts Bureau information
Roman Catholic Church Diocese of Rarotonga & Niue Diocesan Archives, 1891-1993 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1064) — Records include baptism, confirmation, marriage and burial registers from c1894 - c1959. Reels 6-10 and 52. Covers parishes located in both the Southern and Northern Cook Islands. Detailed inventories for the Diocese are in the PMB online catalogue.
Mangaia census materials -1958 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1336) — Detailed house to house survey of every household on Mangaia, with genealogical and other data, made by D S Marshall in 1958. Includes plan of analysis, key to format and sample. Organised by village.
Walter Edward Gudgeon papers (Micro-MS-Coll-08-0091) — Contains genealogical tables for the Cook Islands.
Outward correspondence of Resident Commissioner and Rarotongan genealogies (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1200-11) — Includes genealogies of Arikis. Tinomona Ariki, Pa Ariki Tangiia. Written by Samuela Terei, Ngatamariki.
Archives of the Cook Islands Christian Church digitised on PMB website — This collection includes copies of:
London Missionary Society birth records from 1849 – 1951
Minutes of the Cook Islands Christian Church General Assembly 1950-1972
Baptism and Burial Records Avarua Church 1977-1987
Baptism, Marriage and Burial Records Arorangi Church 1949-1978
Baptism and Burial Records Arorangi Church 1976-2003
Baptism and Burial Records Arorangi 1994-2008
Baptism and Burial Records, Titikaveka 1973-2009
Baptism and Burial Records, Matavera 1978-2008
Notice of intention to marriage records, Akakiteanga Akaipoipo, Avarua 1919-1974.
Cook Islands Manuscripts — school records
Letters to the Rev Hutchin from Tereora School pupils, 1910 (MS-Papers-4151-14)
Mission House School and Tereora School Admission register 1893-1911 (MS-Papers-4151-39)
Nikao School: Diaries 1913 and 1914 (MS-Papers-4151-20)
Papers relating to other schools. 1893-1914 including Tereora and Ngatangua (MS-Papers-4151-42)
Tereora Boarding School register and biogrpahical notes. 1964-1994 (2004-155-06)
Takamoa School diaries for the years:
Cook Islands Manuscripts — William Wyatt Gill
William Wyatt Gill — Rarotonga manuscripts — Contents include traditional legends, songs, genealogies etc and contact period history from informants Itio (Mangaia), Rupe (Atiu), Apolo (Manihiki), Patu, Taunga and Taarua. Also, material about Mauke, Pukapuka, Manuae, Atutaki and Rarotonga; letters and accounts of mission activities in New Caledonia, Samoa, Pukapuka, Manihiki and other areas.
Cook Islands — Alexander Turnbull Library Catalogue Tiaki
The records in the Alexander Turnbull Library Catalogue include:
Genealogy of Tangaiia — Nui, Iro-Nui and Karika-Tara apeape (MS-Papers-1187-135)
Iseraela Tama - Aitutakian genealogies, collected and written out by J T Large (MS-Papers-1187-169)
See the full list of records under 'Cook Islands – Genealogy' subject heading in Tiaki
Cook Island — Newspapers
Links to newspapers in the National Library Catalogue.
Cook Islands photo news: Sept 1976 no.135 – April 1978 (gaps)
Cook Islands press: 18 Dec 1994 - 21 Jul 1996; Feb – 22 Nov 1998 (gaps)
Cook Islands — Books
Akapapaanga no Ngati Tinomana / tataia e Taira Rere, 1975
Akatokamanava: myth, history and society in the Southern Cook Islands by Jukka Siikala, 1991
Descendants of Tekaria and Varavo of Manihiki, Cook Islands by D Murray, 1993
E au tuatua no Ngati Tinomana / tataia e Taira Rere, 1974
Genealogies and historical notes from Raratonga [i.e. Rarotonga]. Pt. 3 by Te-aia, 1893
Genealogy of the Tinomana Family by Taira Rere, 1975
History of the Papehia family by Taira Rere, c1977
History of the Tinomana family by Taira Rere, 1975
Stories of Palmerston compiled by Maureen Marama Hilyard, c2007
Te Ata o Ikurangi = The Shadow of Ikurangi by J.J. MacCauley, 1976 -1988
Te autara i a Iro: na Iseraela tama, Aitutaki na raati (J.T. Large) i koi, 1911
Unidentified wedding party, probably Maoate family wedding. Crown Studios Ltd :Negatives and prints. Ref: 1/1-036801-F. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Fiji
Useful websites and resources to help with your family history research related to Fiji.
Fiji — Family Search pages
Fiji genealogy page — Guide to Fiji ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
Fiji civil registration — Births 1875- 1989, Marriages 1871- 1989, Deaths 1875-1989.
Fiji online genealogy records — Guide to Fiji Online Genealogy Records for researching ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth, marriage, death, census, church, military, immigration, and naturalization records.
Fiji church records — Including records for the following churches: Anglican, Assembly of God, Catholic, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Methodist and Seventh Day Adventist.
Fiji — Manuscripts
Fiji Govt. Immigration Dept: Archives, census and registry information (Micro- MS-Coll-23) — Contains the following:
General Register of Immigrants (Polynesian) 1870-1911 (Micro-MS-Coll-23-01)
Returns of European Residents in Fiji 1874, 1875 (Micro-MS-Coll-23-02)
General Register if Indian Immigrants 1879-1916 (Micro-MS-Coll-23-03, 04, 05)
Register of the deaths of Indian immigrants 1879-1927 (Micro-MS-Coll-23-06,07)
Index to Vol. 1-9 of Plantation Registers of Indian Immigrants, 1879-1919 (Micro-MS-Coll-23-08)
Plantation Registers of Indian Immigrants, 1900–1919 (Micro-MS-Coll-23-09 - 14)
Anthropological data – Fiji (MS-Papers-0060-34, 35 and 36) — Duplicates of Lakemba pedigrees. Notebook containing kinship diagrams, and additional genealogical charts.
Anthropological data – Rotuma (MS-Papers-0060-37) — Rotuman Genealogies numbered 254-338 (continuation from folders 35-36).
MacKinnon, Marsali: Fiji oral history project in association with the Fiji Museum, Part 1: part-Europeans and Europeans, transcripts of audio recordings (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1235) — The oral history audio media project comprises 28 taped interviews with 26 senior members of the part-European and European communities living in Fiji and Australia. They trace the histories of a number of part-European and European families in Fiji through the 19th and 20th centuries beginning with the first arrival of their European ancestors.
Fiji — Newspapers
Australian National University. Pacific Manuscripts Bureau – PMB Doc 1968
The Fiji times and Western Pacific herald: 20 May 1918- 11 Jun 1918
Fiji — Books
A planter's lament: Jacob Storck of the Fiji Islands by Dianne Mitchell, 2010
A voyage around our past: Montrose-Florian family history by P. Montrose, 1993
An autobiography and family lineage by Bruce Barrack, 2008
British consul for Fiji and Tonga; BMD index; 1858-1873 by Murray Mackenzie, 20 2002
Call me Cobber by Viti Taylor, 2008
Gujaratis in Fiji Islands : personal glimpses by Kanti Jinna and Francis Mangubhai, 2008
Harman family from Yorkshire to Fiji by Yvonne McKissock, 2009
Nayau, my heritage. Volume 1 by Viliame Savu, 2007
Pacific Islands Interests NZSG Supplement No 6, 2002 (Family History Collection – Pacific)
Pacific Islands Interests NZSG Supplement No 12, 2002 (Family History Collection – Pacific)
Some memorials from Levuka, Ovalau Island, Fiji by Christine Liava’a, 2002
Mataqali Veikau (?), Waciwaci. Hocart, Arthur Maurice, 1883-1939 :Photographs of Solomon Islands, Rotuma and Fiji. Ref: PAColl-1914-260. Alexander Turnbull Library.
French Polynesia
Useful websites and resources to help with your family history research related to French Polynesia.
French Polynesia — Family Search pages
French Polynesia genealogy page — Guide to French Polynesia ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
French Polynesia civil registration — Civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths for French Polynesia, 1780-1999. Original records are located with the Tribunal Civil, Papeete, Tahiti.
French Polynesia online genealogy records — Guide to French Polynesia Online Genealogy Records for researching ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth, marriage, death, census, church, military, immigration, and naturalization records.
French Polynesia church records — Including records from the following churches: Catholic, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Community of Christ, hovah's Witnesses and Maohi Protestant.
French Polynesia — Pacific Manuscripts Bureau
Catholic Archdiocese of Papeete: administrative archives. 1833-1969 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1080) — there is a detailed inventory on PMB website (PDF) which includes the following examples:
Fakahina – baptêmes (1880-1919)
Mariages (1869-1919) – documents et lettres 1869-1919
Fangatau – baptêmes (1880-1918)
Mariages (1869-1918) – documents et lettres (1869-1818)
Napuka – baptêmes avant 1880 - lettres
Pukapuka – documents et lettres
Raroia – baptêmes et mariages (1954-1955) – documents et lettres (1954-1955)
Takume – baptêmes (1955) – documents et lettres (1955)
Archives of the Archdiocese of Papeete : Works in Mangarevan (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1083) — Draft histories and genealogies of Mangareva, in Mangarevan, held by M Auguste Uebe.
French Polynesia — Manuscripts
Brisson, Victor (Captain), 1881-1951 : The Brisson papers (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1034) — Papers collected by Brisson, mainly on Tahitian and Tuamotu genealogies, legends, traditions and chants, as well as local gepgraphical names, and names for months, seasons and moons. Papers are in French, English, Tahitian and Tuamotu languages.
French Polynesia — Books
Matahoata: arts and society in the Marquesas Islands by Carol S. Ivory, 2016
The Pritchard family tree / researched and compiled by Zella A. Moss, 1989
Tahitian women, Tahiti. Union Steam Ship Company :Original prints of Samoa, Rarotonga, Tonga and Tahiti. Ref: PAColl-5426-09. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Kiribati
Useful websites and resources to help with your family history research related to Kiribati.
Kiribati — Family Search pages
Kiribati genealogy page — Guide to Kiribati ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
Kiribati civil registration — Vital records from Kiribati for the years 1890-1991.
Kiribati online genealogy records — Guide to Kiribati Online Genealogy Records for researching ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth, marriage, death, census, church, military, immigration, and naturalization records.
Kiribati church records — With records for the following churces: Catholic, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Kiribati Uniting and Jehovah's Witnesses Church Records.
Kiribati — Pacific Manuscripts Bureau
Maude, Henry Evans, 1906-2006: Papers relating to the Gilbert Islands, 1942-1970 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1077) — Contains the 'Genealogical book of the Royal Family of Abemama', and circular notices of the Japanese Dictrict Officer in the Gilberts 1942-1943, with translations.
Pateman, Emily May, b 1893: Collection of Gilbertese traditions (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1032) — Collections of tales, legends and other traditional myths from the Gilbert Islands.
Kiribati — Manuscripts
Gilbert and Ellis Islands - A report on the census of the population, 1963 (Micro-MS-Coll-01-L28)
Kiribati — Oral history
Interview with Makin Corrie Tekenimatang, 1998 (OHColl-0896-01) — Life history interview with Makin Corrie Tekenimatang, born on Banaba (Ocean Island) in the Central Pacific in 1930, experienced occupation under the Japanese on Banaba and Kiribati, and under the post-war migration of the total Banaban population, arrived on Rabi Island in Fiji, December 1945.
Kiribati — Newspapers
Kiribati — Books
In their own words: history and society in Gilbertese oral tradition by Kambati K. Uriam, 1995
Mythistoire Tungaru : cosmologies et genealogies aux Iles Gilbert by Jean-Paul Latouche, 1984
Kiribati — Video
Tinaua Ioane: te tia karaki, Butaritari, 2003 — Tinaua Ioane talks about the origin of the Kiribati people and the genealogy connecting all the islands of Kiribati.
Queen Tenia'makui with Banaba Island men in traditional clothing, at Tabwewa village, Banaba, Kiribati. Arundel, Lilian Mary Izod, b 1883: Photographs of Banaba, Kiribati (formerly known as Ocean Island, Gilbert Islands), Nauru, and Makatea. Ref: PAColl-6044-06. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Niue
Useful websites and resources to help with your family history research related to Niue.
Niue — Family Search pages
Niue genealogy page — Guide to Niue ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
Niue civil registration — Vital Records, 1818-1994; Births from Niue Island, 1900-1994; Deaths and still births for Niue Island, 1899-1994; Registers of marriage for Niue Island, 1900-1994.
Niue online genealogy records — Online databases and indexes that may include birth records, marriage records, death records, biographies, cemeteries, censuses, histories, immigration records, land records, military records, newspapers, obituaries, or probate records.
Niue church records — Catholic Church Records, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Records, Congregational Christian Church of Niue Records, Seventh-day Adventist Church Records.
Niue — Pacific Manuscripts Bureau
Government of Niue: Registers of Births and Deaths, 1910-1916 and Marriages, 1900-1972 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1240-1 – 5) — Detailed inventory on PMB website (PDF). Includes, Registers of Births and Deaths, 1910-1916; Marriages, 1900-1972; Register of Births [Europeans], Mar 1910 – Mar 1915; Koe Tohi Fakamau (Civil), Nos.19-628, 275-510, 1917-1967; Copy of Marriage Register (Church), Nos.1-1444, May 1916-Aug 1966.
Government of Niue: Wills, 1888-1991 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1241) — The wills are arranged by village and the name of the will-maker. The villages are Alofi, Alofi South, Tamakautoga, Avatele, Hakupu, Liku, Lakepa, Mutalau, Toi, Hikutakvake, Tuapa and Makefu.
London Missionary Society – Niue (Micro-MS-Coll-08-0702) — Register of Baptisms November 1926 - July 1947
London Missionary Society – Niue (Micro-MS-Coll-08-0703) — Register of Church Members 1872 - 1912
London Missionary Society – Niue (Micro-MS-Coll-08-0705) — Church roll – last revision 1948. It is not known when the church roll was originally compiled, but revisions were made in 1928 and 1948.
Niue — Manuscripts
Niuean whakapapa (MS-Papers-6717-087) — A part of Jock McEwen’s papers. Contains Niuean whakapapa tables.
Interview with Sir Robert Rex, 1977 (OHColl-0557/1) — Sir Robert Rex was the Premier of Niue from self-government in 1974 until his death in 1992. He was born in Alofi on Niue in 1909. His father was European, and his mother was Niuean. Discusses his descendants on his father's side, who he traces back to an illegitimate relationship of George III, and his mother's family history. Mentions she was the daughter of a native pastor.
Niue — Newspapers
Niue — Books
The House of Iron Magafaoa: Faleapa mo Vaione Tiai edited by Nuhisifa Seve-Williams, 2011
The Magafaoa from Hulugiahetoa and Latoa Ikinofo by Mary Latoa-Levi, 2013
Ear piercing ceremony, Alofi, Niue. Jowitt, Glenn, 1955-2014 : Photographs of Polynesia. Ref: PAColl-0198-06. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Papua New Guinea
Useful websites and resources to help with your family history research related to Papua New Guinea.
Papua New Guinea — Family Search pages
Papua New Guinea genealogy page — Guide to Papua New Guinea ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
Papua New Guinea civil registration — Papua New Guinea Births, 1888-2004. Not all have been digitized yet.
Papua New Guinea Marriages records, 1892-1980. Records are mostly for Europeans living in Papua and New Guinea. Only the indexes for 1892-1974 are online. Papua New Guinea Deaths, 1867-1983.
Papua New Guinea vital records — Birth, marriage, and death records from Papua New Guinea for the years 1867-2000.
Papua New Guinea online genealogy records — Guide to Papua New Guinea online genealogy records for researching ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth, marriage, death, census, church, military, immigration, and naturalization records.
Papua New Guinea church records — Including church records for: Anglican (Episcopal), Catholic, Evangelical Alliance Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Salvation Army, Seventh-day Adventist and United.
Papua New Guinea — Pacific Manuscripts Bureau
Veipa Mekeo District Papua: Papuan genealogies, 1904-ca 1960 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-0002) — Genealogies of Papuans at the Roman Catholic Mission Station, Veipa, compiled by the priests. An introduction and annotations are in Latin.
Papua New Guinea — Manuscripts
Papua New Guinea – Genealogy — A search on Tiaki for "Papua New Guinea – Genealogy" as a subject heading comes up with 17 items. Most of these belong to the collection of Dr Reo Franklin Fortune who was a New Zealand social anthropologist. Fortune was one of the pioneers of social anthropology in Melanesia and contributed significantly to the research of the Islanders of Papua New Guinea. Below are some of these manuscripts:
Arapesh field notes (1), 1932-1934 (80-323-302) — Material comprises field notes relating to the Arapesh; topics include kinship relationships, Arapesh genealogies, warfare, village labour, garden magic etc.
Notebook on genealogies (80-323-177) — Notebook, cover inscribed "Genealogies - various districts".
Papua New Guinean genealogical notes (80-323-171) — Material comprises genealogies from various districts, census notes and sketches and diagrams of family trees.
Research notes – Dobu,1928-1936 (80-323-476) — Material comprises research notes on Papuan New Guinea kinship relationships and genealogies.
Research notes - Ketabi (Parosa) (80-323-190) — Notes entitled 'Ketabi parosa,' relates to genealogy.
Papua New Guinea — Newspapers
Papua New Guinea — Books
Memories of Papua: 1964 to 1973 by Nick Thomson, 2014
Children in canoes, Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. Fortune, Reo Franklin, 1903-1979: Photographs relating to Reo and Eileen Fortune. Ref: PA11-210-20. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Samoa and American Samoa
Useful websites and resources to help with your family history research related to Samoa and American Samoa.
Samoa and American Samoa — Family Search pages
Samoa and American Samoa genealogy page — Guide to Samoa and American Samoa ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
Samoa civil registration — Birth registers, 1876-1920; registration of births during the German occupation, 1876-1917; registration of births during the British military occupation, 1917-1920; register of deaths, 1895-1899; births 1889-1900.
Samoa Online genealogy records — Guide to Samoa Online genealogy records for researching ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth, marriage, death, census, church, military, immigration, and naturalization records.
Samoa church records — Including church records for: Anglican, Assembly of God, Baptist, Catholic, Congregational, Nazarene and others.
American Samoa civil registration — This collection contains birth, marriage, and death records from American Samoa from 1850 to 1930. The original microfilms are held at the High Court, Pago Pago in American Samoa. Records may be in either English or Samoan.
American Samoa, census records, 1900-1945 — Census records from American Samoa for the years 1900-1901, 1903, 1908-1909, 1912, 1916, 1920, 1922, 1923, 1926, and 1945. Original records are located in the U.S. Federal Records Center in San Bruno, California.
American Samoa online genealogy records
American Samoa church records — Records from various churches including: Catholic, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Congregational Christian and Methodist.
Samoa and American Samoa — Ancestry.com
Select Baptisms, 1805-1910
Select Burials, 1895-1970
Samoa and American Samoa — Pacific Manuscripts Bureau
A search of PMB offers over 174 items for Samoa — see results here. This includes published material such as newspapers and newsletters, and manuscript material from individuals and organisations. The Turnbull Library has all of these items on microfilm. Some of this material has now been digitised and is available to view onsite in the Katherine Mansfield Reading Room.
Samoa and American Samoa — Births and deaths records
Some of these records are now available online at Family Search. There are also other resources listed such as Marriages for Upolu 1919-1993 and Probate records from 1920 to 1978.
Western Samoa civil registrations for births 1852-1993 and deaths 1895-1992 on microfilm. There is a detailed inventory with the microfilms and these are available from the Turnbull Library reading rooms.
Western Samoa births 1905-1993
Western Samoa deaths 1923-1993
European birth registers 1920-1962
Births within the British military occupied territory of Samoa 1918-1920
British Consulate births recorded 1852-1915
British Consulate registered births 1899-1900 and deaths 1895-1899
Register of British subjects residing in the Samoan Islands ca,1878-1915
Deutschland Konsulat Apia birth registers 1876-1920
These microfilms are from Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Samoa and American Samoa — Manuscripts
Writings of Mgr Darnand, 1917-1939 (Micro-MS-Coll-21-072) — Includes writings collected by Mgr Darnand: Writings by Edward Bellwald, including diaries, memoranda from Pagopago, histores and genealogiers from Eastern (American) Samoa. so, writings and memoirs of Theophile Estibal, mainly on Samoan history.
Six research papers on Samoan history and culture (Series-0439) — While serving in Samoa, Frederick James Henry Grattan, who held a Diploma in Anthropology, undertook a study of Samoan history and culture. He published 'Introduction to Samoan customs' in 1948 and began preliminary work on a history of Samoa which was never completed. The series contains 51 folders, 4 volumes and 3 boxes. It covers the period 1874-1978 and reflects Grattan's interest in the history of Samoa, including its philography, language, traditions, customs and genealogies.
Genealogies (MS-Papers-4879-071) — O Aiga Tetele O Samoa; Ma Suafa O Ali'i Ma O Latou Nu'u; E Fa' Asino I Ai (Genealogies of the major families and villages to which they belong). Also includes lessons concerning Samoan customs.
Gurr, Edwin William, 1862-1933 : Papers (MS-Papers-0056) — The collection comprises correspondence, official papers and other documents relating to Samoan Government in the 1880s and 1890s, papers relating to Samoan geneologies, and some personal papers.
Statements – Samoan genealogies and customs, 1894-1898 (MS-Papers-0056-25) — Genealogies for Malietoa, Tuisamau, Mata’afa, and Faasaleleaga
Gurr, Edwin William 1862-1933 : Samoan genealogies (Micro-MS-0117) — Genealogies for Malietoa, Mata’afa, Tupua, Sa Toomalatai, Tapuala Moaaivao, Fuimaomo, Sa Ulugia, Ma-Fatumalala, Faiivae, Mauge Pulu, Masui, Tofaeono and Salanoa.
William Churchill - Notes on Samoa (MS-Papers-1187-042) — Contains a 3-leaf paper labelled 'conjectures as to place names of map of Hawaii from Upolo point by the E' which appears to compare Hawaiian and Samoan names; 1 leaf in S P Smith's hand headed fornander vol I p 168; and 53 leaves of carbon typescript headed 'Geneologies and notes from Samoa'; and a map of North Auckland
Anthropological data - Uvea and Samoa (MS-Papers-0060-40) — Notebook of drawings containing genealogies from Samoa and Uvea, numbered 1 - 75; and Notebook of genealogies from Samoa, numbered 69-108.
Samoa and American Samoa — Newspapers
Digitised Samoan newspapers on Papers Past:
Samoanische Zeitung (1903-1930) — Any gaps can be found on microfilm for the years 1903 – 1914.
Samoan newspapers on microfilm or in print:
Samoa Times 9 January 1915 to 28 February 1930. (Title changed from Samoanische Zeitung)
Samoan Reporter: March 1845 – May1862 & February 1870 (Bi-annual)
Samoa and American Samoa — Maps
Map of Upolu 1914. Digitised map on two sheets showing land holdings with owner’s names.
Samoa and American Samoa — Books
Blain biographical directory of Anglican clergy in the South Pacific by Michael Bain, 2003
Faʻafaigofieina Faʻalupega o Samoa tusia e Tofaeono Tanuvasa Tavale, 2005
Talatalaga i le lotoā o Matautuala'a by Mano'o Si'a Auimatagi Fa'asala'ia'i Le'uo Avataeao Kato ʻUlu Kini, 2006
The Pritchard family tree / researched and compiled by Zella A. Moss, 1989
German Samoa
The Samoan Islands Vol I, Part 1-3. 1901-1903 (MS-Papers-4879-099)
Samoan war canoe. Union Steam Ship Company :Original prints of Samoa, Rarotonga, Tonga and Tahiti. Ref: PAColl-5426-02. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Tokelau
Useful websites and resources to help with your family history research related to Tokelau.
Tokelau — Births, deaths and marriages historical records
Tokelau is a territory of New Zealand so its historical records will be here although limited to:
Births that occurred at least 100 years ago
Stillbirths that occurred at least 50 years ago
Marriages that occurred 80 years ago
Deaths that occurred at least 50 years ago or the deceased's date of birth was at least 80 years ago.
Tokelau — Manuscripts
McKay, Carol, fl 1960-2013 : Letters of Derek and Carol McKay relating to the Solomon and Tokelau Islands (MS-Group-2186) — The collection comprises two sets of correspondence which have related documents. The first set of letters are from Derek McKay to his mother Mrs E J McKay during his time in the Solomon Islands working for the Boys' Brigade, accompanied by reports, guides and regulations. There is a typed transcript of the letters. The second set of letters are from Derek and Carol McKay to family and friends in New Zealand during their time spent on Fakaofo Atoll in the Tokelau Islands, and includes letters to them from individuals connected to their time on Fakaofo Atoll. The related documents are diaries, reports, administrative papers, newsletter, academic papers, tickets and travel documents. There is a digital and paper copy of a typed transcript of the letters.
A Pacific Island oral history project (OHColl-0885) — Interviews with members of the Tokelauan community in Taupo who talk about their life in the Tokelau Islands, coming to New Zealand and describing the history and skills of weaving and craft tradition in Tokelau. Three of the interviewees represent three generations in one family who are weavers, including the highly respected Tokelauan elder and master weaver, Solonaima Mativa. Interviewees are Solonaima Mativa, Iva Foliga, Foliga Mativa, Temukisa King, Pele Petio, Katalina Tefona and Patisepa Tagata.
Tokelau — Newspapers
Kalaga lua : he nuhipepa a te Taupulega ma te nuku o Atafu: 1 May 1989
Vainiu mai Fakafotu : nuhipepa a te Taupulega ma te nuku o Fakaofo: 7 July 1989 – Dec 1989
Tokelau — Books
Matagi Tokelau: history and traditions of Tokelau, 1991
The future of Tokelau: decolonising agendas, 1975-2006 by Judith Hunstaman & Kelihiano Kalolo, 2007
Tokelau: people, atolls and history by Peter McQuarrie, 2007
Tokelauan children singing at Elsdon Youth Camp in Porirua. Photograph taken by Ian Mackley. Dominion Post (Newspaper): Photographic negatives and prints of the Evening Post and Dominion newspapers. Ref: EP/1980/0599/15A-F. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Kingdom of Tonga
Useful websites and resources to help with your family history research related to Kingdom of Tonga.
Kingdom of Tonga — Family Search pages
Kingdom of Tonga genealogy page — Guide to Kingdom of Tonga ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
Register of Tongan oral histories
Kingdom of Tonga — Pacific Manuscripts Bureau
Ministry of Justice, Tonga Tongatapu Registry : Births and deaths registers, 1867-1973 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1095) — Incomplete registers of births and deaths (some arranged by village) for Tongatapu, Ha'apai, Vaa'u, Niuafo'u and Niua'topu.
Tongatapu Registry: Marriage certificates 1892-1899, 1903-1909 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1086) — Certificates from the Tongatapu Registry, collected by the Registrar-General for the island of Tongatapu; there is a gap in the records between 1899 and 1903.
Ministry of Justice, Tonga : Archives of the Tongan judiciary, 1905-1995 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1088) — From the Supreme Court of Tonga; includes civil and divorce registers, adoption registers, criminal registers, civil action registers, miscellaneous judgements, appeal judgements and photographs of justices, From the Land Court of Tonga; minute books, registers and land case files (selected). From the Court of Appeal; miscellaneous judgements and Privy Council Court of Appeal judgements.
Inwards correspondence, articles, reports, diaries, notes, texts and other documents (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1203-2) — Correspondence from politicians, other members of the Church and Tongan community on all matter of subjects, notebooks on Tongan royal family genealogy, yearly account diaries, notes on the wreck of the "John Wesley", reports on political affairs, population, constitution, history and people of Tonga.
Articles, vocabulary, genealogies, Mission and Church related papers, documents relating to Government and Kingdom of Tonga, Tongan government publications (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1203-3) — Includes genealogies of the royal family.
Rev Dr E E V Collocott - King Taufa (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1029) — Typescript is not dated but is thought to have been written after Collocott left Tonga, possibly between 1921 and 1930. The Manuscript is a history of Tonga centred around King Taufa'ahau (George Tupou I) and his family. Contains stories of creation, myths, legends, songs, and family histories.
Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga:
Marriage Registers, Vava'u Circuit, 1835-1922
(Micro-MS-Coll-08-0984) — The registers cover the periods 1835 -1884 and 1888 – 1922Marriage registers, Ha'apai Circuit, 1830-1923
(Micro-MS-Coll-08-0986)Tongatapu Circuit - Marriage registers, 1840-1972 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-0987)
Tongatapu Circuit - Marriage registers, 1971-1982 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-0988)
Niuafo'ou - Marriage register, 1885-1924 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-0989)
Kingdom of Tonga — Manuscripts
Anthropological data – Tonga (MS-Papers-0060-38 — Tongan genealogies numbered 1-18. Genealogy of titleholder Ata of Kolovai and other Kolovai families.
History of the Vava'u Mission by Pierre Castagnier (Micro-MS-Coll-21-018) — Manuscript chronicle written by Castagnier from ca 1884 on. Also notes on Tongan genealogies, ca 1884.
Writings by Reiter, Mace and Guitta (Micro-MS-Coll-21-021) — Historical and anthropological writings, notes and biographical material on Tongan history, the people and the missions.
Collocott, Ernest Edgar Vyvyan (Rev), b 1886 : Papers on Tonga (Micro-MS-0826) — Papers in English and Tongan, including royal and chiefly genealogies; Ms notes on history, customs and folklore by J Havea, J Havili, J E Moulton etc, Methodist Church records ca 1845-1874, files of Niu Vakai (newspaper) ca 1882-1883, and some miscellaneous papers.
Kingdom of Tonga — Oral Histories
Pacific citizens oral history project, 2004 (OHColl-0910) — Interviews with Andrew Afeaki and his son Sima about their family's history and their lives in Tonga and New Zealand.
Siu ki Moana - Interview with Mele Saiatua Lavulo, 2004 (OHColl-1156-01) — A life history interview with Mele Saiatua Lavulo, who was born in Mu'a on Tongatapu, Tonga in 1916, and arrived in Auckland with her family in 1952. Talks about 'palangi' ancestors, leaving Tonga on SS Tofua, and arrival in New Zealand.
Kingdom of Tonga — Newspapers
Kingdom of Tonga — Books
Jewish immigration to the Pacific: a Tongan footnote by Michael Horowitz
Telling a family story through official records by Graham Langton, 2013
Turning many stones: to find a Moss family of Yorkshire and the King of Tonga by A E Cross, 1993
The Northcott family oral history (in writing) by John Northcott, c2012
From Prussia to the Pacific: the Guttenbeil family of Tonga by Tony Muller, 2013
Jennings family of Tonga by Yvonne McKissock, c2009
Koe Okooko mei Ono'aho'. by Rainbow Enterprises Publications, 2017
Postcard: 'Native-village in Tongatabu. Tonga-Islands' . Ref: Eph-A-TONGA-1908-01. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Tuvalu
Useful websites and resources to help with your family history research related to Tuvalu.
Tuvalu — Family Search pages
Tuvalu genealogy page — Guide to Tuvalu ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
Tuvalu Civil registration — Birth, marriage, and death records for Tuvalu from 1866-1979.
Tuvalu church records — Including records from the following churches: Catholic, Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Congregational Christian, Jehovah's Witnesses and Tuvalu Brethren Church of Christ.
Tuvalu — Pacific Manuscripts Bureau
Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony: Ellice Islands land records and Land Commission minutes, Funafuti and Nanumea Islands, 1896 – 1973 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1257) — Comprising of selected series from the Gilberty and Ellice Islands Colony, Ellice Islands District, documenting the lands of Nanumea and Funafuti and Land Commission proceedings.
Funafuti Island Council, Court, Lands Commission and Land Court minute books and registers, 1932-1965 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1257-08) — Comprised of council minute books 1956-1965. Also Funafuti Court Minute Book 1923-1932; Funafuti Lands Commission and Land Court minutes 1948-1957; registers and copies of wills, 1949, 1976-1973; Funafuti genealogical record, ca 1932; registers of banana pits, lists of landowners and lands; registration of Coconut trees; Coconut Tree Planting Campaign 1949; copra tax lists.
Nanumea Pule Kaupule: Genealogies of Nanumea Island, Tuvalu, 1973-1974, 1984 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1258) — Genealogical charts based on information from the Nanumea Pule Kaupule (Nanumea Community Elders), compiled by Keith and Anne Chambers.
Tatai of Nui, Tuvalu : Journal, 1920-1930 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1156) — The journal of Tatai, in Kiribati, records an account of Tatai's visit to Samoa, his training there as a missionary and his return to Nui; a genealogy of Nui; and lastly an account of the visit to Nui by the canoe Toantebuke, including a list of those on board. There is also a typed transcript in Kiribati of the text of the journal.
Tuvalu — Manuscripts
Tala O Tuvalu, 1945-1964 (Micro-MS-Coll-01-L17)
Tuvalu — Newspapers
Tuvalu — Books
Tuvalu women performing at the 8th Festival of Pacific Arts, Noumea, New Caledonia. Brooke-White, Julia, 1942-: Photographs. Ref: PA12-7303-09. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Vanuatu
Useful websites and resources to help with your family history research related to Vanuatu.
Vanuatu — Family Search pages
Vanuatu genealogy page — Guide to Vanuatu ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
Vanuatu civil registration — French civil registration records from 1900 to 2001.
Vanuatu online genealogy records — Guide to Vanuatu Online Genealogy Records for researching ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth, marriage, death, census, church, military, immigration, and naturalization records.
Vanuatu church records — Records from churches including: Catholic, Anglican, Baptist, Neil Thomas Ministries, Pentecostal/Assembly of God, Presbyterian, Seventh-day Adventist and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Vanuatu — Pacific Manuscripts Bureau
Melanesian Mission, New Hebrides – Records, 1857 – 1968 (Micro-MS-Coll-08-0043) — Baptismal Register of St Paul's Church, Lolowai, and from ketch Patteson, 1928-1968; Register of Burials, St Paul's Church, Lolowai, 1929-1964; Marriages, 1929-1965; Register of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, at Mera Lava, 1917-1963, copied from the original register, 1967.
Churches of Christ Mission, New Hebrides - Record of births at Nduindui Hospital, Aoba (Micro-MS-Coll-08-0049) — Dates available are 1946 – 1956 and 1962 – 1969. The record gives the name, sex, date of birth and parents’ names of each child, with clinical details of the mother’s labour.
Paton Memorial Hospital, Vila, New Hebrides – Medical Records (Micro-MS-Coll-08-0054) — Record of births and deaths at hospital, 1947-1969.
National Archives of Vanuatu : Genealogies of the Shepherd Islands, Vanuatu, 1930’s (Micro-MS-Coll-08-1132) — Genealogies (by island, village and family) of the Shepherd Islands, Vanuatu. Author unknown. Note: Researchers wishing to have access to this title must have the written permission of the Government Archivist, National Archives of Vanuatu.
Vanuatu — Manuscripts
Obituary, correspondence, genealogical charts, 1906-1922 (Micro-MS-Coll-20-2625) — A part of William H R Rivers papers that mentions New Guinea (Island), Vanuatu and Espiritu Santo.
Vanuatu — Newspapers
Father and child, Santa Maria, Vanuatu. Ceredig Richards: Photographs of Vanuatu. Ref: PAColl-9507-17. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Wallis and Futuna
Useful websites and resources to help with your family history research related to Wallis and Futuna.
Wallis and Futuna — Family Search pages
Wallis and Futuna genealogy page — Guide to Wallis and Futuna ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.
Wallis and Futuna online genealogy records— French Overseas Wallis and Futuna Civil Registration and Parish Registers, 1894-1907, index and images.
Wallis and Futuna Catholic church records
Wallis and Futuna — Pacific Manuscripts Bureau
Catholic Mission, Wallis island - Genealogies of Wallisian and Futunian families, compiled by Father Joseph Henquel (Micro-MS-Coll-08-0966) — Consists of genealogies of all Wallisian families (from A-F) compiled from oral tradition, baptismal and matrimonial registers dating from 1824, and from regular parish censuses. There are also some Futunian genealogies (not alphabetical).
Wallis and Futuna — Manuscripts
Anthropological data - Uvea and Samoa (MS-Papers-0060-40) — Notebook of drawings containing genealogies from Samoa and Uvea, numbered 1 - 75; and Notebook of genealogies from Samoa, numbered 69-108.
Oceanie; ilots a Uvea (Wallis); peche aux palmes, 1845. Voyage du Rhin. C.M. pt. 1863. Meryon, Charles, 1821-1868. Ref: B-014-004. Alexander Turnbull Library.
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Pasifika
An overview to resources for information about the Pacific and Pacific peoples.Family history
A guide to the many resources available for you to use when researching your family history.Feature image at top of page — Pacific Island scene painted by , William Anson McCleverty, 1806-1897. Ref: WC-343. Alexander Turnbull Library.
Collection highlight
Photograph of Samoan women performing at Lepea Village during the 7th Pacific Arts Festival, Samoa. Photograph taken 16 September 1996 by Julia Brooke-White. Ref: PA12-7270-06. Alexander Turnbull Library