Łódź, a city with a rich industrial past and a diverse population, holds valuable records for genealogy research. Many people with Polish roots have ancestors who lived or worked in Łódź, especially during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Whether your family was part of the textile industry, Jewish community, or other ethnic groups that shaped the city, tracing your roots requires access to the right historical and legal documents. In this guide, we’ll explore key sources for genealogy research in Łódź, including civil and church records, archival collections, and strategies for accessing these documents.

Professional Genealogy Services for Łódź Records

Finding genealogy records in Łódź can be challenging due to historical events, administrative changes, and the complexity of Polish archives. Many documents are scattered across various institutions, written in different languages (Polish, Russian, German, and Latin), or require special permissions to access. Our professional genealogy research services specialize in locating and obtaining historical records from Łódź archives. Whether you need birth, marriage, or death records, property deeds, or immigration documents, we can navigate the bureaucracy and language barriers for you. [Contact us today to start your family research!]

Civil Records from Łódź

One of the most important sources for genealogy research in Łódź is civil registration records. These include:

Birth Records (Akta urodzeń) – Typically contain names of parents, birthplaces, and additional notes that can help trace family history.
Marriage Records (Akta małżeństw) – Often include information about spouses, witnesses, and parents, providing multi-generational insights.
Death Records (Akta zgonów) – Useful for confirming an ancestor’s place and date of death, often listing relatives and causes of death.

These records were historically kept by local offices and later transferred to the State Archive in Łódź (Archiwum Państwowe w Łodzi). Older records (before 1918) may be in Russian, while records from the 19th century could be in Polish, German, or Latin. If your ancestors were of Jewish origin, records may be found in Jewish metrical books at the Łódź archive or in specialized repositories like the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw.

Church Records and Religious Archives

For records predating civil registration, church records are the primary source of genealogical information.

Catholic, Lutheran, and Orthodox registers in Łódź hold baptism, marriage, and burial records from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Jewish community records were kept by synagogues and Jewish councils before the Holocaust.
Metrical books (Księgi metrykalne) for various denominations may be housed in the Diocesan Archives in Łódź, parish churches, or transferred to national archives.

Many of these records are not digitized and require in-person research at parishes, diocesan archives, or local religious institutions. Finding these documents often demands linguistic and paleographic expertise due to old handwriting styles.

Immigration and Naturalization Records

Many Łódź residents emigrated to the United States, Canada, the UK, Argentina, and Israel in search of better economic opportunities or to escape war and persecution. Immigration records, passenger lists, and naturalization files can help trace an ancestor’s journey.

Passenger Lists from Ellis Island and Hamburg ports often list Łódź as the last residence.
Naturalization Papers in the U.S. might indicate a former place of residence in Łódź.
Emigration Permits and Passports may be found in Polish archives, though they are rare.

For those researching ancestors who fled during World War II, documents may be in the Arolsen Archives or the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, which hold refugee and Holocaust survivor records.

Census and Residential Records in Łódź

Census records, address books, and residential records are valuable for locating ancestors in Łódź:

Polish censuses (Spisy ludności) from the late 19th and early 20th centuries may list entire households, occupations, and birthplaces.
Łódź city directories (Księgi adresowe) from the pre-war period provide details on residents’ addresses and professions.
Property and land records (Księgi wieczyste) may contain ownership details and family connections.

While some of these records are available at the State Archive in Łódź, others may require research at municipal offices or real estate registries.

Military Records and Draft Lists in Łódź

If your ancestors served in the military, Polish, Russian, or German draft and service records may provide valuable genealogical information. Łódź, being part of different empires over time, had its residents conscripted into various armies:

Russian Army conscription records (before 1918) are often stored in Polish and Russian archives.
Polish military records from the interwar period (1918–1939) and post-WWII era can be found in the Central Military Archive (CAW) in Warsaw.
German military service records may apply if an ancestor was conscripted during WWII, and these can be searched at Bundesarchiv in Germany.

Accessing these records requires an understanding of historical jurisdictions, as Łódź was under Russian rule until 1918 and later under German occupation during WWII. Many military records are fragmented or require special permissions for access.

Pre-WWII Passport and Identity Document Applications

Before World War II, Polish citizens, including those from Łódź, needed passports or national identity documents (dowody osobiste) for travel, emigration, and legal identification. These records can be valuable for genealogy research, as they often include:

Full name, birth date, and birthplace of the applicant.
Photograph (for later applications).
Address and occupation at the time of application.
Reason for requesting a passport, often indicating planned emigration.
Names of parents and sometimes spouse, useful for tracing family connections.

Pre-war passport and identity card applications were typically handled by municipal offices and the Łódź Voivodeship Administration. Today, many of these records are preserved in the State Archive in Łódź and, in some cases, in national repositories in Warsaw. Some emigration-related records may also be found in the Polish Museum of Immigration in Gdynia or foreign archives, such as Ellis Island records for those who immigrated to the U.S.

Accessing these documents often requires archive visits, formal requests, and navigating privacy laws. If you’re searching for a family member’s pre-war passport or identity application, our genealogy experts can help locate and retrieve these valuable records. [Contact us to start your research today!]

Business and Trade Records in Łódź

Łódź was an industrial powerhouse, known for its textile industry, factories, and trade networks. If your ancestors were business owners, factory workers, or tradespeople, you may find them in:

Guild and trade association records, which list business owners and craftsmen.
Factory employment records, some of which are held at the State Archive in Łódź.
Commercial directories from the 19th and early 20th centuries, listing businesses and property owners.

These documents help reconstruct family histories by providing details about professions, economic status, and social connections in pre-war Łódź.

Łódź Population Registers – Tracking Family Residences

One of the most valuable resources for genealogy research in Łódź is the population registers (Księgi ludności stałej i księgi meldunkowe), which documented residents living in the city over time. These records were maintained by municipal authorities and contain detailed information about individuals and families, often covering multiple generations.

Key details found in Łódź population registers include:

Full names and birthdates of all household members.
Exact addresses and dates of residence changes.
Occupations and marital status over time.
Relocation information – where a person moved from or where they relocated.
Citizenship and nationality details, which may help trace emigration history.

These records are particularly useful for tracking families that lived in Łódź before and after major historical events, such as World War I, Poland’s independence in 1918, and World War II. Many of these books are preserved in the State Archive in Łódź, but due to privacy laws, access to 20th-century records may be restricted.

Łódź Ghetto Records – Tracing Jewish Ancestors

The Łódź Ghetto (Litzmannstadt Ghetto) was the second-largest ghetto in Nazi-occupied Poland, established in 1940 and liquidated in 1944. It served as both a forced labor site and a transit point to concentration camps, including Auschwitz and Chełmno. For those researching Jewish ancestors from Łódź, ghetto records can provide crucial insights into their fate and last known locations.

Key documents from the Łódź Ghetto include:

Ghetto registration lists – Contain names, addresses, birth dates, and occupations of Jewish residents.
Ration cards and work permits – Show employment details and daily life conditions.
Transport lists (deportation records) – Document people sent to labor and extermination camps.
Survivor testimonies and post-war records – Available through institutions like Yad Vashem and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM).
These records are preserved in the State Archive in Łódź, Arolsen Archives, and international Holocaust research centers. Many documents are in German and Polish, requiring expertise in deciphering old handwriting and Nazi administrative terms. If you need help retrieving Łódź Ghetto records, our professional genealogy services can assist in locating and interpreting these critical historical documents.

Census Records from Łódź – A Key Resource for Genealogy Research

Census Records in Łódź – A Key Resource for Genealogy Research

Census records (Spisy ludności) are an essential tool for tracing family history in Łódź, providing a snapshot of an ancestor’s household at a specific point in time. These documents recorded personal details of residents, helping genealogists confirm family relationships, occupations, and places of residence.

Key information found in Polish census records includes:

Full names and ages of household members.
Birthplaces, which can help track migration patterns.
Religious affiliation, often useful for locating church records.
Occupations and social status, indicating economic conditions.
Household structure, including extended family members living together.

Censuses were conducted at various times in Polish history, but surviving records for Łódź are scattered across different archives. The most valuable censuses for genealogy research include:

Pre-1918 Russian Imperial Censuses – Since Łódź was part of the Russian Empire before Poland regained independence, some residents were recorded in Russian administrative documents.
1921 and 1931 Polish National Censuses – These provide detailed demographic data but are only partially preserved.
Municipal Census Records – Some local censuses from the early 20th century are available at the State Archive in Łódź.

Because many census records are handwritten in Polish, Russian, or German and require archival access, professional research can save time and ensure accurate results. If you’re looking for census records from Łódź, our genealogy experts can help locate and analyze these documents. [Start your search with us today!]

How to Find Your Ancestors’ Former Address in Łódź

Finding the exact address where your ancestors lived in Łódź can provide key insights into their daily lives, social status, and migration patterns. Several historical records can help pinpoint former residences:

Population Registers (Księgi ludności stałej i księgi meldunkowe) – These books, held at the State Archive in Łódź, list names, birthdates, and addresses, often tracking relocations.
Pre-WWII City Directories (Księgi adresowe) – Published annually, these directories list names alongside professions and home addresses. Many are available in archives and online genealogy databases.
Census Records (Spisy ludności) – If your ancestor lived in Łódź during an official census year, these records can confirm their residence and household details.
Property and Land Records (Księgi wieczyste) – If your family owned property, you may find their names in real estate registers.
Passport and ID Applications – Pre-WWII passport or identity card applications often include residential addresses.

Once you have an address, old maps of Łódź and historical photographs can help visualize the neighborhood as it was during your ancestors’ time. However, since street names and numbering have changed over time, expert research may be necessary to interpret historical addresses correctly. If you need help locating and verifying an ancestor’s former home, our genealogy services can assist you in retrieving the right documents and maps. [Contact us today to start your search!]