Family History
Discover your family’s history using online resources.
Featured
Ancestry Library Edition
Free remotely until 31 December 2021. Trace your family history. Includes records from U.S., U.K., Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Family History at Home
Explore family history resources you can use at home.
If you need help, ring, email or chat to our librarians, or you can even book a librarian to help you over the phone.
Family History at Home
Christchurch Heritage Festival
Christchurch Photo Hunt 2021
Share your photos and stories in our annual Christchurch Photo Hunt.
Christchurch Heritage Festival - 9 to 25 October 2021
Explore the interesting and fun local history events, exhibitions, and activities on at the Christchurch Heritage Festival.
Meet the locals: Franc Garstin, Mental Healer & suffragette
Joyce learns about the life of 19th century "mental healer" and activist, Sister Franc Garstin.
Family History eResources
Ancestry Library Edition
Free remotely until 31 December 2021. Trace your family history. Includes records from U.S., U.K., Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
Find My Past
A family history & genealogy website covering U.K., Ireland, Australia, N.Z., Canada, U.S., Papua New Guinea & the Pacific Islands.
Papers Past
Digitised NZ newspapers, periodicals, letters, diaries & parliamentary papers from 1839 to 1945. Coverage incl The Press from 1861 to 1945.
Christchurch Street and Place Names
Explore this resource that explains the origins of Christchurch street and place names.
Gale Primary Sources
Search a selection of newspaper and magazine archives, monographs all cross-searchable.
New Zealand Cemetery Databases
Search cemetery records in New Zealand to find information about burials.
FamilySearch
FamilySearch is a service provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. NZ records include probates and passenger lists.
Parliamentary Papers - Papers Past
Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives (AJHR), sometimes known as "the A to Js", is a collection of govt-related reports.
Birth, Death and Marriage Historical Records
Search and order New Zealand Government records for births, deaths and marriages (BDM).
He Toa Taumata Rau - Online Cenotaph
Auckland Museum's digital social space where families & researchers can share & contribute to the records of those who served.
Archway - Archives New Zealand
Archway is Archives New Zealand’s system for documenting government records which can be useful in family history research.
Archaeology
Browse our archaeology resources - books, magazines, and more.
MyHeritage Library edition
Family history/genealogy resource including more than 6 billion historical records from around the world
Family history computers
Christchurch City Libraries provides family history researchers with computers configured to make your family history research easier.
Lexis Nexis New Zealand Gazette Archive
Copies of the New Zealand Gazette and related publications from 1841 to the present.
Christchurch City Council Cemeteries Database
This database covers interments in Christchurch City Council managed cemeteries.
