There are two separate areas for geneaglogical research on this website, the "Pedigree Database" and "Surname Research". Since it can be confusing to navigate, please read the explanation below:
Pedigree Database - This section contains two parts, the Pedigree Database Index and the actual Pedigree Database, but the database will only appear to PVF members who have logged in to our website.
Pedigree Database Index
This is an index that contains over 154,000 surnames that have been submitted to the Pedigree Database as of September 2015. This is the same list that is printed in several dozen volumes and can be found at the PVF table at Pommerntag and German Fest - Milwaukee. The Index is viewable by non-PVF members. To see more information on a name, as well as view the 22,000 names that were added to the Pedigree Database in the last decade, you need to be a member of Pommerscher Verein Freistadt and log in.
Pedigree Database - TNG
The Pedigree Database is viewable by members of PVF only. The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding hosts our database on software that can be accessed as part of a membership in the Pommerscher Verein Freistadt. It is the full genealogy database of over 176,000 names submitted to our society, and it is searchable by surname, given name and placename. It is possible to see descendants and ancestors in different charts and forms. A researcher is able to make suggestions and corrections to data in the database through a "Suggest" tab found on each individual page.
Surname Research - This section below the Pedigree Database is a list of names that is generated by people searching for their family surnames.
If you are a PVF member, you can add your family name(s) anonymously. To do this, you log in with your user name and password, then on the red side bar on the left under "Member Log In", select "Profile". Next select the "Surnames" tab. Select the "+" on the right hand side. A row of empty boxes will open up. Fill in as much information as you know.
Now other people searching online can find your names and contact you through this website if they wish. If they do, you will receive an email from them with this website's address, asking if you wish to correspond with them directly. You have the option to respond directly or not.
To view details about a surname on this page, select the "eye" icon on the left. To email the person who submitted the surname, select the "envelope" with the question mark in it.
To submit names to this site, you need to have submitted your email
address to PVF so that people can email you.
Without an email address, no one is able to correspond with you through this web site!
