People from Pomerania frequently immigrated to Rochester, New York. Consequently, there are a vast number of records that may be of use to others doing research in this area. While some of the churches listed at the following site were home to various backgrounds, one can also find places of origin. Some denote “Pommern” and others are more specific to “Stolp” and other areas.

The Rochester Genealogical Society has gone to great lengths to digitize records from quite a few churches in the surrounding areas. However, the church books provided are not the only parishes in Rochester, and other may be found by running a proximity search for churches in Google Maps. When in doubt, contacting the local parishioners may be helpful.

After attending the IGGP international conference this summer, I discovered that there are many Lutheran churches who still maintain their old church books, but will not allow any group associated with the Mormons to photograph their records. Hence, while the records may not be digitally available, it might be worthwhile to write to the local parishes to inquire about records if you suspect an ancestor was a member of a nearby church in Rochester, NY.

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