Search Parameters

Searching the JRI-Poland Database 

JRI-Poland researchers have asked to be able to search the database by Town and by Given Name. These searches are now available, although a search by Town has limits (see Note on town searches below). Researchers have asked to search by Surname plus Given Name or Town. These searches are now available. 

Single Parameter Searches

The following parameters are now searchable:

  • Surname (in Surname fields)

  • Given Name (in Given Name fields)

  • Town (in Town fields only – see note below)

  • Any Field (Global text search in any field – will not accept numbers)

Note on Town searches: Each Search Result table has a heading that identifies that town as a Town of Registration, one where vital records were registered. If you search for a town as the only search parameter, you will only receive search results that list the name of that town in another town's records. You will not receive results from its town of registration records. If you search for a town in combination with another parameter and use AND (see below), such as surname or given name, you will receive results from both the town of registration and from mentions of that town in another town's records. 

When the Town name is known, it is recommended that you use the exact spelling of the town. For towns now in the Ukraine but formerly in Austrian Galicia, use the former Polish spelling.

Multiple Parameter Searches

You can search the database for up to four parameters. You can use the Operators AND or OR. Use of AND results in all entered parameters included in the response to your search. Use of OR results in one of the entered parameters included in the response to your search. For example:

Search for surname KATZ, AND given name Chaim, AND town Lodz, which produces results for Chaim KATZ in the Lodz records or any other town records where Chaim KATZ and Lodz are referenced. (This will include mentions of Chaim as the father in a record, when such information is available)

Search the surname KATZ AND surname LEWIN, which produces results where an entry includes both KATZ and LEWIN.

Search for surnames KATZ OR COHEN, which produces results where either KATZ or COHEN are entered.

Search for given name Malka AND town Lodz produces results where both Malka and Lodz are referenced.

Search for given name Judka AND Lejb produces results where both Judka and Lejb are referenced (not only the double name Judka Lejb).

Search for given name Judka OR Lejb produces results where either Judka or Lejb are referenced.


Surviving records less than 100 years old are held in the Civil Records Offices (Urzad Stanu Cywilnego) of each town.

For information on the 20th century records available for your town, visit the Routes to Roots Foundation website, click on the 'SEARCH DATABASE' button (on the right side) and enter the town name. Look for the town name in the Repository/City column of the search results. There are typically links to lists of available births, marriage and death records for the town.

Note, however, the Routes to Roots Foundation database may indicate turn of the century records that have already been transferred to the appropriate branch of the Polish State Archives where they can be indexed for the JRI-Poland database.

JRI-Poland is an independent non-profit tax-exempt Organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.

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