Professional Translation

ProGenealogists provides concise, accurate translations of historical documents from a variety of languages. Whether documents are passed down from immigrant ancestors, or documents you've collected during your own research, we can help you learn what stories these documents tell. ProGenealogists's staff has experience with historical documents in many languages. Some have even lived in non-English speaking countries for long periods of time, giving them hands-on experience with the written and spoken language.

Most languages have an entirely different sentence structure than English, so the translation is usually best understood when the order of words within the sentence is rearranged. In this sense, a direct translation may be confusing, but a more general translation of the concepts and data within a foreign-language document can be more easily identified. Many records, including parish registers and civil registration documents, were recorded as if using a template. They frequently use similar phrases and statements. Documents such as letters and emigration papers from other countries may have more open-ended writing, requiring a more intensive translation.

Why ProGenealogists for Translations?

ProGenealogists staff is skilled and knowledgeable in many languages and geographical areas of research. We are studying and reading historical documents everyday - many that are in a decrepit condition - showing old, faded, water-damaged, or mildewed handwriting. Our well-trained eyes can read transcripts that some professional modern-day translators may find challenging.

The appropriate translator and researcher at ProGenealogists may also have ideas about how the document translation can aid your research. We also have a wide network of researchers who, native to other countries, or with extensive experience in one particular language, would be best suited to the task of translating your historical documents.

Languages Available

• German
• Dutch
• Polish
• French
• Portuguese
• Spanish
• Italian
• Russian
• Latin
• Norwegian
• Hungarian
• Romanian
• (other languages on request)

What to Expect

Translations from foreign languages to English are billed at our normal hourly rate of $65 per hour for International research. Most document translations can be completed in a few hours, but this will depend on the nature of the request.

The translation of the document will be provided in a letter to you, highlighting the area of the document where the text was found. If time allows and you request it, the researcher may be able to give further explanation into the value and use of the document translated, and how it can be applied to the research problem at hand. Translations are generally completed within 4 weeks, and the results will be mailed via First Class Mail.

Several examples of translations are included to show the nature of translation, and what to expect.

German to English:

Anna Christina Eckhard of Hauptschwenda gave birth on 29 November 1747 to a son named: Clas Hennerich (Heinrich). The child was baptized on 3 December 1747 in Obergrenzebach. The witness was Heinrich Steinbrecker.

Citation: Evangelische Kirche Obergrenzbach (Hessen), Kirchenbuch: Taufen (Kassel, Germany: Landeskirchliches Archiv der Evangelischen Kirche von Kurhessen-Waldeck, Lessingstrasse 15a, 34119) [Original records housed at the Lutheran Church Archives, Kassel, Germany].

Russian to English:

On 17th of August, 1897 in the Roman Catholic Church in Žiežmariai, Rev. Casimier Daukszo baptized a child of the male gender, who was given the name Bronislaw. This child was born on 14th of the current month and year in the village of Bijautonys to parents lawfully married named Ignotas and Marijona, her maiden name Marcinkiewitch, Galinski. Godparents were - peasants Stanislaw Franckiewitch and Sofija, a spouse of Andrius (Andrew) Žuklys.

Citation: LSHA, A. 604, St. 38, F. 222, page 859v-860, paragraph 287.

French to English:

Ive Jean François was baptized on 3 January 1817 at the church Notre Dame de Auderville. He was born that day, the legitimate son of Marc Antoine Piquot and Monique Françoise Hue. The godparents were Jean François Piquot and Anne Piquot, the paternal uncle and aunt of the infant.

Citation: Coutances (France) Catholic Diocese 1802-1907, FamilySearch RecordSearch (Online: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., 2009) [baptismal record found in the parish registers of Auderville (Notre Dame), 1804-1880], p. 57, baptism of Ive Jean François Piquot, 3 January 1817, <http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch>.

How to Get Started

If you have only a brief translation you need help with (like a snippet from a website), and the handwriting of the document is not part of the challenge, use our online order form. The online order form makes it possible to paste in the text, as well as a description of the document from which the text came.

If you would like assistance with a more detailed translation in mind, contact us to speak with the specialist in the area of interest to you. The specialist may have a better idea, based on the record you have, what details they expect to find within the record. ProGenealogists also has a wide network of researchers who could translate documents from lesser-known or unique languages.

After receiving the information and copies of the documents to be translated from you, we will then reply with a suggested time frame needed for a translation. Translations will be conducted by experienced genealogists, familiar with the records and tactics needed for the time period and place of your problem. The minimum is one hour, but some complex cases require greater study and preparation and may require additional hours.

After the nature of the consultation is determined, a retainer is paid. The retainer can be sent to us several ways:

• By ordering this service through our shopping cart, or
• By placing an agreed upon retainer payment directly on our "make a payment" page, or
• By check or money order made out to "PROGENEALOGISTS" and mailed to us via postal mail. 

The researcher will contact you with any questions regarding the translation.

If you have any questions, please contact us. You can always ask for a free estimate regarding your translation needs.