Tracing your family roots: resources available in Hawaii
2021/7/6
Tracing your family roots: resources available in Hawaii
If you are trying to trace your family in Japan, or trying to find out how your ancestors came and lived in Hawaii, here are some resources available in Hawaii.
If you have any questions regarding certain resources, please contact the owner organization.
If you want your organization to be included in the list, please contact us at roots@hl.mofa.go.jp.
Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i (JCCH)
Consulate-General of Japan in Honolulu
Okinawan Genealogical Society of Hawaii OGSH)
Moiliili Japanese Cemetery
Bishop Museum
Hawaii State Archives
Genealogy Guidebook in Hawaii:
Other non-Hawaii resources:
If you have any questions regarding certain resources, please contact the owner organization.
If you want your organization to be included in the list, please contact us at roots@hl.mofa.go.jp.
Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i (JCCH)
| Nippu Jiji Hawai Nenkan Hawaiian Japanese annual & directory （日布時事布哇年鑑 附日本人住所録） |
|
| Language | Japanese |
| Content | Annual directories of Japanese living in Hawaii (Honolulu, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Hawaii, Kauai), published by the Nippu Jiji. 14 volumes (1927-1941) |
| Information | Kanji name (last name, first name), citizenship, home prefecture, occupation, address in Hawaii |
| Sorted by | Island and last name |
| Location | JCCH Tokioka Heritage Resource Center (808) 945-7633 ext. 42, Resource.Center@jcchawaii.org |
| Brief biographies of Hawaii Island Issei | |
| Language | English, with Kanji Name (online-data) Japanese (hard-copy) |
| Content | Brief biographies of 676 Hawaii Island Issei who were 80 years old or older in 1967 (i.e., born before Dec. 31, 1888). Prepared in 1967 by the Executive Committee, Centennial Celebration of Japanese Immigration to Hawaii. |
| Information | Last name, first name, Kanji name, date of birth, home prefecture, date of arrival to Hawaii, town of residence, occupation, notes/remarks, permanent/present address(*), family info(*), other detailed notes(*) Information with (*) only available on hard-copy. |
| Sorted by | Last name |
| Location |
Masaichi and Shizue Uemura Collection (AR 03): loose on shelf (four 3-ring binders)
-> Type “Uemura Archival Collection” in the search box and click on the magnifying glass -> Click on the result and go into full catalog detail. -> Click on any of the links in the record JCCH Tokioka Heritage Resource Center (808) 945-7633 ext. 42, Resource.Center@jcchawaii.org |
| Hawaii WWII Internee Database | |
| Language | English |
| Content | A database of approximately 2,270 Nikkei residents of Hawaii who were held in internment camps across the U.S. during World War II. |
| Information | Last name, first name, relationship to head of household, name of internment camp (if moved between several camps, camps are recorded in chronological order), place of residence (town, island), occupation, year of birth, date of return to Hawaii from U.S. Mainland, information source. |
| Sorted by | Last name |
| Location | JCCH Tokioka Heritage Resource Center Online Database: https://incarceration.jcchawaii.org/ (808) 945-7633 ext. 42, Resource.Center@jcchawaii.org |
| Family registry (koseki tohon) application assistance and translation services | |
| Language | Koseki tohon is in Japanese; the JCCH offers translation assistance |
| Content | A service to assist with the application process to obtain copies from Japan of a family registry (koseki tohon). The name of the person of interest and his/her permanent address in Japan are required. The inquirer must provide proof of their identity and their familial relationship to the person of interest. The JCCH also provides translation assistance for family registries received from Japan. |
| Information | Family registry (koseki tohon) |
| Location | JCCH Tokioka Heritage Resource Center Appointment required Processing fees, necessary documents and other information are detailed on the web page: https://www.jcchawaii.org/resources/tokioka-heritage-resource-center (808) 945-7633 ext. 42, Resource.Center@jcchawaii.org |
| JCCH Oral History Collection | |
| Language | English and Japanese |
| Content | Original unpublished transcripts of oral history interviews, many of which were conducted by JCCH volunteers, featuring primarily Nikkei Issei and Nisei. As of April 2021, we have more than 325 transcripts. |
| Information | Original unpublished transcripts |
| Sorted by | Last name |
| Location | https://jcch.soutronglobal.net/Portal -> Enter search term into the search box and click on the magnifying glass -> Click on the result to view full catalog detail. -> Click on any of the links in the record. JCCH Tokioka Heritage Resource Center (808) 945-7633 ext. 42, Resource.Center@jcchawaii.org |
| JCCH Permanent Exhibit “Okage Sama De” and Community Exhibit “Honouliuli Education Center” | |
| Language | English |
| Content | Visitors can learn about the history of Nikkei in Hawaii since the 1800s through the permanent exhibit “Okage Sama De”, and can learn about the internment of Nikkei at the “Honouliuli Education Center” |
| Location | Okage Sama De exhibition (admission fee) Information : https://www.jcchawaii.org/resources/okage-sama-de Honouliuli Education Center Information: https://www.jcchawaii.org/resources/honouliuli-education-center JCCH (808) 945-7633, info@jcchawaii.org |
Consulate-General of Japan in Honolulu
| Resident Registration (Immigration) Records | |
| Language | Japanese |
| Content | A collection of an estimated 70,000 resident registration cards for Japanese citizens spanning 1880-1970. One household per card. |
| Information | Last name, first name, permanent address in Japan, relationship to head of household, occupation, date of arrival in Honolulu, date of birth, registered address in Hawaii, additional information (date of death, location of death, etc.) |
| Sorted by | Last name & prefecture of permanent address in Japan |
| Location | Consulate-General of Japan in Honolulu 808-543-3111 roots@hl.mofa.go.jp Requires documented proof of a familial relationship between the inquirer and the person of interest. For further information, email roots@hl.mofa.go.jp |
Okinawan Genealogical Society of Hawaii OGSH)
| Okinawa Immigration Database | |
| Language | English |
| Content | A database of Okinawan immigrants to Hawaii from 1899 to 1925. There are approximately 16,500 entries as of December 2017 and were translate by OGSH from the following sources: “Okinawa-ken Shiryo, Imin Meibo Vol. I 1899-1906, Kindai 5”, “Okinawa-ken Shiryo, Imin Meibo Vol. II 1907-1911, Kindai 6”, “Okinawa Kenshi Shiryo-hen 8: Jiyu Imin Meibo 1908-1920, Kindai 2”, “Okinawa Kenshi Shiryo-hen 19: Jiyu Imin Meibo 1921-1925, Kindai 6”. |
| Information | Last name, first name, Kanji name, other readings of family name, other readings of first name, date of birth, age at time of travel, permanent address in Japan, family information (number of family members, head of household, eldest son, etc.), Status (Class, Occupation, etc.), Passport number, destination, passport arrival date, travel approval date, travel date, purpose of travel, reference, contact in Okinawa (municipality, address, phone, fax, history of municipal) *Not all information available for each entry |
| Sorted by | Name, birthplace in Okinawa, or Passport number |
| Location | Okinawan Genealogical Society of Hawaii c/o Hawaii Okinawa Center (808)676-5400 ogsh.mail@gmail.com |
Moiliili Japanese Cemetery
| Moiliili Japanese Cemetery biographical data | |
| Language | English |
| Content | Documents of over 2,000 monuments and estimated population of 10,000 souls that rests in Moiliili Japanese Cemetery which was established in 1908. |
| Information | Location of grave, name, date of birth, date of death, age at death, family crest, prefecture of birth |
| Sorted by | Cemetery section and name. |
| Location | http://www.moiliili.info Organized by grave sections A-E. Each web-page shows a list of graves. To view more detailed biographical information, click on “Click here for biographical data” box shown on each page. A http://www.moiliili.info/moiliili-japanese-cemetery-a.html B http://www.moiliili.info/moiliili-japanese-cemetery-b.html C http://www.moiliili.info/moiliili-japanese-cemetery-c.html D http://www.moiliili.info/moiliili-japanese-cemetery-d.html E http://www.moiliili.info/moiliili-japanese-cemetery-e.html Moiliili Japanese Cemetery 902 Waiaka Road, Honolulu, HI 96826 |
Bishop Museum
| Arrival Records (着布記録) | |
| Language | Japanese |
| Content | Arrival records of Japanese immigrants kept by Kobayashi Hotel. Documents include: record of arrivals 1901-1956, record of returnees 1901-1952, name list of returnees 1904-1938 and 1953-1954, boat schedule 1885-1935. Bishop Museum Reference Code: MS290 |
| Information | Date of arrival, ship name, name, relationship to the head of household, date of birth, destination |
| Sorted by | Date of arrival and ship name |
| Location | Bishop Museum Library and Archives (808)848-4148 Open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:00-4:00pm, and Saturdays 9:00am-12:00pm Information: http: //www.bishopmuseum.org/collections-3/library-and-archives/ |
Hawaii State Archives
| Index to Japanese Passenger Manifests | |
| Language | English |
| Content | The index to Japanese Manifests, 1843-1900. The entries appear as they do on the actual passenger manifests. Many of the manifests are handwritten and were subject to the interpretation of the indexer. |
| Information | Name, age, profession, names of family members on the same ship, country of origin, ship’s name, date of arrival in Hawaii or departure from Hawaii, port of embarkation or destination. |
| Sorted by | name |
| Location | https: // digitalcollections.hawaii.gov/greenstone3/library/collection/indextoj/page/about
Hawaii State Archives Keauluohi Building, Iolani Palace Grounds 364 S. King Stree, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813 Phone: (808)586-0329 Email: archives@hawaii.gov |
Genealogy Guidebook in Hawaii:
- “Beginner’s Guide to Genealogy Research – Okinawa” by Okinawan Genealogical Society of Hawaii. Available for purchase ($15 + shipping); to order, contact ogsh.mail@gmail.com.
Other non-Hawaii resources:
- Find a Grave (free):https://www.findagrave.com/
- FamilySearch (free):https://www.familysearch.org/
- Ancestry.com:https://www.ancestry.com/