Brief Guide to Deutsches Familienarchiv

Deutsches Familienarchiv: ein genealogisches Sammelwerk (German Family Archives: a Genealogical Compilation or DFA) is a multi-volume set of compiled genealogies published by Verlag Degener & Co. The series was started in 1952. New volumes appear sporadically. As of this writing (June 2017), the library has volumes (Bände) 1-159, with some gaps. Additional volumes will be added as they come available. Volumes are shelved at call no. R 943 D486.
 

Contents

Content can include family histories, family histories combined with local or cultural history, and the usual genealogical charts. Genealogies include noble and non-noble lines.
 

Indexes

Cumulative indexes are published for every 50 DFA volumes issued and appear under the title Gesamtregister zum deutschen Familienarchiv (Cumulative Index to the German Family Archives). The library has index volumes (Bände) 1-5, covering volumes 1-150 of the DFA series (index Vol. 1 covers DFA volumes 1-50, etc.). The indexes are located at call no. R 943 F899G.

Each index volume begins with an alphabetical listing of the primary surnames discussed in the main articles in DFA volumes. The surname is followed by a one-sentence description of the article. The volume number is in bold, followed by the page numbers where the article is found. A subsequent section (sometimes with the heading Namenregister) lists all surnames found in the DFA volumes covered by the index, followed by the volume(s) in which the name is found.

Each individual DFA volume includes at least a surname index to that index. Sometimes the index includes given names as well.