New Zealand Archives and Libraries

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New Zealand

Archives and Libraries

Archives collect and preserve original documents of organizations such as churches or governments. Libraries generally collect published sources such as books, maps, and microfilm.
If you plan to visit a repository, contact them and ask for information about their collection, hours, services, and fees. Ask if they require you to have a reader’s ticket (a paper indicating you are a responsible researcher) to view the records, and ask how to obtain one.
Although the records you need may be in an archive or library, the FamilySearch Library may have microfilmed and/or digitized copies of them.
Directory of Community Archives gives links to archives, libraries, and museums throughout New Zealand. Incomplete listing.

Digital Archives

DigitalNZ - access to online resources for New Zealand

Archives

Archives New Zealand collects government records relating to New Zealand history, culture, and people. Records of genealogical value include:

Some civil registration records
Court records
Education records
Emigration and immigration records
Government employee records
Land records
Maori genealogies
Military records
Mining records
Naturalization records
Old age pension records
Passenger lists
Probate records
Reference materials

National Archives

Archives New Zealand (Head Office)
10 Mulgrave St
Wellington
New Zealand
Postal: PO Box 12050, Wellington, New Zealand
Telephone: +64 4 499 5595
Fax: +64 4 495 6210
Email: research.archives@dia.govt.nz
Email for other enquiries: general.enquiries@dia.govt.nz

In addition to Archives New Zealand and its regional offices, some government departments retain custody of the records they generate.

Civil registration records are held by the Department of Internal Affairs: Births, Marriages, and Deaths. See New Zealand Civil Registration.
Wills and probate records from 1990 to the present are held either at the High Courts of the Justice Department or by the Public Trust Office.
Land records are held by Land Information New Zealand.

Regional Offices

There are three regional offices of Archives New Zealand.

Auckland
95 Richard Pearse Drive
Mangere, Manukau 2022
New Zealand
Telephone: (64-9) 270 1100
Email: auckland.archives@dia.govt.nz
Mailing address: PO Box 201103
Auckland Airport
Manukau, New Zealand

Christchurch
15 Harvard Avenue
Wigram, Christchurch 8042
New Zealand
Telephone: (64-3) 377 0760
Email: christchurch.archives@dia.govt.nz
Maililng address: PO Box 642
Christchurch 8140
New Zealand

Dunedin
556 George Street
Dunedin 9016
New Zealand
Telephone: (64-3) 477 0404
Email: dunedin.archives@dia.govt.nz
Mailing address: PO Box 6183
Dunedin North
Dunedin, New Zealand

City Archives

Records created by cities in the course of their activities and contain considerable resources for family history. Contact details for the city council archives of the five largest cities in New Zealand are as follows:

Auckland City Archives
Auckland Central City Library
44-46 Lorne Street
Auckland Central
Auckland, New Zealand
Mailing address: Private Bag 92516, Wellesley Street, Auckland<, New Zealand
Telephone: (64-9) 307-7792
E-mail: archives@aucklandcity.govt.nz
Websites:

Hamilton City Archives
Hamilton City Libraries
9 Garden Place
Hamilton, New Zealand
Mailing address: PO Box 933, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
Telephone: (64-7) 838-6826
Fax: (64-7) 838-6858
Website

Wellington City Council Archives
28 Barker Street (off Cambridge Terrace)
Wellington, New Zealand
Mailing address: PO Box 2199, Wellington, New Zealand
Telephone: (64-4) 801-2096
Fax: (64-4) 801-2097
Email: archives@wcc.govt.nz
Website
Archives online

Christchurch City Council Archives
90 Peterborough Street
Christchurch, New Zealand
Mailing address: PO Box 237, Christchurch, New Zealand
Telephone: (64-3) 377-0760
Website

Dunedin City Council Archives
Civic Centre
50 The Octagon
Dunedin, New Zealand
Mailing address:
PO Box 5045, Dunedin, New Zealand
Telephone: (64-3) 474-3553
Fax: (64-3_ 474-3594
Email: archives@dcc.govt.nz
Website

Directory of Community Archives

Archives New Zealand has a Directory of community archives. You can use this directory to find websites and contact information for organizations and institutions across New Zealand who hold archival information about local communities. These include organizations such as: schools, local councils, religious institutions and historical societies.

Church and Religious Archives

Many church records of New Zealand are in the custody of the minister or priest of the parish or congregation which created the records. Some early records are in church or religious archives. The Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian faiths, as well as the Salvation Army, all have archives, and some have more than one. The Anglican church, for instance, has six diocesan archives. Listed below is one main archive for each of the major religious organizations. The staff at these archives will be able to direct you to the specific archive that holds records for your congregation of interest. It is possible to write to these archives and request brief searches of their records. Keep written requests simple and include a self-addressed envelope and a small contribution for expenses and postage.

For a complete list of all church and religious archives in New Zealand with their addresses, see: Bromell, Anne. Tracing Family History in New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand: Godwit Publishing Ltd., 1996. (FamilySearch Library book 993.1 D27ba 1996.)

Anglican

Catholic

Auckland Catholic Diocese of Auckland Pompallier Heritage Centre and Archives at 30 New St, St Mary’s Bay, Auckland 1011, New Zealand - genealogical research is only permitted for records taken before 1900
Christchurch Catholic Diocese of Christchurch Archives at 2/9 Washington Way, Sydenham, Christchurch City 8011

Methodist
Methodist Church of New Zealand Archives
Morley House
Latimer Square
Christchurch, New Zealand

Mailing address: PO Box 931, Christchurch 8015, New Zealand
Telephone: (64-3) 366-6049
Fax: (64-3) 364-9439
Email: archives@methodist.org.nz
Website

Baptist
New Zealand Baptist Historical Society
Carey Baptist College
473 Great South Road
Penrose, Auckland, New Zealand

Mailing address:
PO Box 12-149
Penrose, Auckland, New Zealand Telephone: (64-9)525-4017
Fax: (64-9) 525-4096
Email: enquiries@carey.ac.nz
Website

Presbyterian
Hewitson Library
Knox College
Arden Street
Opoho
Dunedin 9010, New Zealand

Telephone: (64-3) 473-0107
Fax: (64-3) 473-8466
Email: pcanzarchives@knoxcollege.ac.nz
Website

Salvation Army Heritage Centre and Archives
Mailing address: PO Box 40542, Upper Hutt, 5140 Trentham, New Zealand
Phone: +64 4 528 8628
Email: archives@salvationarmy.org.nz
Website

NZ Jewish Archives
80 Webb St.
Wellington
New Zealand
Phone: 64-4-384-5081
Fax 64-4-478-9061
Website

Libraries

National Libraries

The National Library of New Zealand has the largest collection of reference and research materials in the country. It has a rich collection of family history resources. The Alexander Turnbull Library, which is New Zealand's main research Library, is a division of the National Library.Besides published items, the Turnbull Library holds New Zealand's largest collection of private manuscripts and archives.

Alexander Turnbull Library
National Library of New Zealand
Corner Molesworth and Aitken Streets
Wellington, New Zealand
Mailing address: PO Box 12349, Wellington 6144, New Zealand Telephone: (64-4) 474-3120
Fax: (64-4) 474-3063
Email: atl@natlib.govt.nz
Website
Family History Guide Catalog, published items Alexander Turnbull Library catalogue of unpublished items.

National Library of New Zealand
Corner Molesworth and Aitken Streets
Thorndon
Wellington, New Zealand
Mailing address: PO Box 1467, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
Telephone: (64-4)474-3000
Fax: 64-4-474-3035
Email: information@natlib.govt.nz
Website
Catalog, published items

Local Libraries

Smaller public libraries may also have family history collections. Listed below are some major libraries in New Zealand with collections of records valuable to family history research. Contact these libraries and ask about their collections, hours, services, and fees.

Directory of Community Archives gives links to archives, libraries, and museums throughout New Zealand (incomplete listing).

Auckland Central City Library
44-46 Lorne Street
Auckland Central
Auckland, New Zealand

Mailing address: Private Bag 92516, Wellesley Street, Auckland<, New Zealand
Telephone: (64-9) 307-7792
E-mail: archives@aucklandcity.govt.nz
Website
Family History Archives

Go to Research North
Go to Research West
Go to Research South/East

Christchurch City Libraries
Find Us links to all the public libraries in Christchurch. Physical address, mailing address, phone numbers, e-mail are given for each location.

Dunedin City Library
230 Moray Place
Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand

Mailing address: PO Box 5542, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand
Telephone: 03 474-3690
Website

University Libraries

Hocken Collection
University of Otago Library
University of Otago
65 Albany Street
PO Box 56
Dunedin 9054, New Zealand

Telephone: 64 3 479 8910
Fax: 64 3 479 8947
Email:ask.library@otago.ac.nz
Website

The Hocken Library has a large collection of archival publications, and pictorial material pertaining to the Otago and Southland areas of the South Island.

Macmillan Brown Library
University of Canterbury
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
Telephone: (64-3) 364-2753
Email: macbrown@libr.canterbury.ac.nz
Website
Search Our Collections

University of Waikato Library
Private Bag 3105
Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
Telephone: (64-7) 838-4466
Fax: (64-7) 838-4899
Email: library@waikato.ac.nz
Website
Index of Maori Names
Green Guide to New Zealand History Resources

This library has an extensive collection of new Zealand biographies.

Museums

Directory of Community Archives gives links to archives, libraries, and museums throughout New Zealand. Incomplete listing.

Auckland Museum and War Memorial Museum
Tamaki Paenga Hira
Domain Drive
Auckland, New Zealand

Mailing address: Private Bag 92-018, Auckland, New Zealand
Telephone: (64-9) 309-0443
Fax: (64-9) 379-9956
Email: info@aucklandmuseum.com

War Memorial Museum Website

New Zealand National Maritime Museum
Hobson Wharf
Auckland, New Zealand

New Zealand Maritime Index

New Zealand Ship and Marine Society
P.O.Box 5104
Wellington.
New Zealand

Website

This Society is into preservation of private and public collections of shipping photographs, models, drawings, literature and other material of shipping interest, especially that associated with New Zealand. This site has useful links to other kindred organizations.

Army Museum Waiouru New Zealand
Cnr. State Highway 1 & Hassett Drive
Waiouru, New Zealand

Telephone: 64 6 387 6911
Fax 64 6 387 6319
Website

Army Records for New Zealand, the different Expeditionary Force histories, current displays on line.

Record Offices

Civil registration records are held by the Department of Internal Affairs: Births, Marriages, and Deaths. See New Zealand Civil Registration.

Historical and Genealogical Societies

In New Zealand, there are several organized historical and genealogical societies. Many societies maintain libraries and/or archives that collect valuable records. For more information, including addresses of the societies, see New Zealand Societies.