Welcome to the first internet resource devoted to Iranian genealogy! Iranian Genealogy is a starting point for those of Iranian descent looking for their ancestors. Its goals are to educate, facilitate research, and create new genealogy resources through its initiatives.
Iran has a rich, diverse, and ancient history. Being able to identify your place in that history is a rewarding journey. Iranian genealogy may seem impossible. The lack and inaccessiblity of records make it difficult to pursue Iranian genealogy outside of oral history and the documents retained by one’s family. But online resources are increasingly available. No matter your experience or background, this website seeks to collect the hard-to-find sources of information spread throughout the Internet that may prove essential to your research.
The Education section provides helpful background knowledge for those starting to research their Iranian genealogy. It has links to general genealogy resources, Iranian historical and cultural resources, and Persian language resources. There are also pages devoted to the various calendar systems used in Iran over time, Iranian geography, and Iranian naming conventions.
The Research section contains sources for Iranian genealogy research. There, you can find pages on oral history, Iranian DNA projects, genealogy resources for specific families, record collections and databases, and guidance on how to research in Iran itself.
The Initiatives section features Iranian Genealogy’s projects. Currently, that includes the Iranian Genealogy Blog, Iranian Surname Project, and the Iranian Cemeteries Project. Please read and contribute!
The Contact section allows you to connect with us via the Contact form or our social media. Please use the form to suggest any changes, corrections, or additions. Please see the Contact page for more information.
Iranian Genealogy has been fairly quiet for most of 2025 due to work on an exciting new project: the Iranian-American Surnames Project. After over a year of coordination and planning, the Project is now live! The Iranian-American Surnames Project is a collaboration between Iranian Genealogy, Dr. Fatemeh Akbari (sociolinguist, onomastician, and International Council of Onomastic…
If any of your ancestors served in the royal court, royal household, government, or military during the reigns of Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (r. 1848-1896) or Mozaffar al-Din Shah Qajar (r. 1896-1907), then you might find them listed in one of Etemad al-Saltaneh’s (اعتمادالسلطنه) government almanacs (سالنامه). This is the only online location to have…
With the lack of accessible records, DNA is an important tool in Iranian genealogy. Thankfully, there is now a genetic genealogist specifically offering her services to those of Iranian descent free of charge: Aurora Molitoris. Aurora has a graduate certificate in forensic genetic genealogy from the University of New Haven and continues to receive genealogy…
* The uncaptioned images on this website come from the Smithsonian’s collection of Antoin Sevruguin’s photographs and from Women’s Worlds in Qajar Iran.
Iranian Genealogy 