Start with place, time and jurisdiction
Start with the place, iwi or community, period and government agency that may have created the record. Archives are commonly arranged by the creating agency rather than a person’s name. For Māori research, follow whakapapa guidance and community protocols rather than forcing relationships into a purely administrative record model.
Follow the strongest record sequence
Use historical births, deaths and marriages, passenger lists, naturalisation, probate, coroners’ inquests, military files and school material according to the person’s life. Archives New Zealand Collections Search identifies government records; Papers Past supplies newspapers and other publications that can connect events and communities.
Preserve evidence and local context
Cite the agency, series, accession and item identifiers, page or image and repository. Search the vocabulary and spelling used when the record was created, including historical variants, while explaining outdated terms in notes. Treat whakapapa and community knowledge with the authority, access and cultural context specified by its custodians.