Contacting Guangdong Overseas Chinese Affairs Office

[wanderer]

I called the Guangdong Overseas Chinese Affairs Office today asking for information about my paternal grandfather's line. The man on the phone suggested that I send as much information as I've managed to gather about my great-grandfather to an address at 8 Haishan Street in Guangdong. He said that once they received the packet, they would forward it to the relevant local authorities/office, who would help me to find the information.

Has anyone done this before and do you have any tips? How much should I include and what would be helpful? I don't want to send too little, but I'm also worried that if I send too much information no one will bother to read it. My great-grandpa was born around 1900 and left China around the age of 20, and I don't think he ever returned once he left. I don't have much except for:

1) Death certificate (in English)

2) One picture of him and his family (taken in 1941) and a family tree of the subsequent generations

3) His two Chinese names (apparently he may have had a different name in China before he left - I don't know why)

4) The location of his village in Guangdong

5) The fact that he had one wife and one son in China whom he left behind (I don't know why, and I don't have their names)

6) His trade/occupation

And I think that's about it. How would someone in China go about tracing my roots for me? The man seemed quite familiar with phonecalls like mine, so I think a fair number of people do phone in asking for help. Anyone have any experience with this?

[FayChee]

I found them to be helpful several years ago.

Fay Chee

[wanderer]

Thanks, Faychee. How did you send the materials to them (normal mail or email?) and how long did it take them to get back to you ( a few weeks, months?) and did you leave an address or phone? The man on the phone wasn't very clear. He just said to send "as much as possible" and they will "get back in touch"

[FayChee]

I sent email, it was awhile ago, but I did get an answer in a few days, maybe a week. It was helpful both times.

Fay Chee

[sam1947]

Jul 26, 2018 4:16:43 GMT -5 wanderer said:

I called the Guangdong Overseas Chinese Affairs Office today asking for information about my paternal grandfather's line. The man on the phone suggested that I send as much information as I've managed to gather about my great-grandfather to an address at 8 Haishan Street in Guangdong. He said that once they received the packet, they would forward it to the relevant local authorities/office, who would help me to find the information.

Has anyone done this before and do you have any tips? How much should I include and what would be helpful? I don't want to send too little, but I'm also worried that if I send too much information no one will bother to read it. My great-grandpa was born around 1900 and left China around the age of 20, and I don't think he ever returned once he left. I don't have much except for:

1) Death certificate (in English)

2) One picture of him and his family (taken in 1941) and a family tree of the subsequent generations

3) His two Chinese names (apparently he may have had a different name in China before he left - I don't know why)

4) The location of his village in Guangdong

5) The fact that he had one wife and one son in China whom he left behind (I don't know why, and I don't have their names)

6) His trade/occupation

And I think that's about it. How would someone in China go about tracing my roots for me? The man seemed quite familiar with phonecalls like mine, so I think a fair number of people do phone in asking for help. Anyone have any experience with this?

[sam1947]

Hi wanderer,

I am new on this forum and like you I am also searching for my family in GuangDong. I like in USA. What number did you use to call the Chinese Affairs Office in that region? Do they speak english?

I’d like to send them the last village address that I had for my family 20 years ago and some family names to see if they are able to locate them in the village.
Any information you can provide is appreciated!!! Thank you!

[Henry]

sam1947,

Please post the last village address and we can try to locate the village for you. This is a basic if you want somebody to travel to the village to inquiry about village relatives or the village genealogy book, if it still exists, that contains the family lineage.

If I know which county your ancestral village is located, I can provide the local contact information - you can send your request directly to that particular county Office of Foreign & Overseas Chinese Affairs. Or, if you want extensive research at the village level, I can help you to arrange for that also.

Henry