Georgian archives
The Georgian National Archives belong under the Georgian Ministry of Justice and are engaged in research. One of their functions is to receive and collect historically valuable records and make them available to the public. The archives are the important institutions for those who are interested in the origin of their family. The records relating to genealogical research, from parish records to genealogical studies, are kept in the Georgian State Archives.
 
So, documents gathered in the Georgian Archives include much information used for genealogical purposes. On the basis of archive records, it is possible to establish the relationship by birth and by marriage, social class affiliation, financial position, occupation, functions, and religious denomination of individual family members. The following types of archival materials may be used in the course of genealogical research: registers of births, marriages and deaths, vital records, census lists, church archives and those of religious orders, population records, judicial and notary’s files, records of the administration of justice, records of universities, schools and various educational institutions, parties and associations, those of institutions established to make inquiries regarding the rank of nobility, etc.
 
 The main source for the study of relationship links in the Georgian State Historical Archive are the parish registers (church books), which  are accumulated in the Historical Archive from the beginning XIX century of to till 1921, over the whole territory of Georgia. General  registers after 1921 up to 1927 are held in Georgian State Archive of Contemporary History and from 1927 up to the present time are held  in the Archives of the General Registry Department under the Ministry of Justice, where these registers are to be kept till 100 years from  their creation.
 
 Additionally to the church books there are other sources for genealogical investigation covering the period up to 1921 in the Historical  Archives - the records of population censuses and other statistic documents, population lists, various documents of educational and  other institutions and non-governmental organizations. The census lists are to be found dating back to 1803. The Georgian Population  Census has been taken every 10 years. They contain information about every household indicating name, age, trade and family relations.  This information is registered parish by parish and town by town.