Auckland Libraries: Researching Iwi
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Researching iwi

Te rangahau ā-iwi

Māori connect to a waka, whānau, hapū and iwi.

Identify your iwi

When researching your whakapapa, it's helpful to find out from your whānau what your iwi affiliations are.


Here are some additional sources that you might like to try:

  • Māori electoral rolls – from 1872 to 1969 they recorded iwi and hapū names

  • Māori birth and death certificates – recorded iwi and hapū names

  • Military records - can provide iwi, hapū, next of kin, and sometimes a will. Be aware that ages recorded on military records were not always correct

 

Research your iwi

Once you know your iwi affiliations you can search:

  • tribal books

  • iwi and rūnanga websites

  • Māori Trust Board records

  • Iwidex. 


Tip

Visiting iwi marae can help provide further information and whakapapa.

Map of iwi in North Island New Zealand.

Map of iwi in South Island New Zealand.
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Iwi maps

Select your iwi or hapū below and find related books in the library catalogue.


Please note you may encounter slight differences in the spelling of iwi or hapū names throughout different material, including:

  • Dialectal differences, e.g. Ngāi Tahu / Kāi Tahu
  • Use of double vowel instead of macron, e.g. Ngaati / Ngāti
  • Iwi or hapū names written as one or multiple words, e.g. Ngā Puhi / Ngāpuhi; Te Āti Awa / Te Ātiawa
  • Macrons not used in older material.
Also note that the list below is not exhaustive; we don't hold material for all iwi or hapū.

 

North Island


South Island

 


Related links

Māori maps 


Te Kāhui Māngai (Directory of Iwi and Māori Organisations) 

Iwi Hapū Names List | National Library