Paul Heinegg, Genealogist
“The world’s expert on the Free Black population in the United States.”
— Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr.
Over 35 years of experience in genealogical research.
About Paul Heinegg
Paul Heinegg (Paul@PaulHeinegg.com) has over 35 years of experience in genealogical research. He is the recipient of four major genealogy awards, and has authored three books and four journal articles. These publications include the origin and family history of over 1,100 African American families that were free in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware during the colonial period.
Paul was identified as “the world’s expert on the Free Black population in the United States” by Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr., and as “the leading authority on early African American families” by Geanological.com and FamilySearch.
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David Hackett Fischer described him as a “gifted genealogist” who “transformed our knowledge of slaves and free people of African ancestry in early America” and “changed our fundamental understanding of race, slavery, and servitude in early America”.
In addition to his extensive research on the genealogy of free African Americans, Paul has also traced the ancestry of an enslaved family back to the mid-1600s in a journal article that meets rigorous genealogical standards.
Testimonials
Whitney Coleman
"Paul's passion for genealogy shines through in the meticulous quality of his work. He has a knack for connecting dots that others might miss, and his willingness to go down rabbit holes to find the most elusive answers is truly commendable.”
M.B. Baker