Ms Rachel M. Croucher – BA (Melb), MA (Monash), DipFHS, MAAGRA

Researcher Type: Genealogist & Record Agent

Rachel M. Croucher is a highly credentialled genealogist and record agent with 15 years of experience in the practice of history. As a genealogist, she specialises in managing research projects to compile family histories and genealogies for clients. In contrast, as a record agent, she has extensive experience in researching specific records and the holdings of specific archives. She is currently vice president of the Australasian Association of Genealogists and Record Agents (AAGRA) and a member of the Genealogical Ethics and Standards Advisory Group at the Society of Australian Genealogists (SAG). Rachel is also studying for a postgraduate degree in law and aims to be admitted as a legal practitioner by 2026.

Education

• Bachelor of Arts | German and European Studies (Melbourne University, 2005),
• Study Abroad Year | Central and Eastern European Studies And Islamic Studies (Vilnius University, 2002),
• Master of History | Holocaust and Genocide Studies (Monash University, 2013),
• Diploma of Family History (University of Tasmania, 2020), and
• Juris Doctor (RMIT University, 2020-ongoing).

Research Interests

• Central and Eastern Europe during World War II,
• The Holocaust in Central and Eastern Europe,
• Post-World War II German and Baltic (Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian) migration patterns to Australia,
• The Punjabi and Indian Hawker Diaspora in Australia (Rachel’s great-grandfather was a Sikh Hawker from Punjab), and
• The regions of Gippsland and East Gippsland in Victoria.

Services

• Traditional genealogy (family trees, ancestry tracing, and descendant research),
• Historical records searches,
• Deciphering handwriting on old records.
• Translating German records into English,
• Family history manuscript preparation,
• Editing and proofreading (academic and legal)
• Public talks on genealogical topics, and
• Customised tutorials for family history researchers of all skill levels (online only).

Repositories

• Jewish Holocaust Museum and Research Centre (Melbourne),
• Public Record Office Victoria,
• The University of Melbourne Archives,
• National Archives of Australia, and
• Gippsland and Regional Studies Collection (GRSC).

Professional Memberships

• Australasian Association of Genealogists and Record Agents
• Association of Professional Genealogists,
• Australian Sikh Heritage Association,
• East Gippsland Family History Group,
• East Gippsland Historical Society,
• Genealogical Society of Victoria,
• Society of Australian Genealogists, and
• Victorian Association of Family History Organisations