Step-by-Step Idaho Research, 1880-Present

Idaho Step-by-step research 1911--present Idaho Step-by-Step Research, 1850-1910 Step-by-step research 1911--present

Step 1. Find out everything possible from living relatives and their family records.
Every good genealogy project starts with finding all the clues that can be gathered from living relatives — both from their memories and from documents or memorabilia in their homes.

What are the best questions to ask?
In order to extend research, ask for names, dates, and places. Everything about who a relative was and when and where they lived is a clue to a new record search. For ideas, see :
 * 50 Questions to Ask Relatives About Family History


 * Creating Oral Histories

What documents should be collected or copied?
Because these records cover names, dates, places, and relationships, they are a valuable source of clues. Look for them in your home, your parents' home, and ask living grandparents to check for them.



Using the clues to lead to census record searches.
Here are three documents you might find in a home search: a graduation certificate, a report card, and an obituary clipped from a newspaper.

1. In the graduation certificate, we see that Ruth Kynaston graduated in Bancroft, Bannock, Idaho, in 1937. If we assume that she was 18 years old when she graduated, she would have been born in about 1918-9. We can search for her in the 1930 census of Idaho. Then we can follow up in 1920. Click on the blue links. You will see her with parents, John and Stella Kynaston. We can look for them 1910 and even 1900.

2. In the newspaper obituary, we learn that Lawrence Lemmon was born in 1914 in Idaho. We should look for him in 1920, 1930, and 1940. We can also try to find his family in 1910 before his birth.

3. From the report card, we know David Savage attended the 8th grade in Jefferson County, Idaho, in 1947-48. He would be 13-14 years old, so he was born in about 1934. We will look for him in Jefferson County in the 1940 census, and follow up on his family in 1930.


 * Click on the links to see how these searches turned out. Notice the new information. Later, these clues will help us find them in more records.

Step 4: Try to find additional details about ancestors in obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records online.
There are additional record collections available, based upon a person's death: obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records. These are a great source for more details about a person. Here are some examples; notice the level of details.

Obituary Collections

 * Digitized with full name index.
 * Images.
 * Images.
 * USGenWeb Obituary Project, index.
 * 1980-2014 at FamilySearch; index and images — How to Use this Collection

Cemetery Record Collections

 * Find-A-Grave.com
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current at Ancestry
 * Billion Graves
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * BillionGraves Index at Findmypast ($)
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * Idaho Cemetery Records at Find-A-Grave
 * Idaho Cemetery Records at Interment
 * Idaho Cemeteries at Idaho Gravestones
 * Idaho Tombstone Transcription Project at USGenWeb Transcription Project
 * Online Idaho Obituary and Cemetery Indexes at DeathIndexes

U.S. Social Security Death Index and Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

 * The U.S. Social Security program began in 1935 but most deaths recorded in the index happened after 1962.
 * The Social Security Death index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits.
 * You can search these records online at
 * Also at Ancestry.com, ($), index.
 * The Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off, by providing information filed in the application or claims process.
 * The Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off, by providing information filed in the application or claims process.


 * If you find an ancestor in the SSDI index, you can order a copy of their original Social Security application (SS-5). If you can prove the individual has died (by sending an obituary or copy of their cemetery headstone), the application will also give the deceased's parents' names, if listed.

For more information, see Idaho Obituaries and Idaho Cemeteries.

Step 5: Search military records: World War I and II draft cards.
There are many different types of military records: draft records, enlistment records, service records, pension records, etc. Information in military records can vary from a simple lists of name, age, and residence, to more detailed records including name, residence, age, occupation, marital status, birthplace, physical description, number of dependents, pensions received, disabled veterans, needy veterans, widows or orphans of veterans, and other information. - Example of a World War I draft card. - Example of a World War II draft card.



'''Search the World War I and World War II Draft Collections for male relatives.
- For more information and additional collections, see Idaho Military Records.
 * , index and images.
 * , index and images.

Step 6: Look for church records online.
Church records function as vital records. Church records are particularly helpful prior to the advent of civil registration.
 * An infant christening or baptism record documents a birth.
 * Many, if not most, people are married in a church, and then a record is created by the minister.
 * Likewise, ministers presided over funerals, then creating a burial record, which documents a death.



Search for church records that can provide additional birth, marriage, and death information.

 * 1856-1965, index. Incomplete; - How to Use this Collection
 * 1907-1965, index. Incomplete; - How to Use this Collection
 * 1878-1898; 1903-1942, index. Incomplete; - How to Use this Collection

- For help with church records kept in Idaho, see Idaho Church Records. To search records by denomination, if you know your ancestors religion, go to Searching for Church Records by Denomination.

Step 7: Search for wills and probate packets.

 * County probate records include '''probate proceedings, petitions, affidavits, orders for sales, reports of sales, administrators' and executors' bonds, guardianship papers, wills, and letters of administration.
 * In a will book, usually just a transcription of the will is recorded. But all of these other records are kept in a probate packet.
 * Administrations are probate proceedings that handled an estate if no known will existed.

Search these indexes and images for probate records.

 * United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search: Idaho
 * 1857 – 1989 Idaho Wills and Probate Records, 1857-1989 at Ancestry; index & images ($)

Probate Information in County Wiki Articles
Each Idaho county Research Wiki page lists additional probate sources, including where to write for records: Idaho Counties

For more information, see Idaho Probate Records and United States Probate Records.

Step 8: If any ancestor was an immigrant, search immigration and naturalization records online.
The census records may show that an ancestor was born in another country. It will be necessary to try to find the town or city they were born in to continue research in the country of origin. Searches of immigration records (usually passenger lists) and naturalization (citizenship) records would be the next step.



''' Look for immigrant ancestors in shipping lists and citizenship sources.
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Idaho Immigration Records

 * United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records


 * 1500s-1900s All U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s at Ancestry; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Idaho; Also at MyHeritage; index only ($)
 * 1895-1956 United States, Border Crossings from Canada, 1895-1956 at MyHeritage; index & images ($); includes those with Destination of Idaho
 * 1895-1960 U.S., Border Crossings from Canada to U.S., 1895-1960 at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1904-1944 Index to Alien Arrivals at Canadian Atlantic and Pacific Seaports, 1904-1944 at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1924-1956 at FamilySearch; index & images - How to Use this Collection

Cultural Groups

 * 1920-1939 Germany, Bremen Emigration Lists, 1920-1939 at MyHeritage; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Idaho
 * Germans Immigrating to the United States at MyHeritage; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Idaho
 * Italians Immigrating to the United States at MyHeritage; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Idaho
 * Russians Immigrating to the United States at MyHeritage; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Idaho
 * Idaho immigration manifest99.png
 * }

Passport Records Online

 * 1795-1925 at FamilySearch; index and images — How to Use this Collection
 * 1795-1925 U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 Index and images, at Ancestry ($)

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Idaho Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records

 * United States Naturalization and Citizenship Online Genealogy Records
 * Idaho State Archives Naturalization Index - Google spreadsheet
 * at FamilySearch - browsable images only - How to Use this Collection
 * at FamilySearch - index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * Idaho, Naturalization Records, 1903-1982 at Ancestry ($) - index and images
 * 1944-2003 U.S., Index to Alien Case Files, 1944-2003 at Ancestry — index ($)

For more information, see Idaho Emigration and Immigration and Idaho Naturalization and Citizenship.
 * Idaho naturalization.png
 * }

Local Histories

 * Published histories of towns, counties, and states sometimes contain biographies and accounts of early or prominent families.
 * Here are several websites that feature online copies of printed county histories: Idaho; that will bring up too many hits. Just use the name of the county and "county": for example, "Hyde County"
 * Google Books. Use keywords "Idaho" and the county name. Hits will list online readable books, lists of libraries that carry the book, and purchasing opportunities.
 * Family History Books
 * Internet Archive.Use keywords "Idaho" and the county name.
 * Ancestry.com, ($). In the Card Catalog search box, use Idaho and the name of the county.

FamilySearch Collected Local Histories

 * Local histories are extensively collected by the FamilySearch Library, public and university libraries, and state and local historical societies.
 * If you have access to the FamilySearch Library or a FamilySearch center, you can find local histories by:
 * Go to the FamilySearch Catalog.
 * In the "Place" field, type the name of your county and click "Search".
 * A list of subheadings for the county will appear. Local histories containing genealogies and biographies will be found under Biography, Genealogy, History, or History - Indexes.

Biography Collections
- For more information, see Idaho Biography.
 * BYU Idaho Pioneer Histories
 * Idaho State Historical Society Biographical Index (IBI)
 * Access Genealogy Biographies of the State of Idaho
 * BYU Trails of Hope:Overland Diaries and Letters, 1846-1869
 * Paper Trail
 * BYU Idaho Oral History Interview Collection
 * Upper Snake River Valley Idaho Histories, index/images
 * Register of the Histories of Pioneers who settled in the Upper Snake River Valley, 1883-1893, MSSI 3, Brigham Young University-Idaho Special Collections, index only.
 * County and Town Histories, includes biographies
 * Idaho County Biographies
 * Online County and Town Histories
 * An illustrated history of the state of Idaho, e-book
 * History of Idaho : the gem of the mountains Vol. 3, Vol. 4, e-books

Step 10: Contact a local historical or genealogical society.

 * County historical societies have collections that are frequently little known and often overlooked.
 * Many have a surname file, where they have collected genealogies, newspaper clippings, old photographs, etc.
 * Many have a sort of "pioneer ancestor" program, where people can submit pedigrees to prove they are the descendants of an early resident of the county.
 * Most keep track of queries about families that once lived in the area from other distant relatives who may actually have more family memorabilia than you.


 * If you can find the society on the internet, they may list their holdings. Or call them on the phone, find out what they have, and find out what arrangements can be made to search their collection. Frequently, you can hire one of their members to search the collection for you.
 * For more information, see Idaho Societies.

The online directory by GenealogyInc. lists historical and genealogical societies by county: Click on the list to select a county, then scroll down to the historical or genealogical society listings.

Historical Images
Records collected and digitized by FamilySearch can all be found through their Historical Images feature.
 * Idaho, United States Historical Images, New Version
 * Idaho, United States Historical Images, Old Version

Idaho Online Genealogy Records
Search any other online records listed in Idaho Online Genealogy Records. The steps given here are intended to list record sources which can most efficiently identify descendants. Many other online records which might or might not mention descendants are listed in the Idaho Online Genealogy Records page, including immigration records, land records, military records, newspapers, and probate records, and others. These can be records that cover a smaller group within the population, such as men who served in the military, etc.
 * Idaho Online Genealogy Records

Step 12: Study the Research Wiki pages for any county in Idaho.
This article focused more on Idaho state or state-wide records. There is a separate Wiki article for each county in Idaho. These articles give information, office addresses, and links to county records.