Nebraska, Church and Vital Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an index to selected baptisms, marriages, and deaths. The collection covers the years 1857 to 1957.

Coverage Map
To see a coverage map of FamilySearch's holdings of Nebraska marriages click here.

What Can these Records Tell Me?
The information varies by record. You may find any of the following:


 * Name of the primary individuals
 * Birth date and place
 * Death date and place
 * Marriage date and place
 * Names of other family members
 * Film number
 * Digital folder number
 * Image number
 * Marital status
 * Gender
 * Race
 * Age
 * Addresses
 * Date and place of burial
 * Names of witnesses
 * Name of officiator

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know at least some of the following:


 * The name of your ancestor
 * The birth date and birth place of your ancestor
 * The names of the parents of your ancestor
 * The names of other family members and their relationships

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
Whenever possible, view the original records to verify the information and to find additional information that might not be reported. These pieces of information can lead you to additional records and family members.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Use the age to calculate a birth date and to find other records such as birth, christening, census, land and death records.
 * Use the information to find additional family members.
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

I Can’t Find Who I’m Looking for, What Now?

 * Try viewing the original record to see if there were errors in the transcription of the name, age, residence, etc. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations that can be verified by records.
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality in an area search.
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
 * Search the indexes and records of Nebraska, United States Genealogy.
 * Search in the Nebraska Archives and Libraries.

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Nebraska.
 * Nebraska Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing this Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

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