Step-by-Step Pennsylvania Research, 1880-Present

Pennsylvania Step-by-step research 1880--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 should be asked?
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 :
 * Fifty Questions for Family History Interviews What to Ask the Relatives
 * Genealogy: 150 questions to ask family members about their lives
 * 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.

Step 2. Find ancestors in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.
A census is a count and description of the population of a country, state, county, or city for a given date. A census took a "snapshot" of a family on a certain day. For each person living in a household you might find (depending on the year) their name, age, birthplace, relationship to head of household, place of birth for father and mother, citizenship status, year of immigration, mother of how many children and number of children living, native language, and whether they were a veteran of the military.

Use the clues found through family sources to lead to census record searches.
Bernard Kelly's parents were John and Catherine Rogan Kelly. Look for details about their birth year, state, and parents' names. Research should start with the 1920, 1930, 1940, and 1950 censuses of Pennsylvania, probably for Wilkes-Barre, for Bernard living in his parents' home. -

Researching the older generation.
'''Next, look for John J. Kelly in earlier census records as a child in his parents' home. Census records show he was born in about 1892.'''
 * In the 1910 census of Luzerne County (where the family has been in each census), he is an 18-year-old youth, living with his parents, John P. and Anna Kelly.
 * In the 1900 census, he is an 8-year-old child, in the home of his parents, John P. and Anna Kelly.
 * Listed in these two censuses are 9 of the 10 children born to this couple.
 * It is important that the census states that they immigrated to the U.S. in 1883.



Look for ancestors in as many censuses as possible. Use the clues from each census for hints where to find families in both earlier and later census records.
- For more information, see Pennsylvania Census and United States Census.

Step 3: Find birth, marriage, and death certificates for ancestors and their children.
States, counties, or even towns in some states recorded births, marriages, and deaths. You have probably seen these types of certificates and have your own. In addition to the child's name, birth date, and place of birth, a birth certificate may give the birthplaces of the parents, their ages, and occupations. A death certificate may give the person's birth date and place, parents' names and birthplaces, and spouse's name.

Using the census clues to lead to a birth certificate.
Census information gives approximate birth years and probable birth places, and that information leads to finding important birth records.

Example of Pennsylvania birth certificate. Notice that the certificate gives the mother's maiden name and the birth places and ages of the parents.

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Using census clues to lead to a marriage certificate.
Finding marriage records can:
 * establish the full identity of the wife, with her maiden name and possible birth details.
 * find the names of the parents of the bride and groom.

Example of a Pennsylvania marriage certificate.

Using the census clues to lead to a death certificate.
Moving forward in time, older generations stop showing up in the census. That is a clue that they probably died in the last 10 years. The death certificate is important because of all the possible secondary data beyond just the date and place of death: - Example of Pennsylvania death certificate. Notice that this death certificate gives us the names of John P. Kelly's parents: Peter Kelly and Bridget Mulgrew. It also gives their birth place. -
 * birth date and place of the deceased
 * maiden name of the wife
 * names of the deceased's parents
 * birth places of the deceased's parents.

How to Find the Records
There are basically three ways to find these indexes or full original certificates: -
 * online databases
 * writing to a county courthouse (prior to state civil registration beginning in 1867)
 * purchasing them through the mail

Records at the County Courthouse.
These records were originally created by county clerks, and then copies were sent to the state. County clerks can be willing to help find all the birth records for one family or perform other searches that the state would not do. To contact county clerks by e-mail or telephone, go to the Wiki article for each county. Links to the county Wiki articles are found at the end of this page or by clicking here: Pennsylvania Counties.

Order Certificates from Pennsylvania Vital Records Department.
Almost always the full original certificate will contain information not contained in the index. Although it costs money, consider sending for the full original certificates, particularly for direct line ancestors (grandparents, great-grandparents, etc).
 * Where to Write for Pennsylvania Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce Records

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 your 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.



Obituaries

 * Frequently, a death is announced in the newspaper with an obituary.
 * These obituaries may supply missing birth or death dates and name the parents of the deceased.
 * Obituaries may also name family members, their spouses, their current residences, and whether they died before the person or are still surviving, especially in obituaries written in the last half of the 20th Century.
 * Try these Pennsylvania links:
 * Archives.com Obituaries ($)
 * Ancestry.com United States Obituary Collection ($)
 * , images/no index
 * GenealogyBuff Obituaries
 * Pennsylvania Obituaries
 * ObitsArchive.com - Pennsylvania, ($)
 * ObituariesHelp.org - Pennsylvania Newspaper Obituaries Listings
 * The Obituary Link Page - Pennsylvania Obituary Links
 * — index and images
 * Pennsylvania. U.S., Obituary and Marriage Records, 1947-2010 at Ancestry - index and images ($)
 * Search for obituaries in ProQuest Newspapers.com Library ($)
 * Search for obituaries in ProQuest Newspapers.com Library ($)

Cemeteries

 * Cemetery records may only give the names and dates stated on the tombstone, but as in the case of FindAGrave, sometimes pictures of the deceased and their tombstone, children's or parents' names and links to their graves, and marriage information have been added. Always verify information added by others.
 * Frequently family members are buried in the same cemetery often in neighboring plots.
 * Try these Pennsylvania links:
 * Online Pennsylvania Death Records, Indexes &amp; Obituaries, by county
 * Pennsylvania Cemetery Records at Interment.net
 * Findagrave.com Pennsylvania Cemetery Records
 * Billiongraves.com Pennsylvania Cemeteries
 * Pennsylvania Cemetery Records
 * PennsylvaniaGravestones.org, index
 * The Tombstone Transcription Project: Pennsylvania
 * I Dream of Genealogy Pennsylvania Cemeteries
 * I Dream of Genealogy Pennsylvania Cemeteries

NOTE: Each database covers different cemeteries, although some may overlap. Don't be discouraged if you do not locate your individual in the first database. Check each collection. Here are some examples of FindAGrave records.:

Step 5: Search military records: World War I and World War II draft cards.

 * There are many different types of military records, some covered in online collections, some microfilmed, and some requiring you to order them from government repositories with a fee. For more information, read the U.S. Military Records Class Handout. 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.

World War I Draft Registration

 * One of the most helpful military records is the draft registration of 1917-1918. During three separate registrations, men born between 1873-1897 were required to register in the draft for World War I. Cards may give birth date, birth place, residence, occupation, employer, physical description, next of kin (usually the wife or mother), and number of dependents. Search for your male relatives born in this time period at.

World War II Draft Registration
Likewise, the World War II draft in 1942 may give birth date, birth place, residence, occupation, employer, and other family members as contacts. Search for your male relatives born in this time period at This draft registration is not related to the Kelly family, but is shown here for an example.
 * , index and images.

Step 6: Look for church records.
Church records function as vital records. Church records are particularly helpful prior to the advent of civil registration in xxxx.
 * 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.



FamilySearch Indexes

 * 1512-1989 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images; abstracts taken from various Pennsylvania Church Records
 * 1520-1999 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images; abstracts taken from various Pennsylvania Church Records
 * 1620-1991 (*) at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1709-1950 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index.
 * 1709-1940 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index.
 * 1720-1999 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index.
 * 1856-1971 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images; abstracts taken from various Pennsylvania Church Records

FamilySearch CD-Rom

 * 1680-1800 Birth index; southeastern Pennsylvania, 1680-1800 This collection must be used at the FamilySearch Library.

Findmypast Indexes

 * Historical Society Of Pennsylvania, Births & Baptisms, index, incomplete, ($)
 * 1709-1760 Pennsylvania Baptisms 1709-1760, index, incomplete, ($)
 * Historical Society Of Pennsylvania, Marriages, index, incomplete.
 * Historical Society Of Pennsylvania, Deaths & Burials, index, incomplete, ($)
 * Philadelphia Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms, index & images ($).
 * Philadelphia Roman Catholic Parish Marriages, index & images ($).
 * Philadelphia Roman Catholic Parish Registers Browse, images ($).

Ancestry.com

 * 1700-1821 Pennsylvania, Marriage Records, 1700-1821 ($)
 * 1708-1985 Pennsylvania, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985($)
 * 1664-1902 Pennsylvania, Published Archives Series, 1664–1902, images ($)

I Dream of Genealogy

 * Pennsylvania Church Records, indexed transcripts organized by county

Catholic
Catholic Heritage Archive, ($)

Church of the Brethren

 * Every name index, A history of the Church of the Brethren of Southern District of Pennsylvania, e-book
 * Index of names, A history of the Church of the Brethren in the Middle District of Pennsylvania, e-book
 * Index of names, History of the Church of the Brethren of the Western District of Pennsylvania, e-book
 * Surname index to History of the German Baptist brethren, e-book
 * 1884-1902 Church records, 1884-1902 [Pennsylvania Conference United Brethren in Christ, images.

Congregational

 * Historical Society Of Pennsylvania, Congregational Records, index, incomplete, ($)

Dutch Reformed

 * 1769-1800 Church records of the Dutch Reformed, 1769-1800, images.
 * 1639-1989 U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989, index and images, incomplete.($)
 * 1701-1995 U.S., Selected States Dutch Reformed Church Membership Records, 1701-1995, index and images, incomplete.($)

Episcopal/Anglican

 * 1600s-1900s Pennsylvania, Episcopalian Congregational Records at Findmypast - index & images, ($)
 * 1600s-1900s Pennsylvania, Episcopalian Births and Baptisms at Findmypast - index & images, ($)
 * 1600s-1900s Pennsylvania, Episcopalian Marriages at Findmypast - index & images, ($)
 * 1600s-1900s Pennsylvania, Episcopalian Deaths and Burials at Findmypast - index & images, ($)
 * 1911-1950 Diocesan confirmation registers, 1911-1950, Episcopal Church. Diocese of Pennsylvania, images.

Lutheran

 * 1781-1969 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969, index and images, incomplete.($)
 * 1680-1800 Birth Index; Southeastern Pennsylvania, 1680-1800. Humphrey, John T. n.p.: Brøderbund, 1998. CD-ROM no. 9 pt. 196. WorldCat
 * 1730-1799 Pennsylvania, Lutheran Baptisms and Marriages, 1730-1799, ($), index
 * 1800-1947 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947, index and images, incomplete.($)

Mennonite

 * 1750-2014 Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Mennonite Vital Records, 1750-2014, index and images from book, incomplete. ($)

Presbyterian

 * 1701-1970 U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970, index and images, incomplete.($)

Quaker (Society of Friends)

 * U.S., Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, index, at Ancestry ($). Incomplete.
 * 1680-1940 U.S., Hinshaw Index to Selected Quaker Records, 1680-1940, index, at Ancestry ($). Incomplete.
 * 1681-1935 U.S., Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, index & images ($). Incomplete.
 * U.S., Surname Index to Quaker Records, index, at Ancestry ($). Incomplete.
 * 1682-1750 Quaker Arrivals at Philadelphia 1682-1750, index and e-book, ($).
 * "The Early Welsh Quakers and Their Emigration to Pennsylvania," Levick, James J. The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 17 (1893):385-413.

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 * For help with church records kept in Pennsylvania, see Pennsylvania 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 online wills and probate packets.
Currently, these records are digitized online:
 * 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.
 * Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993, ($), index and images, incomplete.
 * Images Only.



Probate Information in County Pages
Each Pennsylvania county Research Wiki page lists additional probate sources: Pennsylvania Counties

For more information, see Pennsylvania 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 your 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 are the next goal. Immigration refers to people coming into a country, such as the United States, and emigration refers to people leaving a country to go to another. Usually these records are passenger lists of the ships they sailed on. A typical record will show name, age, and country of origin, but in ship lists after 1906 you can find the actual town of birth, the next of kin still living in the old country and their residence, and the names of relatives in the place they are traveling to.

Immigration records
Passenger lists and border crossing lists are the most common immigration records. There are many immigration records available. Click here to see a complete list of available immigration records online. Notice that they are listed by state, but under the letter "U" there is a long list of records that cover all of the United States. Unless family information tells you the port where family arrived, you will need to search all of the United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records for the time period when your ancestors arrived.

There are also many immigration records unique to Pennsylvania:
 * One Step Webpages by Stephen Morse Links to free and $ online passenger lists
 * Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild, Philadelphia Arrivals, Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, Vol. 4, Vol. 5, Vol. 6
 * Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s ($)
 * Emigrants to Pennsylvania, 1641-1819 ($)
 * Quaker Arrivals at Philadelphia 1682-1750 ($)
 * Immigration of Irish Quakers to Pennsylvania, 1682-1750, ($), index/images
 * A collection of upwards of thirty thousand names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and other immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776... . Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). Index ($)
 * Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Indentures, 1771-1773, ($), index
 * U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 ($)
 * , images, indexed within records
 * Images only.
 * Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Passenger Lists, 1800-1948, ($), index
 * index.images
 * Index and images.
 * Philadelphia Bank Immigrant Passage Records, 1890-1949, ($) index
 * Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Immigration Records, Special Boards of Inquiry, 1893-1909 ($)
 * Images only.
 * — index and images

Naturalization (Citizenship) Records
Naturalization is the process of becoming a citizen. Records can include the immigrant's declaration of intent to become a citizen, petitions for citizenship, and final certificate of naturalization. Naturalization records after 1906 can show birth date and place, spouse's name, marriage date and place, and lists of children with their birth dates.

Pennsylvania naturalization records could be recorded at the county court or the Federal District or Circuit Court. You must look for them in both locations. Try searching first in any county where the person lived, unless the census tells you the year they were naturalized, and you have evidence of where they lived that year. If you cannot locate them in the county records, try searching for them in the Federal courts.

Pennsylvania Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records

 * Selected U.S. Naturalization Records - Eastern District of Pennsylvania ($) (NARA Film M1522)
 * Pennsylvania Foreign Oaths of Allegiance, Vol. 2 ($)
 * Names of Foreigners Who Took the Oath of Allegiance to the Province and State of Pennsylvania, 1727-1775, ($), index
 * Persons Naturalized in the Province of Pennsylvania, 1740-1773 ($)
 * Pennsylvania Naturalizations, 1740-73 ($)
 * Philadelphia, 1789-1880 Naturalization Records ($)
 * Pennsylvania, Naturalizations, 1794-1908 ($)
 * Browse only.
 * Naturalization Petitions for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1795-1930 ($)
 * Pennsylvania, Federal Naturalization Records, 1795-1931, index & images ($)
 * Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. District Court, 1820-1930, and Circuit Court, 1820-1911, for the Western District of Pennsylvania ($)
 * Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. Circuit and District Courts for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1906-1930 ($)
 * Naturalization Petitions of the U.S. Circuit and District Courts for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1906-1930 ($)

Local histories

 * Published histories of towns, counties, and states usually contain biographies and accounts of early or prominent families.
 * Here are several websites that feature online copies of printed county histories:
 * Hathi Trust Digital Library. Don't use the keywords Pennsylvania; that will bring up too many hits. Just use the name of the county and "county": for example, "Hyde County"
 * Google Books. Use keywords "Pennsylvania" 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 "Pennsylvania" and the county name.
 * Genealogy Book Links, Pennsylvania. Browse list; county histories are interspersed.
 * Ancestry.com, ($). In the Card Catalog search box, use Pennsylvania and the name of the county.


 * 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 out about local histories the library has by checking the FamilySearch Catalog. In the "place" field, type the name of your county and select it from the drop down list, then click "Search". A list of subheadings for the county will appear. Local histories containing genealogies and biographies will be found under Biography, Genealogy, History, and History - Indexes.

Biographies
These collections of biographies can be searched online. Most have a table of contents and an index. Or you can use the "Find" function on your computer.
 * American Biographical Library ($)
 * Pennsylvania Founding Families, 1681-1911, ($), index
 * Provincial Councillors of Pennsylvania, 1733-1776, ($), index
 * County and Town Histories, with biographies
 * PA-Roots Biography Project
 * HistoricPA.net, Pennsylvania Biographies
 * Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania biography, illustrated. v. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, Vol. 13
 * Encyclopaedia of contemporary biography, of Pennsylvania Vol. 2, Vol. 3
 * Who's who in Pennsylvania; a biographical dictionary of contemporaries. (1904)
 * Genealogical and personal history of western Pennsylvania; editor-in-chief, John W. Jordan. v.1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3
 * Century cyclopedia of history and biography of Pennsylvania, Vol. 1, Vol. 2
 * Prominent and progressive Pennsylvanians of the nineteenth century. v.1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3
 * The biographical encyclopædia of Pennsylvania of the nineteenth century
 * The progressive men of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ... Comp. and ed. by Col. Charles Blanchard. v.1, Vol. 2
 * Memorial encyclopedia of the State of Pennsylvania Vol. 1, Vol. 2
 * Some Pennsylvania women during the War of the Revolution

Step 10: Contact a county historical or genealogical society.
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 * style="vertical-align:top"|
 * 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.
 * 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.

This online directory by GenealogyInc. lists historical and genealogical societies by county: Click on the map to select a county, then scroll down to the historical or genealogical society listings. Here is an example of an internet website for a local genealogical society.

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

Pennsylvania Online Genealogy Records
Search any other online records listed in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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.
 * Pennsylvania Online Genealogy Records

Step 12: Study the Research Wiki pages for any county in Pennsylvania.
This article focused more on Pennsylvania state or state-wide records. There is a separate Wiki article for each county in Pennsylvania. This can help you with other records kept on a county level.

Step 12: Study the Research Wiki pages for any county in Pennsylvania.
This article focused more on Pennsylvania state or state-wide records. There is a separate Wiki article for each county in Pennsylvania. This can help you with other records kept on a county level.