Pennsylvania Introduction

This set of wiki pages describes major sources of information about families from Pennsylvania. As you read this set of wiki pages, study the United States Research Outline, which will help you understand terminology and the contents and uses of genealogical records.

RECORDS OF THE FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY

The Family History Library has many of the records described in this outline. The major holdings include genealogies, histories, and cemetery, census, church, immigration, land, military, naturalization, probate, tax, and vital records.

Some of the sources described in this outline list the Family History Library's book, microfilm, microfiche, and computer numbers. These numbers are preceded by FHL, the abbreviation for Family History Library. These numbers may be used to locate materials in the library and to order microfilm and microfiche at Family History Centers.

The computer number can be used if you have access to the Family History Library Catalog™ on computer. The “Computer Number Search” is the fastest way to find a source in the catalog.

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FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARY CATALOG

The library's records are listed in the Family History Library Catalog found at the library and at each Family History Center. To find a record, look in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog for:

The place where your ancestor lived, such as: UNITED STATES - CENSUS PENNSYLVANIA - GENEALOGY PENNSYLVANIA, PHILADELPHIA - PROBATE RECORDS PENNSYLVANIA, PHILADELPHIA, PHILADELPHIA - CHURCH RECORDS

The record type you want to search, such as: UNITED STATES - CENSUS PENNSYLVANIA - GENEALOGY PENNSYLVANIA, PHILADELPHIA - PROBATE RECORDS PENNSYLVANIA, PHILADELPHIA, PHILADELPHIA - CHURCH RECORDS The record types described in this outline are the record types used in the Family History Library Catalog.