Step-by-Step Kentucky Research, 1880-Present

Kentucky 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.

Using the clues to lead to census record searches.
'''These census records help identify all the members of this family. It appears that Reed's full name was Thomas Reed Phillips--at least the census taker thought so in 1910.'''

Finding an earlier generation.
The next step would be to search earlier census records to find Reed Phillips his marriage, listed in his parents' home. '''Here he is in the 1910 and 1900 censuses, living with his parents, John (or Pat, probably a nickname) and Minnie Phillips, in Boyle County, Kentucky. These two census records identify twelve children for them.'''



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.
 * 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 marriage certificate might list the parents of the bride and groom.
 * 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. In addition to basic birth date and place, a birth certificate can give age, birthplace, occupation, etc. about the parents. Example of a birth index entry.

Using the 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.



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:
 * birth date and place of the deceased
 * maiden name of the wife
 * names of the deceased's parents

Some of the examples shown above are index entries. That means for each of them an actual, original, full certificate exists. It is highly advisable to order the original certificate. It will contain many details not given in the index. In some cases, the image of the original is found online. Instructions are given below on obtaining the original certificate in other cases. -

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: Kentucky Counties.

Order Certificates from Kentucky 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 Kentucky Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce Records

For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Kentucky, see How to Find Kentucky Birth Records, How to Find Kentucky Marriage Records, and How to Find Kentucky Death 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.

This Social Security record is very important because it identifies Jacob Troxel's wife as Margaret J. Burton.
 * 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

 * Try these Kentucky links:
 * Kentucky Obituaries, 1787-1854, ($)
 * Rootsweb Kentucky Counties Obituary Index
 * Genealogy Buff Obituary Files Scroll down to databases
 * Kentucky Obituary Sources
 * ObitsArchive.com Kentucky
 * Index and images

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 Kentucky links:
 * Kentucky Historical Society Cemetery Search
 * Findagrave.com
 * Kentucky Cemetery Records at Interment.net
 * BillionGraves Kentucky Cemeteries
 * Tennessee Valley Cemetery Relocation Files, 1933-1990, ($). Index.
 * Kentucky Cemeteries, The Tombstone Transcription Project, index.
 * Kentucky Cemeteries at I Dream of Genealogy
 * Online Kentucky Death Indexes, Obituaries and Cemeteries
 * Kentucky Cemetery Records
 * Kentucky Cemetery Records

Notice the wealth of information in these FindAGrave records. Each blue name is a link to another FindAGrave for that relative:

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
 * , index and images.

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Step 6: 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.

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.

Kentucky 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.

Kentucky Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records

 * Kentucky, Naturalization Records, 1906-1991 ($)
 * Selected U.S. Naturalization Records - District Courts in the Southeast, 1790-1958 – covers Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee ($)

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 Kentucky; that will bring up too many hits. Just use the name of the county and "county": for example, "Hyde County"
 * Google Books. Use keywords "Kentucky" 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 "Kentucky" and the county name.
 * Genealogy Book Links, Kentucky. Browse list; county histories are interspersed.
 * Ancestry.com, ($). In the Card Catalog search box, use Kentucky 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 use the "Find" function on a computer.
 * County and Town Histories with biographies
 * Sandi Gorin's Kentucky Biographies.
 * Kentucky Biographical Encyclopedia, 19th Century, ($), index.
 * Kentucky Biographical Dictionary, 1896, ($), index.
 * Notable men of Kentucky at the beginning of the 20th century (1901-1902), e-book
 * A Sesqui-Centennial History of Kentucky - A Narrative Historical Edition...and Chronicling the Genealogical and Memorial Records of its Prominent Families and Personages, e-book, Vol. 4
 * A History of Kentucky and Kentuckians - The Leaders and Representative Men in Commerce, Industry and Modern Activities, by E. Polk Johnson, Vol. 1, e-book, Vol. 2, Vol. 3
 * History of Kentucky, Judge Charles Kerr, editor, Vol. 1, e-book, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, Vol. 4, Vol. 5
 * Collins Historical Sketches of Kentucky, Vol. 1, e-book, Vol. 2

Step 7: Search for online wills and probate packets.
For more information, see U.S. Probate Records Class Handout.

County probate records

 * 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.


 * Currently, these records are microfilmed and digitized:
 * Kentucky, Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989, ($), index and images, incomplete.
 * at FamilySearch; index and images; also at Ancestry ($).
 * Index and images.
 * Kentucky Will Index ($)
 * Kentucky Will Index, vol. 2 ($)
 * Kentucky Land Office Wills (found in patent files)
 * Kentucky, Wills, Deeds, and Marriages, 1700-1909 (Published 1929), ($), index.
 * Online Kentucky Death Indexes, Obituaries and Cemeteries


 * Eventually more of these records may become available online.


 * In the meantime, this online directory by Genealogy Inc. will enable you to arrange to have them searched for a fee: Click on the map to select a county, then scroll down to the Courthouse and Government Records to find the address and phone number of the County Clerk of Court. Ask them about the years covered by their probate records and their procedure and fees for ordering copies probate packets. When you write, always ask for the full probate packet, not just the will or administration.

Step 10: Contact a county historical or genealogical society.
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 * 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.
 * Kentucky, United States Historical Images, New Version
 * Kentucky, United States Historical Images, Old Version

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

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