United States For Further Reading

United States   For Further Reading

More detailed information for each state is included in the Wiki pages for each state.

The following are examples of some additional sources that can help you be more successful in your research. Most are available at public libraries. Other sources are listed in the Place Search of the FamilySearch Catalog under one of the following:


 * UNITED STATES - GENEALOGY - HANDBOOKS, MANUALS, ETC.
 * [STATE] - GENEALOGY - HANDBOOKS, MANUALS, ETC.

Basic Research Strategies

 * Crandall, Ralph J. Shaking Your Family Tree: A Basic Guide to Tracing Your Family's Genealogy, 2nd ed., newly rev. Boston, Mass. : New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001. This is a beginner's guide to American sources and research strategies.
 * Cerny, Johni, and Arlene Eakle, eds. Ancestry's Guide to Research: Case Studies in American Genealogy. Salt Lake City: Ancestry Publishing, 1985. This source for the intermediate researcher uses case studies and illustration to teach organization and the research process.
 * Rubincam, Milton. Pitfalls in Genealogical Research. Salt Lake City: Ancestry Publishing, 1987. This brief overview can help you avoid errors in your research, such as mistakes in interpreting names, terms, dates, and relationships. It includes many examples.

More Information about U.S. Records

 * American Society of Genealogists. Genealogical Research: Methods and Sources. 2 vols. Rev. ed. Washington, D.C.: American Society of Genealogists, 1980, 1983. This source presents the expertise of specialists on many record types and state sources. It is of most use to the intermediate researcher and librarian.
 * Bentley, Elizabeth P. The Genealogist's Address Book. 1995 ed. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1995. (FHL book 973 D24ben 1995) This source includes addresses and telephone numbers of archives, libraries, societies, and periodicals.
 * Szucs, Loretto Dennis, and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, eds. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy. Rev. ed. Provo, Utah: Ancestry Publishing, 2006. (FHL book 973 D27ts 2006) This provides in-depth treatment of records and unique research problems, including many illustrations of records. This source is for the advanced researcher and librarian.
 * Eichholz, Alice, ed. Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources. Rev. ed. Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004. (FHL book 973 D27rb 2004) Explains state-by-state history, vital records, census, background sources, periodicals, archives, libraries, societies, maps, land, probate, court, tax, cemetery, church, and military records. Includes county boundary map and table which shows when each county was created and the parent counties.
 * Greenwood, Val D. The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy. 3rd ed. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 2000. (FHL book 973 D27g 1990) An intermediate to advanced text, this is a standard source on research methodology and records. It includes instruction on pedigree analysis and especially helpful information on court and probate records.
 * Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives, 3rd ed. Washington, D.C.: National Archives Trust Fund Board, 2000. (FHL book 973 A3usn 1985; 1983 ed. fiche 6051414) This provides detailed information on the content and availability of census, immigration, military, land, and other records at the National Archives and its branches.
 * Wright, Norman E. Preserving Your American Heritage: A Guide to Family and Local History. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 1981. (FHL book 973 D27wne; fiche 6048632) The 1974 edition was published under the title, Building an American Pedigree. This discusses the basic record types and includes strategy and some illustrations. This is for the intermediate researcher.

Reading the Records

 * Kirkham, E. Kay. The Handwriting of American Records for a Period of 300 Years. Logan, Utah: Everton Publishers, 1973. (FHL book 973 G3k; fiche 6010036-37) This has techniques for reading old handwritten documents. It includes styles of handwriting, common abbreviations, and many more examples than the Stryker-Rodda source below.
 * Stryker-Rodda, Harriet. Understanding Colonial Handwriting. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1986. (FHL book 973 A1 no. 220) This short booklet is a simple introduction on how to read colonial documents.

Guides to Additional Sources

 * Filby, P. William. American &amp; British Genealogy &amp; Heraldry: A Selected List of Books. 3d ed. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1983. (FHL book 016.9291 F472a) 1982-1985 Supplement, 1987. (FHL book 016.9291 FF472a 1982-1985 supp.) This bibliography and supplement lists over 12,800 titles of published genealogical sources. The primary emphasis is on United States sources.
 * Parker, J. Carlyle. Library Service for Genealogists. Detroit: Gale Research, 1981. (FHL book 026.9291 P226L) A primary emphasis of this book is to identify published reference tools and resources that are generally found at public and university libraries.
 * U.S. Military Records Wiki pages. Describes the content, use, and availability of major sets of military records created by the federal government.
 * Indians of North Amercia Wiki pages. Introduces the records and strategies to help locate American Indian family history sources.
 * African American Research Wiki pages. Introduces the records and strategies to help locate African American family history sources.
 * Tracing LDS Ancestors Wiki pages. Introduces the records and strategies to help locate Latter-day Saint family history sources.
 * Jewsih Genealogy Research Wiki pages. Introduces the records and strategies to help locate Jewish family history sources.
 * Tracing Immigrant Origins Wiki pages. Introduces the principles, search strategies, and various record types you can use to identify an immigrant ancestor's original hometown. These principles can be applied to almost any country.
 * Germans from Russia Wiki pages. Introduces the records and strategies to help locate Germans who moved to Russia, and then moved on to North America, and related family history sources.

The Wiki pages available for each state and the District of Columbia are important sources describing additional unique records and strategies for individual states.

For Ready Reference

 * Evans, Barbara Jean. The New A to Zax: A Comprehensive Genealogical Dictionary for Genealogists and Historians. 2nd ed. Champaign, Ill.: B.J. Evans, 1990. (FHL book 973 D26e) Gives archaic, occupational, and legal definitions. Includes a list of nicknames.
 * The Handy Book for Genealogists. 10th ed. Revised. Logan, Utah: Everton Publishing, 2002. (FHL book 973 D27e 1991; 6th ed. on fiche 6010044-47) This is a popular source for its capsule summaries of state and county histories and some of the records available in each county.