Step-by-Step Alabama Research, 1850-1910

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 are the best questions to ask?
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 :
 * 50 Questions to Ask Relatives About Family History at ThoughtCo.com
 * Creating Oral Histories at FamilySearch Wiki

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.
Example of a census record.
 * A census is a count and description of the population for a given date. A census took a "snapshot" of a family on a certain day.
 * For each person living in a household (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 can be listed.
 * Searching for a family in census records every ten years can identify all the children in a family.
 * Searching in earlier census records to find someone as a child can identify parents.



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 Alabama Census and United States Census.

Step 3: Try to find additional details in death certificates, Social Security, obituary and cemetery records online.
When a person dies, several records will be created: death certificates, Social Security records, obituaries, and cemetery records.
 * Birth records were not available until 1905. Death certificates can give birth information for people born before then. Death certificates frequently give the birth date and place, parents' names, and birth places of parents.


 * The Social Security Death Index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits. The index entries give the person's full birth date, last known residence, and residence at the time they first enrolled.


 * The Social Security Applications and Claims Index provides information filed in the application or claims process, including valuable details such as birth date, birth place, and parents’ names.


 * Cemetery records can be as simple as the information on the headstone or, in some FindAGrave records, they can report more thorough information about birth, parents, spouses, children, and siblings.


 * Obituaries can also vary from simple announcement of the death, to '''birth and marriage information, parents, siblings, descendants, and residence and occupation

Example of of an obituary.



Death Indexes

 * 1784-1920 Alabama, U.S., Marriages, Deaths, Wills, Court, and Other Records, 1784-1920 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1800-1996 Online Alabama Death Records Indexes and Obituaries at DeathIndexes.com — index & images
 * 1843-1951 Alabama, U.S., Death Record of State Convicts, 1843-1951 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1881-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1881-1974 Alabama, U.S., Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1908-1959 Alabama, U.S., Death Index, 1908-1959 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1908-1974 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Writing for Full Death Certificates
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 Alabama Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce Records at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

U.S. Social Security Records

 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1962-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

'''Obituaries

 * 1980-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 2001-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Alabama Obituaries at LDSGenealogy.com
 * Alabama Obituaries at ObitsArchive.com ($)
 * Alabama Obituaries Help and Genealogy Resources at ObituariesHelp.org
 * Online Alabama Death Records, Indexes, Obituaries at DeathIndexes.com

Cemeteries

 * 1833-1970 United States Deaths and Burials 1833-1970 in Alabama at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1881-1952 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1881-1974 Alabama, Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1908-1974 Alabama, Deaths, 1908-1974 at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1949-1969 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection; index & images
 * Alabama Cemeteries by County at USGenWeb Archives
 * Alabama Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy
 * Alabama Cemetery Records at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * Alabama Cemetery Records at Interment.net
 * Alabama Gravestone Photo Project at AlabamaGravestones.org
 * Alabama Jewish Cemeteries at International Jewish Cemetery Project
 * BillionGraves
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection; index & images; Also at: Findmypast ($)
 * FindaGrave
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection; index & images; Also at: Ancestry ($)
 * Jewish Cemeteries in Alabama at FindaGrave
 * Online Alabama Death Records Indexes and Obituaries at DeathIndexes.com

For more information, see Alabama Obituaries and Alabama Cemeteries. -

Step 4: Search for county birth and marriage records online.
'''Vital records registration of births and marriages at the state level started in 1905. Prior to that the individual counties kept some records. The starting dates of those records vary from county to county, depending on when the county was formed.''' Example of county birth indexes. Example of indexed county marriages.

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: Alabama Counties.

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

Step 5: Look for church records online.
Church records function as vital records. Church records are particularly helpful prior to the advent of civil registration.
 * 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.



Search for church records that can provide additional birth, marriage, and death information.

 * 1807-1947 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1816-1957 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1831-1994 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1881-1930 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Anglican/Episcopal Collections

 * 1830-1970 Alabama Episcopal Church Records at the Birmingham Public Library — index
 * 1832-1972 Web: Alabama, U.S., Episcopal Church Registers Index, 1832-1972 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1837-1970 Alabama, U.S., Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, Church Records, 1837-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Lutheran

 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1800-1947 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Methodist Collections

 * 1830-1934 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1832-1920 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1836-1919 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images
 * 1836-1928 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog - images

Presbyterian
- For help with church records kept in Alabama, see Alabama Church Records. To search records by denomination, if you know your ancestors religion, go to Searching for Church Records by Denomination.
 * 1701-1970 U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Step 6: Search military records: World War I and II draft cards online.
There are many different types of military records: draft records, enlistment records, service records, pension records, etc. 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. - Example of a World War I draft card. - Example of a World War II draft card.



'''Search the World War I and World War II Draft Collections for male relatives.
- For more information and additional collections, see Alabama Military Records.
 * 1917-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Step 7: If any ancestor was an immigrant, search immigration and naturalization records online.
The census records may show that an 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 would be the next step.



Alabama Immigration Records

 * United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records
 * 1500-Onward All U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s at Ancestry, includes those with Destination of Alabama — index & images ($); Also at: MyHeritage ($)
 * 1820-1835 Atlantic Ports, Gulf Coasts, and Great Lakes Passenger Lists, Roll 7:1820-1835 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1820-1870 Atlantic Ports, Gulf Coasts, and Great Lakes Passenger Lists, Roll 4:1820-1870 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1820-1870 Atlantic and Gulf Ports, Passenger List Card Index, 1820-1870 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * 1820-1874 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1821-1822 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1845-1849 Atlantic Ports, Gulf Coasts, and Great Lakes Passenger Lists, Roll 8:1845-1849 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1890-1924 (*) at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1895-1956 United States, Border Crossings from Canada, 1895-1956 at MyHeritage, includes those with Destination of Alabama — index & images ($)
 * 1895-1964 All U.S., Border Crossings from Mexico to U.S., 1895-1964 at Ancestry, includes those with Destination of Alabama — index & images ($)
 * 1904-1962 Alabama, U.S., Arriving Passenger Lists, 1904-1962 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * Hageness, MariLee Beatty. Passports and Ship Passengers 1849-1862 : Mobile, Alabama. Aniston, Alabama: MLH Research, 2002. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild at MyHeritage — index ($)

Cultural Groups

 * Germans Immigrating to the United States at MyHeritage — index ($); includes those with Destination of Alabama
 * Italians Immigrating to the United States at MyHeritage — index ($); includes those with Destination of Alabama
 * Russians Immigrating to the United States at MyHeritage — index ($); includes those with Destination of Alabama

Passport Records Online

 * 1795-1925 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1795-1925 U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Alabama Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records

 * United States Naturalization and Citizenship Online Genealogy Records


 * 1794-1995 U.S., Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1888-1991 Alabama, U.S., Naturalization Records, 1888-1991 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1944-2003 U.S., Index to Alien Case Files, 1944-2003 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * Citizenship and Naturalization at Ancestry, Selected U.S. Naturalization Records - District Courts in the Southeast, 1790-1958 – covers Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee — index & images ($)

For more information, see Alabama Emigration and Immigration and Alabama Naturalization and Citizenship.

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 Alabama; that will bring up too many hits. Just use the name of the county and "county": for example, "Hyde County"
 * Google Books. Use keywords "Alabama" 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 "Alabama" and the county name.
 * Genealogy Book Links, Alabama. Browse list; county histories are interspersed.
 * Ancestry.com ($). In the Card Catalog search box, use Alabama 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.


 * Societies often have a good selection of printed histories about the area. Some may be search history for you for a fee.



Biography Collections

 * Alabama, Her History, Resources, War Record, and Public Men (Published 1872) at Findmypast — index & images ($)
 * County and Town Histories at LearnWebSkills
 * Garrett, William. Reminiscences of Public Men in Alabama : for Thirty Years, with an Appendix. n.p.: n.p., 1872. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Moore, Albert Burton. History of Alabama and her People. Chicago and New York: American Historical Society, Inc., 1927. Online at: Vol. 1 - HathiTrust; Vol. 2 - HathiTrust; Vol. 3 - HathiTrust
 * Northern Alabama, Historical and Biographical. Birmingham, Alabama: Smith and DeLand, 1888. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Owen, Thomas McAdory. History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1921. Online at: Vol. 1 - HathiTrust; Vol. 2 - HathiTrust; Vol. 3 - HathiTrust; Vol. 4 - HathiTrust
 * Riley, Benjamin Franklin. Makers and Romance of Alabama History : Embracing Sketches of the Men who have been Largely Instrumental in Shaping the Policies and in Molding the Conditions in Rapid growth of Alabama, Together with the Thrilling and Romantic Scenes with which our History is Resplendent. n.p.: n.p., 1915 Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library
 * Saunders, James E. and Elizabeth Saunders Blair Stubbs. Early Settlers of Alabama. New Orleans: L. Graham & Son, Ltd. Printers, 1899. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Internet Archive; Ancestry (*)
 * WPA Index to Alabama Biography at Birmingham Public Library — index

Step 9: Search for wills and probate packets.

 * 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.



Search these indexes and images for probate records.

 * 1753-1999 Alabama, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1784-1920 Alabama, U.S., Marriages, Deaths, Wills, Court, and Other Records, 1784-1920 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1809-1985 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1830-1976 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Daughters of the American Revolution, Alabama Society. Index to Alabama Wills, 1808-1870. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1977. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library; Ancestry ($)
 * United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search: Alabama at FamilySearch

Probate Information in County Wiki Articles
Each Alabama county Research Wiki page lists additional probate sources, including where to write for records: Alabama Counties

For more information, see Alabama Probate Records and United States Probate Records.

Step 10: Search land records online.
These records will give the They can contain clues to
 * names of the buyer (grantee) and seller (grantor),
 * previous or new residence of the parties to the deed
 * the date they obtained the land,
 * the description of exact location of the land, sometimes mentioning neighbors.
 * family members who shared ownership of the land,
 * sold or gave land to a child, or
 * officially witnessed the sale.

Land and Property Records

 * See United States Land and Property for more databases and resources.


 * 1800-1955 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1861-1932 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1863-1908 U.S., Homestead Records, 1863-1908 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * Pre-1908 Alabama, U.S., Homestead and Cash Entry Patents, Pre-1908 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * Pre-1908 Land Patents - Alabama at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * Land Owner Search at HistoryGeo.com ($) — index to maps of original land owners
 * Survey Plats and Field Notes at Bureau of Land Management — index
 * U.S. Land Patent Search at Bureau of Land Management — index and some records

Step 11: Contact a local historical or genealogical society.

 * County or local historical or genealogical 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. Posts there from relatives might lead to additional family information.


 * Find the society on the internet, where 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, one of their members can be hired to search the collections.
 * For more information, see Alabama Societies.

The online directory by GenealogyInc. lists historical and genealogical societies by county: Click on the list to select a county, then scroll down to the historical or genealogical society listings.

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

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

Step 13: Study the Research Wiki pages for any county in Alabama.
This article focused more on Alabama state or state-wide records. There is a separate Wiki article for each county in Alabama. These articles give information, office addresses, and links to county records.