Oregon Descendancy Research

Step 1. Find descendants in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.
Census records, widely indexed, are a fast way to identify members of families, their approximate year of birth, and the state where they were born. That information hints where to look for birth, marriage, and death records for more detailed information. One disadvantage is they are 10 years apart. Children born and dying within that 10-year span can be overlooked. - For more information on census records, see Oregon Census and United States Census.

Step 2: Find birth, marriage, and death records online.
Government records, known as civil registration or vital records, were kept in Oregon statewide beginning in 1903, although counties may have kept earlier records. They provide full dates and places. They are sometimes indexed, and can be searched by child or parent names. They are especially useful because they name other family members, For example, marriage records name the parents of the bride and groom. Death records are especially helpful because they name parents, who lived years earlier, even before other records were kept. Coverage in the earlier years can be incomplete however. In some states, church records were gathered to provide earlier certificates.

Births
 * 1842-1917: Oregon State Births at Ancestry - index & images ($); Also at FamilySearch
 * 1844-1914: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1860-1952: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1868-1929: at FamilySearch; index only; Also at Findmypast ($), MyHeritage ($), Ancestry ($)
 * 1903-1918: (*) at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Oregon Birth Records at Oregon State Archives
 * Oregon Delayed Birth Records at Oregon State Archives
 * Portland Birth Records at Oregon State Archives

Marriages
 * 1826-1975: US Marriages at Findmypast; index & images ($)
 * 1849-1884; 1991-2006: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1849-1952: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1851-1975: at FamilySearch; index & images; Also at Ancestry ($)
 * 1853-1935: at FamilySearch; index only
 * 1906-1968: Oregon State Marriages at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1906-2009: Oregon Marriage Indexes at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * Oregon Marriage Records at Oregon State Archives

Deaths 
 * 1842-1952: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1864-1968: Oregon, U.S., State Deaths at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1898-2008: Oregon Death Index at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1903-1930: Oregon Deaths at MyHeritage; index only ($)
 * 1903-1947: at FamilySearch; index only ($)
 * 1903-1998: at FamilySearch; index only ($)
 * Oregon Coroner's Reports at Oregon State Archives
 * Oregon Death Records at Oregon State Archives

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

Step 3: '''Try to find additional details about descendants in obituaries and cemetery records online.
These records can be especially useful for details about births and deaths that took place before 1903. Frequently, family members are buried near each other. FindAGrave, often lists details, not even listed on the tombstone, but added to the website by family members or researchers. - Obituaries Cemeteries
 * Online Oregon Death Records &amp; Indexes
 * Genealogical Forum of Oregon Obituary Index
 * ObitsArchive.com - Oregon
 * ObituariesHelp.org
 * Oregon Obituaries
 * 1980-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Find-A-Grave.com
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current at Ancestry
 * Billion Graves
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * BillionGraves Index at Findmypast ($)
 * Oregon, Church and Cemetery Records, 1840-1965 at Ancestry
 * at FamilySearch – How to Use This Collection
 * Oregon Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy
 * Oregon Cemetery Records at Interment
 * Oregon Gravestones Photo Project at Oregon Gravestones
 * Oregon Tombstone Transcription Project at USGenWeb Transcription Project
 * Online Oregon Obituary and Cemetery Indexes at DeathIndexes
 * Jewish Cemetery in Oregon at Find-A-Grave
 * Oregon Jewish Cemetery Project at International Jewish Cemetery Project

For more information, see Oregon Obituaries and Oregon Cemeteries.

Step 4: Explore Historical Images for additional online records about descendants..
Records collected and digitized by FamilySearch can all be found through their Historical Images feature.
 * Oregon, United States Historical Images, New Version
 * Oregon, United States Historical Images, Old Version

Step 5: Search any other online records listed in Oregon 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 Oregon 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.
 * Oregon Online Genealogy Records