Missouri 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 Missouri 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 Missouri statewide beginning in 1909, 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
 * pre-1910: Missouri Birth Records at Missouri Digital Heritage; index & images
 * 1827-1935: at FamilySearch; index only
 * 1847-1910: Missouri Birth Registers at Ancestry; index & images, ($)
 * 1920-2015: Missouri Birth Database at Missouri Birth Index; Also at: MyHeritage ($)

Marriages
 * pre-1840: Missouri Marriages at Ancestry; images only ($)
 * 17thc-20thc: US Marriages at Findmypast; index only ($)
 * 1750-1920: at FamilySearch; index only
 * 1754-1850: Missouri Compiled Marriages at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1766-1983: Missouri Compiled Marriage Index at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1800-1991: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1805-2002: Missouri Marriage Records at Ancestry; index & images, ($)
 * 1851-1900: Missouri Compiled Marriages at Ancestry; index only ($)

Deaths 
 * pre-1910: Missouri Death Records at Missouri Digital Heritage; index & images
 * 1850-1860: Missouri Federal Census Mortality Schedules Index at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1850-1931: Missouri Death Records at Ancestry; index & images, ($)
 * 1867-1976: at FamilySearch; index only
 * 1873-1976: Missouri Deaths and Burials Index at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1883-1930: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1910-1960: Missouri Death Certificates at MyHeritage; index only ($)
 * 1910-1970: Missouri Death Certificates at Missouri Digital Heritage; index & images
 * 1935-2014: US Social Security Death Index at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1936-2007: US Social Security Applications at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1962-2014: at FamilySearch; index only
 * 1968-2015: Missouri Death Database at Missouri Death Index; index; Also at: MyHeritage ($), Ancestry ($)
 * Coroner's Inquest Database at Missouri Digital Heritage; index only

For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Missouri, see How to Find Missouri Birth Records, How to Find Missouri Marriage Records, and How to Find Missouri 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 1909. 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
 * Tributes.com, index, incomplete, at MyHeritage ($)
 * United States Obituary Notices at Findmypast; index, incomplete, ($)
 * U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-2018, index, ($)
 * at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
 * Find-A-Grave
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current at at Ancestry
 * Billion Graves
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
 * BillionGraves Index at Findmypast ($)
 * at FamilySearch – How to Use This Collection
 * Missouri Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy
 * Missouri Cemetery Records at Interment
 * Missouri Gravestone Photo Project at MissouriGravestones
 * Missouri Tombstone Transcription Project at USGenWeb Transcription Project
 * Online Missouri Obituary and Cemetery Indexes at DeathIndexes
 * Northwest Missouri Cemeteries at Northwest Missouri Genealogical Society
 * Mexico Jewish Cemetery in Missouri at Find-A-Grave
 * Hebrew Cemeteries in Missouri at Find-A-Grave
 * Missouri Jewish Cemetery Project at International Jewish Cemetery Project

For more information, see Missouri Obituaries and Missouri 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.
 * Missouri, United States Historical Images, New Version
 * Missouri, United States Historical Images, Old Version

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