Alabama, United States - Birth - 1850-1907

1. The Basics on How to Search for Ancestors in the United States While there is no set way to do research in the United States, this guide gives basic research steps and an explanation of the records. The following list of suggested records is given in an order likely to help many people.

What you are looking for An understanding of the research process and how to use the suggested list of records to search.

2. United States Previous Research, Part 1

Previous research is the work other people have done. By searching what others have already done, you may save hours. However, previous research is only as good as the skills of the person doing the research. Therefore, you should double check the information in previous research.

What you are looking for Information about your ancestors compiled by other people.

Why go to the next record Any of the following records may:


 * Have the information you are looking for.
 * Add information to what you have found.
 * Clear up differences found in previous searches.

If you find new information, you may want to again look at the records you searched before.

Population schedules give a "snapshot" of your ancestor's family on the census day and indicate where they were living.

3. Census Population Schedule: Census Census population schedules are useful in finding the town and county where an ancestor lived. They list people who lived in each house in every town and county when the federal census was taken (every 10 years, starting in 1790). Censuses from 1850 to 1920 give at least the name, age, and state (or country) of birth for every person in the house. Earlier censuses (1790 to 1840) give the name of the head of household, plus age categories for all the males and females in that house. Censuses show neighbors, who often are relatives. Federal census records are available for states and for the country.

What you are looking for Your ancestor's name on a population schedule.

4. Birth Record: Vital records Birth and death records contain information given by family members to hospitals, physicians, midwives, or coroners, who filed the records with town or county clerks. The record usually gives the person's name, date and place of birth or death, parent's names, and may give the place of birth of the parents. Death records may give name of spouse, age, place of death and burial, and name of undertaker. Birth and death records may be from towns, counties, or states.

What you are looking for Your ancestor's birth record recorded by the government

Why go to the next record Death records often give birth information, which may not be recorded elsewhere.

5. Death Record: Vital records Birth and death records contain information given by family members to hospitals, physicians, midwives, or coroners, who filed the records with town or county clerks. The record usually gives the person's name, date and place of birth or death, parent's names, and may give the place of birth of the parents. Death records may give name of spouse, age, place of death and burial, and name of undertaker. Birth and death records may be from towns, counties, or states.

What you are looking for


 * Your ancestor's death record kept by the government.
 * Death records of your ancestor's children.

Why go to the next record Obituaries often give a short biography of a person's life, including birth date, birthplace, and parents.

6. Obituary: Obituaries Obituaries (death notices with some biographical information) are written by family members and published in local newspapers. They usually give the name of the deceased; residence; age; dates and places of birth, marriage, and death; name of spouse; and maiden and married surnames of women. Obituaries may give the names of parents, names of children with their residences, names of children's spouses, place of burial, name of undertaker, cause of death, previous residences, occupation, military service, immigration information, religion, membership in organizations, and a photograph. Obituaries are found in newspapers for towns and cities.

What you are looking for


 * An obituary for your ancestor in a book of obituaries.
 * An obituary in a newspaper where and when your ancestor died.

Why go to the next record Tombstone and sexton records often have birth information.

7. Tombstone and Sexton Records: Cemeteries Tombstone and sexton records contain information from tombstones or from records kept by the sexton of the cemetery. They usually give the ancestor's name, birth date, and death date. They may include the birthplace and date, name of spouse, names of children, and names of other relatives. There are tombstone and sexton records for towns, counties, states, and the country.

What you are looking for


 * Your ancestor's tombstone inscription.
 * Your ancestor's name in the sexton records.

Why go to the next record Funeral home records are often good sources of biographical and family information.

8. Funeral Home Records: Funeral homes Funeral homes (mortuaries) assist family members with funeral services, burials, obituaries, and other needs. The records usually give the full name of the deceased (including maiden names of women), date and place of death, place of last residence, name of spouse, and name and location of the cemetery where the person is buried. They may also give names of parents, and surviving family members with their residences, and the date and place of the birth and marriage of the deceased. Obituaries, biographies, and the death certificate may also be included in mortuary records. A funeral home is a business in a town, and each keeps its own records. When a funeral home changes ownership, the old records usually stay with the business.

What you are looking for Records from a funeral home about your ancestor.

Why go to the next record Marriage records often give a person's age, which can be used to calculate a date of birth. They may give birth dates and places.

9. Marriage Record: Vital records Marriage records contain information about a person's marriage. Different types of marriage records exist, and each can give slightly different information. Marriage returns may only give the names of the bride and groom, the date and place of marriage, and the name of the person who performed the marriage. The minister, justice of the peace, or other authority reported the marriage to the town or county clerk. Marriage licenses or applications were filed with town or county clerks by the bride and groom before marriage. They give additional information, such as ages, birthplaces, names of parents, and current residences. Witnesses' names are sometimes given, and they may be relatives or close friends. Marriage records are kept by the clerks of the town or county where the marriage occurred, usually where the bride lived.

What you are looking for A marriage record for your ancestor recorded by the government.

Why go to the next record The Social Security Death Index is a fast, easy-to-use source of birth and death information.

10. United States Social Security Death Index and Application Files The Social Security Death Index contains information about people who died from about 1962 through the present. The index provides birth and death dates, the person's last place of residence, the place where the death payment was sent, the state where the person lived when issued a social security number, and the social security number. The files for Social Security started in 1937 and give more information than the index, including parents' names and dates and places of birth and death.

What you are looking for


 * Your ancestor's name in the Social Security Death Index.
 * Your ancestor's Social Security file.

Why go to the next record A collection often gathers information from many sources. Some of these sources may no longer be available or would be difficult to find.

11. Genealogical Collections: Genealogy Genealogical collections usually give information about families and may include several generations. They usually give the names, and birth, marriage, and death dates and places for the husband and wife, the children, and possibly siblings and parents. There are genealogical collections for towns, counties, states, and the country.

What you are looking for


 * A collection about your ancestor's family, relations, or friends.
 * A collection with records from the place where your ancestor lived.

Why go to the next record Town and county histories often give short biographies of the first settlers and people in the area when the histories were written. State histories often give biographies of prominent men.

12. History: History Histories tell of the events in a community or larger area. Effective family research requires some understanding of the historical events that may have affected your family and the records dealing with them. Learning about governments, laws, wars, migrations, and religious trends may help you understand political boundaries, family movements, and settlement patterns. These events may have led to the creation of records in which your family was listed, such as land and military documents. Histories often contain biographical sketches about individuals and their families. They may include birth, marriage, and death information. There are histories for towns, counties, regions, and states.

What you are looking for A history of the town or county where your ancestor lived.

Why go to the next record Biographies, diaries, etc., often have birth information, such as birth dates, birthplaces, and parents.

13. Biographies, Diaries, etc.: Biography Biographies, diaries, etc., give information about persons who lived in a particular area. Regional, state, or national biographies generally include well-known persons, such as politicians, or other people who have attained status in their profession. They may mention the person's parents, spouse, children, and ancestors, with birth, marriage, and death dates and places. They may give information about the person's religion, occupation, military service, etc. There may be biographies, diaries, and similar records from towns, counties, or states.

What you are looking for


 * A biography about your ancestor or other family members, such as a brother, uncle, child, parents, father-in-law, son-in-law, etc.
 * A diary written by your ancestor or someone close to him or her who might have mentioned your ancestor.

Why go to the next record Military records often give clues for finding birth information, such as age and birth place.

14. Military Records: Military records Military records may contain birth information about a large portion of the male population. They may also have information about their deaths and marriages. Pensions are offered for military service by state or federal governments. The applications and pension records often contain birth, marriage, death, and service information; residences; and names of spouses, children, and other close relatives. They began with the Revolutionary War and continue to the present. There are military records for towns, counties, states, and the country. There are military pension records for states and the country.

What you are looking for Records about your ancestor's military service. To find his or her military records, you usually need:


 * The state where he enlisted.
 * His company, regiment, or unit.
 * Dates of service.

Why go to the next record

This is not a complete list of all records you could search. If you did not find what you need, check the Family History Library Catalog - Place Search or archives and libraries for the area where your ancestor lived for other records which may have information about your ancestors.