United States, How to Find Genealogy Records

United States  How to Find Genealogy Records This is a page is a series of links to Wiki articles on how to find various types of genealogically related records in the United States. The individual articles are arranged by subject heading. The subject headings may also include links to other related articles. You may also wish to search the Wiki for "How to Find" articles from various individual states. Please feel free to add new links or update existing links as it becomes necessary.

Family Records
Searching your own and family records is always the first place to start your genealogical research. Always ask relatives, both near and distant, if they have any records or photos of the family. Look for birthday cards, wedding announcements, birth notices, certificates and public documents such as driver's licenses. See also the following articles:


 * United States Genealogy
 * United States, How to Find Family Histories
 * Gather Family Information
 * Select Records to Search
 * Gather Family Information
 * Family Group Record Analysis: How to Guess Where to Start
 * United States Bible Records
 * How to Preserve and Restore Family Records and Books
 * Family Group Records Collection, Archives Section (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Visiting a Family History Center
 * How to Find Descendants in the United States

Birth Records
Birth records might seem like the first place to start your search, but experts recommend looking into death records first and marriage records second. Followed by Birth records, because birth records are usually the most difficult to find.


 * United States Birth Records
 * How to Find Birth Information in the United States
 * Using military records to find a soldier's birth information
 * United States, How to Use Birth Records
 * United States Vital Records
 * Locating United States Vital Records
 * Summary of Births in the United States by State
 * Birth certificate
 * U.S. Vital Records Overview
 * Online U.S. Marriage & Birth Records Indexes

See also: United States, How to Use Birth Records

Death Records
Many death records are little known and quite obscure. Be sure to look for mortuary records, burial permits, transportation records, funeral programs, obituaries, memorials and grave purchases in addition to death certificates or other formal records.


 * United States, How to Find Death Records
 * United States Vital Records
 * United States Death Records
 * Summary of Death Records in the United States by State
 * Deaths and Burials Vital Record Index Collections (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * United States Deaths and Burials (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Funeral Cards - A Little Used Resource
 * U.S. Vital Records Overview

See also United States, How to Use Death Records

Marriage Records
Be sure to search for wedding announcements in newspapers, anniversary announcements in newspapers, invitations to wedding receptions, announcement of banns, church notices, as well as marriage licenses and certificates.


 * United States Vital Records
 * United States Divorce Records
 * United States Marriage Records
 * Summary of Marriage Records in the United States by State
 * Online U.S. Marriage & Birth Records Indexes
 * U.S. Vital Records Overview

See also: United States, How to Use Marriage Records

Census Records
There are both national and state censuses. The United States Federal Census starts in 1790 and the latest release is for 1940. The year 1890 is only available in very limited areas due to a fire. To find if a state has census records and for what years, go to The CensusFinder. There may also be local county and city censuses.

Note: There are several complete digitized copies of the U.S. Census online, most with complete images and indexes. Some of the websites require a subscription fee to view all of the Census records.
 * United States Census
 * United States, How to Use Census Records
 * Using the Census to find other records about ancestors
 * United States Federal Census Dates
 * United States Census Bureau
 * Tips for Finding Hard to Find Families on the U. S. Census
 * United States Census Analyzing Census Data
 * United States Census Searching
 * United States Census Accuracy
 * Accelerated Indexing Systems U.S. Census Indexes (on Microfiche)
 * United States Census Availability
 * United States Census Forms
 * United States Census Historical Background
 * United States Census Indexes
 * United States Census Jurisdiction
 * United States Census Limitations
 * United States Census Maps
 * United States Census Online
 * Family History Library Registers
 * Soundex
 * United States Census Substitutes
 * United States Census Terms

This list is likely incomplete, please search for similar articles and see the links in those articles. See also the categories at the bottom of this article.

Church Records
The United States is a country of religious diversity. Unlike many other countries, there has been no “state church,” except for a few periods in some of the early colonies. Church records in the United States began in the early 1600s. Unfortunately, the United States did not require a civil registration or recording of births, marriages, and deaths until well into the 20th Century although some of the states began the process in the mid-1800s. Sometimes church records are the only records containing birth, marriage and death about individuals. Therefore, they are a valuable substitute when vital records do not exist.


 * United States Church Records
 * United States Church History
 * United States Churches by Denominations
 * United States, Church Records, 1600s-the Present

This list contains links to general articles, please see additional articles concerning individual religions or congregations and by geographic area.

Obituaries
An obituary may be a published or unpublished death announcement. A particular obituary can be a simple two line death notice or an elaborate biography of the deceased. Obituaries may be a good source of information about a person and may also include information about family members. Obituaries usually give the name of the deceased and the death or burial date. They may also contain information such as the birth date, marriage date, names of parents and spouse, children, occupation, education, and the location of living family members at the time the obituary was written. Obituaries are usually printed in a funeral program, a newspaper or in a local history.

Obituaries have only recently begun appearing online. Collections of obituaries may only go back as far as the 1960s or 1970s. Before those dates, you may have to do a search in newspaper collections.


 * United States Obituaries
 * How To Search For Your Ancestors In The United States
 * How to Locate Your Ancestor in the United States
 * United States Vital Records
 * United States Record Selection Table

Cemetery Records
Cemetery or burial records are sometimes called permits for burial. These records often include birth, marriage, and death information. The records can sometimes provide clues about military service, religion, or membership in an organization, such as a lodge. These records are especially helpful for identifying children who died young or women who were not recorded in family or government documents. Check the sexton's records, or visit the cemetery in person to see if other relatives are in the same or adjoining plots. To find tombstone or sexton records, you need to know where an individual was buried. The person may have been buried in a community, church, private, military, or family cemetery, usually near the place where he lived or died or where other family members were buried. You can find clues to burial places in funeral notices, obituaries, church records, funeral home records, death records and County deeds.
 * United States Cemeteries

You will likely find that there are many valuable sources outside of the Research Wiki. Look for links to these websites on the listed Wiki articles especially in the individual states.

Funeral Home Records
Funeral home records may be helpful in finding accurate death information, birth information, and parents' names of your ancestor. In some cases the funeral records may help in identifying a female deceased's maiden name. These records may also help in identifying the burial location.


 * United States Funeral Homes
 * Funeral Home Records of the United States

Emigration and Immigration Records

 * Tracing Immigrants Arrival Search Tactics
 * United States Naturalization and Citizenship

Probate Records
See also: United States, How to Use Probate Records

Land and Property Records

 * United States Land and Property
 * United States, How to Find and Use a Map
 * Beginning Land and Property Research
 * Colonial Land
 * Government Land Grants
 * Grants from the Federal Government (Public Domain)
 * Homestead Records

Court Records

 * United States Court Records

Town and Local Records

 * United States Town Records
 * United States Civil Records

See also: United States, How to Use County and Town Records (Those Including Vital Records)

General Articles

 * How to Find a Coat of Arms or Crest
 * How to Find Information that was Donated to the Family History Library
 * How to Begin a Search for Your Ancestor
 * United States Archives and Libraries
 * United States Biography