Montana 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 Montana 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 Montana statewide beginning in XXXX, 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
 * 1830-2011: Montana County Births and Deaths at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1840-2004: at FamilySearch; index & images; Also at Ancestry ($)
 * 1866-2010: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1866-2012: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1870-1986: Montana Birth Index at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1871-2007: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1887-2012: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1897-1988: Montana Birth Records at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1910-2012: at FamilySearch; index & images

Marriages
 * 1800-1994: US Marriages at Findmypast; index & images ($)
 * 1863-1960: Montana Marriages at Findmypast; index only ($)
 * 1865-1950: at FamilySearch; index & images; Also at Ancestry ($) MyHeritage ($) Findmypast ($)
 * 1865-1987: Montana County Marriages at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1865-1993: Montana County Marriage Records at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1866-2010: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1887-2012: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1889-1947: at FamilySearch; index only; Also at Ancestry ($) MyHeritage'' ($)
 * 1913-1960: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1943-1986: Montana Marriage Records at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * Norske i Montana Marriages at Montana State Genealogy Society
 * Western States Marriages at BYU Idaho

Deaths 
 * pre 2002: Montana Death Registry Index at Montana State Genealogy Society
 * 1830-2011: Montana County Births and Deaths at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1840-2004: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1860-2007: at FamilySearch; index only
 * 1866-2010: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1866-2012: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1871-2007: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1887-2012: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1907-2016: Montana State Deaths at Ancestry; index & images ($)
 * 1910-2012: at FamilySearch; index & images
 * 1935-2014: US Social Security Death Index at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1936-2007: US Social Security Applications and Claims Index at Ancestry; index only ($)
 * 1954-2011: Montana Death Records at Findmypast; index only ($)
 * 1962-2014: at FamilySearch; index only

For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Montana, see How to Find Montana Birth Records, How to Find Montana Marriage Records, and How to Find Montana 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 XXXX. 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
 * ObitsArchive Montana
 * Montana Obituaries Help
 * Montana Obituaries
 * 1980-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Find-A-Grave
 * 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 ($)
 * at FamilySearch – How to Use This Collection
 * Montana Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy
 * Montana Cemetery Records at Interment
 * Montana Tombstone Transcription Project at USGenWeb Transcription Project
 * Online Montana Obituary and Cemetery Indexes at DeathIndexes
 * Hebrew Cemetery in Montana at Find-A-Grave
 * Montana Jewish Cemetery Project by JewishGen

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

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