West Virginia Research Tips and Strategies

West Virginia Research Strategies
Below are links to different research strategy pages to help you locate your ancestors in West Virginia


 * West Virginia Online Genealogy Records
 * How to find West Virginia Birth Records
 * How to find West Virginia Marriage Records
 * How to find West Virginia Death Records

West Virginia Research Tips
These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in West Virginia.


 * Birth information: Statewide registration of births began in 1917 in West Virginia and was generally complied with by 1925. The best substitute record for locating birth information is death records (the majority of death records will list the date of birth of the decedent, and since death certificates are considered a primary resource, they can provide you with the same documentation as a birth certificate). Or, try these other substitute records.
 * Finding Parents: Statewide registration of deaths began in 1917 in West Virginia and was generally complied with by 1925. They often will list the parents of the deceased and their birth information. Search West Virginia death records
 * Look in all censuses: Always look for your ancestor in every possible census. There are clues regarding immigration, naturalization, and occupation that can lead to other records. Sometimes parents can be found living with their children later in life. Search U.S. Censuses.

West Virginia Record Finder
This Record Finder is designed to help you determine the best record to search for the type of information you are looking for. It is most helpful for post-1850 research.

Further West Virginia Research

For more research on West Virginia, including research at the county level, visit the West Virginia page on the Research Wiki.

Search all of the West Virginia record collections at FamilySearch.