Step-by-Step Indiana Research, 1880--Present

Step 1. Find out everything possible from living relatives and their family records.
Every good genealogy project starts with finding all the clues that can be gathered from living relatives — both from their memories and from documents or memorabilia in their homes.

What are the best questions to ask?
In order to extend research, ask for names, dates, and places. Everything about who a relative was and when and where they lived is a clue to a new record search. For ideas, see :
 * Fifty Questions for Family History Interviews What to Ask the Relatives
 * Genealogy: 150 questions to ask family members about their lives
 * Creating Oral Histories

What documents should be collected or copied?
Because these records cover names, dates, places, and relationships, they are a valuable source of clues. Look for them in your home, your parents' home, and ask living grandparents to check for them.

Step 2. Find your ancestors in every possible census record, 1900-1940.
A census is a count and description of the population of a country, state, county, or city for a given date. A census took a "snapshot" of a family on a certain day. For each person living in a household you might find (depending on the year) their name, age, birthplace, relationship to head of household, place of birth for father and mother, citizenship status, year of immigration, mother of how many children and number of children living, native language, and whether they were a veteran of the military.

Using the clues to lead to census record searches.
1910 census of Fort Wayne Ward 4, Allen, Indiana

1920 census of Jefferson, Allen, Indiana

1930 census of Jefferson, Allen, Indiana Louise Main is now a widow.

1940 census of Jefferson, Allen, Indiana

Finding the next generation back.
In the 1900 census, John G. Main is found as the son of Clarence and Susan Main in Jefferson, Allen, Indiana. -

Look for ancestors in as many censuses as possible. Use the clues from each census for hints where to find families in both earlier and later census records.
- For more information, see Indiana Census and United States Census.

Step 3: Find birth, marriage, and death certificates for ancestors and their children.
States, counties, or (even towns in some states) recorded births, marriages, and deaths.
 * In addition to the child's name, birth date, and place of birth, a birth certificate may give the birthplaces of the parents, their ages, and occupations.
 * A marriage certificate might list the parents of the bride and groom.
 * A death certificate may give the person's birth date and place, parents' names and birthplaces, and spouse's name.

Using the census clues to lead to a birth certificate.
Census information gives approximate birth years and probable birth places, and that information leads to finding important birth records. In addition to basic birth date and place, a birth certificate can give age, birthplace, occupation, etc. about the parents. Example of a birth index entry.

Using the census clues to lead to a marriage certificate.
Finding marriage records can:
 * establish the full identity of the wife, with her maiden name and possible birth details.
 * find the names of the parents of the bride and groom.

Example of a marriage index entry.'''

Using the census clues to lead to a death certificate.
Moving forward in time, older generations stop showing up in the census. That is a clue that they probably died in the last 10 years. The death certificate is important because of all the possible secondary data beyond just the date and place of death: Example of a death index entry. 'The examples shown above are index entries''. That means for each of them an actual, original, full certificate exists'''. It is highly advisable to order the original certificate. It will contain many details not given in the index. Instructions are given below on obtaining the original certificate.
 * birth date and place of the deceased
 * maiden name of the wife
 * names of the deceased's parents
 * birth places of the deceased's parents.

How to Find the Records
There are basically three ways to find these indexes or full original certificates:
 * online databases
 * writing to a county courthouse (prior to state civil registration beginning in 1867)
 * purchasing them through the mail

Records at the County Courthouse.
These records were originally created by county clerks, and then copies were sent to the state. County clerks can be willing to help find all the birth records for one family or perform other searches that the state would not do. To contact county clerks by e-mail or telephone, go to the Wiki article for each county. Links to the county Wiki articles are found at the end of this page or by clicking here: Indiana Counties.

Order Certificates from Indiana Vital Records Department.
Almost always the full original certificate will contain information not contained in the index. Although it costs money, consider sending for the full original certificates, particularly for direct line ancestors (grandparents, great-grandparents, etc).


 * Where to Write for Indiana Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce Records

For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Indiana, see How to Find Indiana Birth Records, How to Find Indiana Marriage Records, and How to Find Indiana Death Records.

Step 4: Try to find additional details about ancestors in obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records online.
There are additional record collections available, based upon a person's death: obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records. These are a great source for more details about a person. Here are some examples; notice the level of details.

Obituaries

 * Indiana Online Historical Newspapers
 * Indiana Newspaper Archives (1804–1992) at Genealogy Bank, index.
 * Hoosier State Chronicles, Indiana State Library
 * Indiana Obituary Archive. Index and Images.
 * Mennonite Church USA Archives: MennObits
 * Online Indiana Death Indexes and Obituaries
 * , index.

Cemeteries

 * Find-A-Grave.com
 * 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
 * Cemetery Records at Indiana State Library Legacy
 * Indiana Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy
 * Indiana Cemeteries at The Cemetery Site
 * Indiana Cemetery Records at Interment
 * Indiana Tombstone Transcription Project at USGenWeb Transcription Project
 * Online Indiana Obituary and Cemetery Indexes at DeathIndexes
 * at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection

U.S. Social Security Death Index and Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

 * The U.S. Social Security program began in 1935 but most deaths recorded in the index happened after 1962.
 * The Social Security Death index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits.
 * You can search these records online at
 * Also at Ancestry.com, ($), index.
 * The Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off, by providing information filed in the application or claims process.
 * The Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off, by providing information filed in the application or claims process.


 * If you find an ancestor in the SSDI index, you can order a copy of their original Social Security application (SS-5). If you can prove the individual has died (by sending an obituary or copy of their cemetery headstone), the application will also give the deceased's parents' names, if listed.

For more information, see Indiana Obituaries and Indiana Cemeteries.

Step 5: Search military records: World War I and World War II draft cards.
There are many different types of military records: draft records, enlistment records, service records, pension records, etc. Information in military records can vary from a simple lists of name, age, and residence, to more detailed records including name, residence, age, occupation, marital status, birthplace, physical description, number of dependents, pensions received, disabled veterans, needy veterans, widows or orphans of veterans, and other information. - Example of a World War I draft card. - Example of a World War II draft card.



'''Search the World War I and World War II Draft Collections for male relatives.
- For more information and additional collections, see Indiana Military Records.
 * , index and images.
 * , index and images.

World War I

 * Indiana Gold Star Honor Roll, 1914-1918 ($)

World War II

 * Indiana State Library WWII Servicemen Database
 * Web: Indiana, WWII Servicemen Database Index, 1941-1946 ($)

Korean War, 1950-1953

 * U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Korean War for Indiana, index.

Vietnam War, 1964-1972
-
 * The Vietnam Veterans Memorial - Indiana, index.
 * U.S. Military Fatal Casualties of the Vietnam War for Indiana

Step 6: If any ancestor was an immigrant, search immigration and naturalization records online.
The census records may show that an ancestor was born in another country. It will be necessary to try to find the town or city they were born in to continue research in the country of origin. Searches of immigration records (usually passenger lists) and naturalization (citizenship) records would be the next step.



Indiana Immigration Records

 * United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records
 * 1895-1956 United States, Border Crossings from Canada, 1895-1956 at MyHeritage; index & images ($); includes those with Destination of Indiana
 * 1945-1956 at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Indiana Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records

 * United States Naturalization and Citizenship Online Genealogy Records
 * Indexes only.
 * Indiana, Federal Naturalization Records, 1892-1992, index & images ($).
 * Indiana Archives Digital Index Records
 * Naturalization Records at the Indiana State Archives
 * Naturalization Records at Indiana History.org
 * U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes for Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, 1791-1992 Index ($)
 * Indiana Digital Archives Naturalizations Search Engine Index and some images.
 * 1944-2003 U.S., Index to Alien Case Files, 1944-2003 at Ancestry — index ($)

For more information, see Indiana Emigration and Immigration and Indiana Naturalization and Citizenship.

Historical Images
Records collected and digitized by FamilySearch can all be found through their Historical Images feature.
 * Indiana, United States Historical Images, New Version
 * Indiana, United States Historical Images, Old Version

Indiana Online Genealogy Records
Search any other online records listed in Indiana 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 Indiana 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.
 * Indiana Online Genealogy Records

Step 8: Study the Research Wiki pages for any county in Indiana.
This article focused more on Indiana state or state-wide records. There is a separate Wiki article for each county in Indiana. These articles give information, office addresses, and links to county records.