Research your Ancestry
Research is a big part of genealogy. Where do you begin? That depends on what you are trying to find. Some things you will want to figure out and include in your family tree are: age, birth date and place, death date and place, divorce, ethnicity, historical information, maiden name, marriage,occupation, other relatives including parents, siblings and children. There are various documents that will help you to discover your family heritage and answer typical questions.Below are some references by Event Type:
Age
Census, cemeteries, military records, obituaries, vital records.
Birth Date and Place
Bible records, birth certificate, census, church records, military records, newspapers, obituaries, vital records, war ration books, passports.
History and County Origins
Gazetteers, history, historical societies, maps, newspapers, periodicals.
Death Date and Place
Church records, cemeteries, court records, land and property, military records, newspapers, probate records, death certificate, funeral home records, funeral program, obituary, tombstone.
Family Members
Census, church records, probate records, vital records, wills, passenger lists, marriage records, guardianship, court records.
Marriage Date and Place
Bible records, census, church records, certificate or license, newspapers.
Place of Residence
Biography, census, directories, land and property, military, probate records, taxation, vital records, migration trails, marriage records, voter registration, passports.
Census Records
Agriculture schedules, Civil War veterans schedules, mortality schedules, State and local censuses.
Church Records
Meeting minutes, membership, church journals, various documented religious ceremonies.
Court Records
Civil records, coroner's files, criminal records, guardianship papers, various licenses and permits, government appointed positions, voter registration, wills.
Directories
City, biographical, and telephone books.
Immigration
Alien registration, citizenship papers, passenger lists, passports, naturalizations, name changes.
Land and Property
Deeds, land grants, warrants and patents, plat maps, surveys, tax records.
Newspapers
Announcements, advertisements, gossip and advice columns, legal notices, local news, obituaries, unclaimed mail notices.Places to Research Your Family Heritage
Search your family heritage through your local library. Most participate in loan programs. You can find specific books online through the WorldCat.
One of the best places to research your family heritage is through the Mormon’s Family History Centers. They can found in every county of the United States, and around the world. They have microfilms for most recorded life events from around the world. These films can be ordered and viewed at your local Family History Center. To view a list of their microfilms, Click Here.
Historical Societies are other great sources to help you discover information about your family. They often preserve history about the town and its people. They usually have records that can provide valuable information that can't easily be found through other repositories. To find the historical society that covers the area of your interest, go to your computer and type in your search engine, the county the state followed by historical society or genealogical society.
Research your family heritage through Genealogy forums and message boards. They are used to post questions to help find family documents and information.
