How to Increase Ancestry Research Success with Multiple Records

How to use multiple records to increase an Ancestry research success.

Once you have had a chance to discover and organize records you have found at home, you are now ready to expand your search. Be prepared to conduct an exhaustive search. Look for reliable sources. Make it a practice to track each key piece of information back to its source. Be prepared to search documents that are photocopied, digital images, and handwritten. Documents will be complete or partial transcripts, condensed abstracts, or partial abstracts.

Events create records in ancestry research

The most important concept I learned about searching for records is to think of events, not records. Rather than searching only for birth or death certificates, ask yourself what other types of records the event would generate in the period the event took place.

For example, in the case of my birth, there was an announcement in the paper, a baby shower, a baby book, a birth certificate, a record of my Church blessing, hospital records, and, later, a one-year-old picture in the local paper.

In the case of my mother’s death, there were cemetery and sexton records, a funeral book, funeral home records, hospital records, memorial cards, an obituary, a video of the funeral services, and her will.

Search the records of siblings

The following important concept I learned was to search the records of siblings. Think about the families. When I have not been able to find any information in the vital (birth, marriage, divorce, death) records of my family, I have usually been able to find the information clues needed in the vital records of the siblings of the individual I am researching.

Use multiple sources to correlate information

Never take anything at face value. Finding your individual’s name does not guarantee that you’ve found the right person. Remember that nothing is genuinely a fact until you can back it up using more than one resource. When searching multiple sources, I have found the records I need in the same location or area in which the person lived. Always ask yourself, what records were created in this location when the individual or family lived here?

Learn what resources contain the needed data to further your research (or to document data) and where they are available such as in societies (genealogy and historical) and libraries (public, college, private, and governmental). Census, birth, marriage, divorce, death, probate, land, school, military, fraternal, and obituaries are all records that can contain similar data—names, dates, places, Family structure, and names of family members. Some might be easily found and available. Others might require travel costs or other fees. Start with the closest and most economically available records.

Searching multiple resources often reveals Family relationships and personal information that, when viewed collectively, provide a complete picture of the family and its members. For example, when I go to cemeteries, I always take a camera and a tape or digital recorder. I have often found places where there are graves of children who may have only lived a few days or months and were never listed in census records, or perhaps other Family members did not know of or forgot about. Sometimes the child will be buried by parents but not listed in Family records, and visiting the cemeteries is the only way you would know of their existence.

Search the US Census, vital records, and other records

US Census records are available for the years 1790-1940 and can include names, dates, locations, and occupations. You can also discover and verify vital information through the Social Security Death Index and birth, marriage, and divorce records. Additional life information can be found in immigration, naturalization, and military records.

(Vide0) Top Four U.S. Records for Historical Family Research. Introduction to the top four U.S. records that researchers should review when conducting individual and family history research. The top for records includes the census records, vital records, wills/probate records, and land records.

Related videos include:

I like to start with the most recent event of the individual I am researching, which is usually their death. Death certificates are usually the first source in which an official written account will reveal an exact place and date of death. The record also includes additional genealogical details, such as the date and place of birth, name of the father, maiden name of mother, name of spouse, social security number, name of the cemetery, funeral director, and the name of the informant (often a relative of the deceased).

The clues found in the death record usually provide ideas for my next steps. These clues often include the following:

  • Exact place and date of death known for a person
  • Funeral record
  • Cemetery record
  • Newspaper obituary
  • Social security death record
  • Place where birth, marriage, church, military, occupation, or court records can be found

The first United States census was taken in 1790. Since then, census records have become a significant source for locating the place where an individual lived, which opens the door to many more discoveries. After 1840, census records also list age, place of birth, occupation, personal wealth, education, spouse, children, hired hands, and even immigration information. To protect individual privacy, the government doesn’t release census data for seventy-two years after the census is taken. The 1940 census is the latest census to be made available.

Search in county and state records

If you’ve located an individual on a census, you know their county of residence. Now you’re ready to search for the records at the state and county level to find written evidence of that person’s life. Documents may include newspapers, county histories, special genealogy collections, tax lists, voter registrations, court records, probates, wills, estate papers, and much more.

When looking for this information Look for these records first Look for these records second
Age Church: Parish records, mem­bership records
Family: Bible records
Government: Vital records		 Government: Census
Newspaper: Obituaries
Other: Cemeteries
Birth Church: Parish records, mem­bership records
Family: Bible records
Government: Vital records
Other: Cemeteries		 Government: Census, military, taxation
Newspaper: Obituaries
Birth, foreign Family: Bible, biography, Genealogy
Government: Census, emigra­tion, immigration, naturaliza­tion, citizenship		 Church: Parish records, mem­bership records
Library: Histories, maps, gazetteers
Newspaper: Obituaries
Death Church: Parish records, mem­bership records
Government: Death, probate
Newspaper: Obituaries
Other: Cemeteries, funeral homes, hospitals		 Government: Military, court, land and property
Newspaper: Articles
Divorce Government: Court records, divorce records Government: Vital records
Newspaper: Articles
Religion Church: Parish records, mem­bership records
Government: Civil registration
Library: History, biography		 Family/library: Bible records, Genealogy
Newspaper: Obituaries
Other: Cemeteries
Family members Church: parish records, mem­bership records
Government: Vital records, census, probate
Newspaper: Obituaries		 Family: Bible
Government: Immigration, emi­gration, land and property
Immigration, emigration Government: Immigration, emigration, naturalization, citizenship
Family/library: Genealogy		 Church: Membership records
Government: Census
Library: Biography
Newspaper: Articles
Living relatives and adoptions Family: Bible records, court records
Government: Vital records
Newspapers: Obituaries		 Church: Parish records, mem­bership records
Library: Histories, maps,

Records Selection Table. Use the following “Selection Table for Government and Historical Records” to help you decide which records will help you fill in missing pieces in individual and family research. This table is most helpful for searching post-1800 records.

Selection Table for Government and Historical Records
When looking for this information Look for these records first Look for these records second
Maiden name Church: Parish records, mem­bership records
Family: Bible records, Genealogy
Government: Vital records
Newspaper: Announcements, obituaries		 Family/library: Biography, Genealogy
Government: Military, probate, land and property, nobility, naturalization, citizenship
Other: Cemeteries
Marriage Church: Parish records, mem­bership records
Family: Bible records, Genealogy
Government: Vital records
Newspaper: Announcements, obituaries		 Family/library: Biography, Genealogy
Government: Military, probate, land and property, nobility, naturalization, citizenship
Other: Cemeteries
Occupation Government: Census, immi­gration, emigration
Other: Directories		 Government: Court records
Library: Newspaper
Physical description Government: Military records Other: Biography Family: Genealogy Government: Vital records, naturalization, citizenship, emi­gration, immigration
Place finding aids Library: Gazetteers, maps Library: History, periodicals
Place of residence Church: parish records, mem­bership records
Family/library: History, Genealogy
Government: Census, land and property, military, vital records		 Government: Taxation
Newspaper: Obituaries
Places Family has lived Family: Genealogy
Government: Census (indexed), military, vital records, statewide indices		 Government: Military, taxation, obituaries
Prior research (Genealogy) Family/library: Periodicals
Other: Societies		 Library: History, biography
Social activities Church: Parish records mem­bership records
Community: Societies
Library: History, biography, newspapers		 Government: Town records, court records
Newspaper: Obituaries
Other: Cemeteries, directories

Expect the unexpected

One of the first lessons I learned in my research was to expect surprises—to “expect the unexpected.” Life is all about the unexpected—the good, the bad, and the crazy. I have found many instances of “unexpectedness” in my research.

The basics of expecting the unexpected are simple: sometimes the information will be used to help you in your research, tell a story, or be best kept a secret. Be respectful of the living and their wishes, especially if the information is sensitive. I can only think of one unexpected that I chose to leave a secret in my case. It had no value to the living or the dead, to my research or a good story. Enjoy your research and the unexpected.

Learn about the period and locality of individuals

Knowing the period and locality (including boundary changes) of individuals helps you find records. Become familiar with the towns, counties, states, and countries where your individuals lived. Look for timelines of this period for the town, county, state, and country.

Read the history of countries, states, counties, cities, towns, and villages. Gain a feel for the areas where a person lived. Search the Internet, libraries, and bookstores for histories written about individuals’ locations and periods.

Maps provide help for tracking facts about individuals

Old and new maps can help track down facts about individuals. In the United States, the county governments usually keep birth, death, property, and some other kinds of records. If you can name the place where a person lived, new or old maps of that place may also show the county seat where valuable data about your kin can be obtained.

Old maps can be handy in this regard because pinpointing the name of the place where an individual lived can be like trying to hit a moving target. Many towns, counties, cities, and even countries have experienced numerous name changes over the years.

Expand your knowledge of the place(s) where an individual lived. Learn about the “community”—the

  • What is the ethnic makeup of the community?
  • What is the influence of the ethnic group on the community?
  • What is the history of the ethnic group in town, county, and state?
  • What are the surnames associated with the community?
  • Where did the individual or family come from?
  • What is the primary location in the town?

Much of this information about a person or family may have already been compiled or published, including online databases, books, and periodicals. The Library of Congress (LOC) catalog is an excellent place to search for published books.

I have found periodical articles that have been instrumental in helping me resolve research issues and open my eyes to new possibilities. I have used journals such as the New England Historic Genealogical Register, the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (NGSQ), and regional genealogical and historical journals to find articles that outline and discuss research methodology, provide case studies, a list of published genealogies, detail repository resources, focus on local research issues, and much more.

Using genealogy and historical periodicals is a must as a researcher

I suggest using the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) to search for periodicals, such as journals, magazines, and quarterlies of genealogical and historical societies. PERSI is a subject index to genealogical and local history periodicals. It covers over 11,000+ genealogy and local history periodicals written in English and French and published in the United States, Canada, Britain, and Ireland.

Search out historical resources

History associated with an individual is easily found. Pick a topic and begin your search. Some of the most common sources for historical information include the following:

  • Archived newspapers
  • Chambers of commerce
  • Historical societies and associations
  • Company histories
  • History networks
  • Libraries (university, state, regional, and local)
  • Internet
  • Living history museums (for example, Plymouth Plantation shows Plymouth as it was in the seventeenth century: a centuries-old Wampanoag home site, a welcoming bench covered in furs, bluefish roasting slowly over a bed of hot coals, and a man dressed in traditional deerskin clothing.)
  • Historic sites (state and national parks, monuments)
  • Museums
  • Personal journals

Study drawings, paintings, and photographs of the period

Images of an individual or family in their period can give a lot of clues. A simple exercise would be to take a photograph of your family from the early 1900s, study the image, and record your thoughts and observations.

Consider clues the photograph has to offer

What period was the photo taken in? Look at the physical aspect of the photo (house, people, clothes, animals, surroundings); what does it tell you? (Family economic status, priorities, relationships, expressions, emotions, and so on.) Look for identifiers such as house numbers, license numbers, and types of uniforms. They can give clues about where to look, such as the license bureau or occupation or employment records. What is the name and location of the photographer or studio? (This information is usually printed on the front or back of the photo.) The location of the photographer or studio does not necessarily mean the person lived in that town. Photographers had traveling studios and would often travel around taking photographs, which were pasted on cards with their studio information. An individual may have made a trip to a larger community to shop or attend a function and had photographs taken while there. Certainly, the studio name and location is a good clue for beginning your research in those areas.