Genealogy tip 21—Importance of US Census, Vital Records, and Other Records.
Being a history researcher comes with the need to learn and understand how to research records, find the key information and develop a plan that will take you to all available information. Through the years, I have had the pleasure of conducting historical and genealogy research throughout the United States and Europe. Every time I conduct research in a new location, I feel like I have to learn/relearn how to conduct historical research. Why? I need to learn where the records are kept, what is available, develop a plan of how to research this location and so much more. I have written a series of Genealogy Tips to introduce you to what I consider to be the most foundational skills I use over and over. In this article, I want to share Genealogy Tip 21: US Census, Vital Records, and Other Records.
Genealogy Tip Series
Click on an of the following Genealogy Tips to be taken to the article.
Genealogy Tip 21: US Census, Vital Records, and Other Records
US Census records are available for 1790-1950 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.
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 a 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 where an ancestor 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. The government doesn’t release census data for seventy-two years after the census is taken to protect individual privacy. The 1940 census is the latest census to be made available.
Additional Articles on BeginMyStory.com
The following are other articles you may enjoy to help you find history and genealogy records.
- QuickStart Beginners Guide to Ancestry Research
- Introduction to Ancestry Research and Historical Records
- 7,500-plus Questions About Life to Ask People When Writing Narratives
- 1950 U.S. Census Research Guide for Beginners
- 4 Easy Steps to Google American Ancestry
- Preparing to Easily Google Ancestor Records
- Complete Guide for Conducting Oral History Interviews
- How to Get Great Google Search Results in Ancestry Research
- 9 Advanced Google Search Strategies to Trace Ancestors
- What It’s Like to Start Ancestry Research
- Search sites like FamilySearch.org, Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com
