Where to Find It

SUMMARY OF RECORDS AND SERVICES IN THE UNITED STATES




Genealogical records available in the United States. All records pertinent to your family should be considered and searched.*

The following table lists which records to search for any particular need.

RECORDS SELECTION TABLE
1. IF YOU NEED 2. LOOK FIRST IN 3. THEN SEARCH
Age Census, Vital Records, Cemeteries. Military Records, Taxation.
Birth date Vital, Church, or Bible Records. Cemeteries, Obituaries, Census, Military.
Birthplace Vital, Church, or Census Records. Newspapers, Obituaries
City\parish foreign birth Church Records, Genealogy, Naturalization and Citizenship. Vital Records, Obituaries, History, Emigration and Immigration.
Country of foreign birth Emigration and Immigration, Census, Naturalization, Citizenship, Church. Military Records, Vital Records, Newspapers, Obituaries.
County origins and bounds History, Maps. Gazetteers.
Death Vital, Church, or Probate Records, Cemeteries, Obituaries. Newspapers, Bibles, Military Records.
Divorce Court Records, Vital Records. Newspapers.
Ethnicity Minorities, Native Races, Societies. Church Records, Emigration and Immig., Naturalization and Citizenship.
Historical background History, Periodicals. Minorities.
Immigration date Emigration & Immigration, Naturalization and Citizenship, Genealogy. Census, Newspapers, Biography.
Living relatives (and adoptions) Genealogy, Directories, Court Rec., Obituaries. Census, Biography, Societies, Church or Probate Records.
Maiden name Vital or Church Records, Newspapers, Bible Records. Cemeteries, Military Records, Probate Records, Obituaries.
Marriage Vital, Church or Bible Records, Census, Newspapers Cemeteries, Military Records, Probate Records, Naturalization and Citizenship, Land and Property.
Occupation Census, Directories, Emig. Immig Newspapers, Court Records.
Parents, Children, and other family members Vital or Church Records, Census, Probate Records, Obituaries. Bible Records, Newspapers, Emigration and Immigration.
Physical description Military Records, Biography. Natural\Citizenship, Vital Records, Emigration\Immigration, Genealogy.
Place-finding aids Gazetteers, Maps. History, Periodicals.
Place (town) of residence if you know only State Census (indexed), Geneal., Military, Vital Records, records with State index. Biography, Probate Records, History.
Places family has lived Census, Land and Property, History Military Records, Taxation, Obituary.
Previous research (compiled genealogy) Genealogy, Periodicals, Societies. History, Biography.
Record-finding aids Archives and Libraries, Societies. Periodicals.
Religion Church Records, History, Biography Bible Records, Cemeteries, Genealogy.
Social Activities History, Biography, Newspaper, Soc. Town Records, Court Records.
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