A: U.S. RECORDS 1: Records   2: Location, Geo   3: Regions / States   4: Timelines & Histories  |   B: VITAL RECORDS   1: Vital Rec.   2: Birth   3: Adoption   4: Marriage   5: Death, Obits   6: Cemetery  |   C: CENSUS   1: Records   2: By Decades  |   D: IMMIGRATION   1: Records   2: Passenger / Nat.   3: Other  |   E: MILITARY   1: Records   2: By Conflict  |   F: OTHER RECORDS   1: Religious, Travel, Misc.   2: Land, Probate, Tax   3: Court   4: News.   5: Arch. / Lib.   6: Help           KB    Print Friendly and PDF













United States


Goal A1: U.S. Records


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Part A: U.S. Records and Searches





Goal A1: Learn about U.S. records for your research.Vault

Getting a firm grasp of the basic types of records used in research will help you make better choices in the areas you explore.



(1:44)

Choices


A Understand United States records and their uses.


Summary

    Record Basics
  1. Introduction: Learn about different record types and the basic information they include.

    FS—Types of Records—5:32 - 2018
    FMP: 4 Types of Genealogy Records You Should Search First - 2020

    See a FamilySearch record and its index transcription.
  2. See descriptions of 20 essential record types (census, vital records, family stories, newspapers, etc.) in this article.

    LDS—Genealogy Record Types

  3. Learn more about basic types of records for research.

    Step 6 - Understanding Different Types of Records
    FHD—Every Family History Record Type You Need to Know + Free Checklist - 2021

  4. Original Records: Learn about the importance of using original records.

    AR: The Importance Of Using Original Records - 2011
    RT—It's Worth It: Obtaining Original Records—18:27 - 2022   



  5. Here are some tips for locating original records.

    FS: Finding Original Records - 2017
    LDS—5 Keys to Discovering More Records

Record Information
  1. Evaluating Information: Learn about how to get the most from the records you find.

    AC—Five Things You Should Do With Every Record—5:07 - 2014   



    AF—3 Overlooked Clues in Genealogical Documents - 2016

  2. Learn about the value of combining multiple records in your research.

    BYU—When One Record Isn't Enough: Building a Complete Picture with Multiple Records—34:41 - 2020   



    AR—Where in the World? Finding Your Ancestors' Origins—18:15 - 2013   



  3. Learn what to do when a record has only limited information.

    AJC—What to Do When a Record Doesn't Tell You Much - 2017

  4. Learn what you can do when no records seem to be available for an ancestor.

    AF—3 Ways to Find Ancestors Who Didn't Leave a Paper Trail: What to Do When There Are No Records - 2014

  5. Missing County Records: Watch these videos to learn about missing or burned county records.

    AAC—Myth: Burned Counties—2:03
    RT—Alternative Methods in Finding Your Family In a Burned County—12:21 - 2022   



  6. Worksheets: Download record worksheets from the Family Tree Magazine site.

Exercises


B Use the Record Selection Table for planning U.S. research.


Summary
  1. Study the FamilySearch United States Record Finder.
  2. Using the information in the table, map out a strategy for records to search for your U.S. ancestors.

Exercises


C Get acquainted with other types of records and their information.


Summary
  1. Public Records Index: Learn about the United States Public Records Index. This collection has records for many people who lived in the United States from 1970-2009, which can be a great help for those tracing your recent ancestors or missing family members.

    FS - U.S. Public Records Index
    QUIZ

  2. Explore the U.S. Public Records Index collection on FamilySearch to find information and clues about recent ancestors.
  3. Ancestry Wiki: Watch this video to help you explore the Ancestry Wiki, which points to many types of records.

    AC—What Records Exist—28:29   



  4. Alternatives: Learn how to find valuable information from unusual record sources.

    RT—Finding Valuable Information from Unusual Records - 2017
    MH—Resources for Genealogical Research You May Never Have Thought Of - 2023

  5. Pre-1850: Learn how to find U.S. records before 1850.

    FS—U.S. Records Before 1850—57:06 - 2016

  6. Index-only: Recognize index-only records (no record image included), why they are created, and how to use them in your research.

    AC—Index-Only Records—30:38 - 2015   


  7. Image-only: Learn how to find image-only records—those that have not yet been indexed.

    FS—Worth a Thousand Words: How to Find and Use Image-Only Collections on FamilySearch

QUIKLinks


Exercises