A: U.S. RECORDS 1: Records   2: Location, Maps, 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   4: Migration  |   E: MILITARY   1: Records   2: By Conflict  |   F: OTHER RECORDS   1: Religious   2: Land, Probate, Tax   3: Court   4: News.   5: Arch. / Lib.   6: Help   7: Misc.           KB    Translation Tips    Music      Print Friendly and PDF











United States


Goal F7: Miscellaneous Records

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Partners:  FamilySearch   Ancestry   Findmypast   MyHeritage  |  Websites:   FS Wiki      GenealogyLinks



Goal F7: Get help with your United States research.


You can get ideas from others on your specific questions about U.S. research. Note: For state-specific questions, go to the corresponding state page in The Family History Guide and review the Get Help Goal. For regional questions, see Goal A3 in this Project.

Choices


A Learn about orphanage records.

Vault

(4:30)
  1. Learn about orphanage records.

    FS—Wiki: United States Records of Childrens Homes and Orphanages
    AC—Wiki: Orphanage Records

  2. Watch these videos to learn how to find orphans and their records.

    RT—Climb Over Your Brick Walls—Finding Orphans and Their Records, Part 1 of 3—22:06 - 2021   


    RT—Climb Over Your Brick Walls—Finding Orphans and Their Records, Part 2 of 3—22:15 - 2021   


  3. Learn more about finding records for orphans.

    RT—Climb Over Your Brick Walls—Finding Orphans and Their Records, Part 3 of 3—24:19 - 2021



  4. Learn about orphan trains in the United States.

    AC—Wiki: Orphan Trains


B Explore school records.

  1. School: Learn how to use school records in your research.

    AAC—Using School Records—1:38
    AC—Wiki: School Records

  2. Learn about records for schools and universities.

    MH—School and University Records

  3. Go into more depth with school research in this American Ancestors video.

    AA—Using School Records—69:53 - 2020   



  4. Learn about research clues in school yearbooks.

    MH—Discover Your Family in School Yearbooks—79:48 - 2019   



    MH—Using U.S. Yearbooks for Family History Research - 2023

  5. Learn about school yearbook resources available on the Ancestor Hunt site.

    College, University, and High School Yearbooks


C Explore business, occupational, and other records.

  1. Get an introduction to business records, occupations and job histories in the U.S.

    MH Wiki—Employment Records
    AC—Occupations and Job Histories

  2. Learn about United States business records that can be used for genealogy.

    FS—United States Business and Occupations
    AC—Wiki: Business Owner Records

  3. Learn how to locate business records for research.

    AC—Wiki: Locating Business Records
    The Mercantile: Where Our Ancestors Shopped - 2019

  4. Occupations: Learn about tracking ancestor occupations and trades.

    AAC—Finding Your Ancestor's Occupation—1:48

  5. Learn how to find occupational records on the Our Family Tree site.

    FHD—This Unique Site Lists Nearly 100,000 Occupational Records for Free - 2018

  6. Watch this video to go more in depth with using occupational records.

    AA—Using Occupations to Trace Ancestors—60:29 - 2019



  7. Learn how to use pension records in research.

    MH—Pension Records


D Explore other records.

  1. Learn about family history information found in address books.

    MH Wiki—Address Books

  2. Learn how to use public records in your research.

    MH Wiki—Public Records

  3. Patents: Discover how patent records can provide genealogical clues.

    AC—How to Add to Your Family History Using U.S. Patent Records for Free - 2024

  4. Medical: Learn about finding and using old hospital records.

    Genealogy + Old Hospital Records: Get Digging With This Guide



    MH Wiki—Hospital Records

  5. Post Office: Learn how to find post office records.

    FHD—Can You Find Your Ancestors in These Old Post Office Records? - 2023

Exercises


QUIKLinks