b-hungup

The Veritable Brick Wall
[with keys that might help knock it down!]

Been researching for a while now? .....A little hung up, are you? :) Well, don't feel bad.....We ALL hit that veritable dead-end at one time or another! This page will [hopefully] give you a few ideas you may have overlooked.

Just figure out what it is you're trying to find about an ancestor [death? maiden name? occupation?] and check if I've included a subject heading. You just might glean an idea or two that will help you skirt around the road block.

To Obtain Information On:

Age

First look for: census; vital records; cemeteries.

Then look for: military records; taxation records; obituaries.

Birth Date

First look for: vital records; church records; Bible records.

Then look for: cemeteries; obituaries; census; newspapers; military records.

Birthplace

First look for: vital records; church records; census.

Then look for: newspapers; obituaries; military records.

City of Parish of foreign birth

First look for: church records; printed genealogies; biographies; obituaries; naturalization and citizenship records.

Then look for: emigration and immigration records; vital records.

Country of foreign birth

First look for: census; emigration and immigration records; naturalization and citizenship records; vital records.

Then look for: military records; church records; newspapers; obituaries.

County origins and boundaries

First look for: state and county histories; maps.

Then look for: gazetteers.

Death

First look for: vital records; cemeteries; probate records; church records; obituaries.

Then look for: newspapers; military records; court records; land and property records.

Divorce

First look for: court records; divorce records.

Then look for: newspapers; vital records.

Ethnicity

First look for: minorities, Native Americans, ethnic, genealogical and historical societies.

Then look for: church records; emigration and immigration records; naturalization and citizenship records.

Historical Background

First look for: state and county histories; periodicals; genealogies.

Then look for: church state and county histories; minorities.

Immigration or Emigration date

First look for: emigration and immigration records; naturalization and citizenship records; genealogies.

Then look for: census; biographies; newspapers; church records.

Maiden name

First look for: vital records; church records; newspapers; Bible records.

Then look for: military records; cemeteries; probate records; obituaries.

Marriage

First look for: vital records; church records; census; newspapers; Bible records.

Then look for: biographies; printed genealogies; military records; probate records; land and property records; nobility.

Occupation

First look for: census; emigration and immigration records; probate records; city directories; civil registration; occupations.

Then look for: newspapers; court records; obituaries; official and employee records.

Parents, children and other family members

First look for: vital records; church records; census; probate records; obituaries.

Then look for: Bible records, newspapers; emigration and immigration records; land and property records.

Physical Description

First look for: military records; biographies; court records.

Then look for: naturalization and citizenship records; civil registrations; church records; emigration and immigration records; printed genealogies; newspapers.

Place-finding aids

First look for: gazetteers; maps.

Then look for: city directories; state and county histories; periodicals; land and property records; taxation records.

Place (town) when you only know the state

First look for: census; printed genealogies; military records; vital records; church records; city directories.

Then look for: biographies; probate records; state and county histories; land and property records; taxation records.

Places family has lived

First look for: census; land and property records; town/city, county, state histories.

Then look for: military records; taxation records; obituaries.

Previous research (compiled records)

First look for: genealogies; periodicals; town/city, county, state histories.

Then look for: biographies; societies; nobility.

Record-finding aids

First look for: archives and libraries; historical and genealogical societies; printed genealogies.

Then look for: periodicals.

Religion

First look for: church records; state and county histories; biographies; civil registrations.

Then look for: Bible records; cemeteries; obituaries; printed genealogies.