The key to unlocking an ancestor’s past lies in birth records. Also known as vital records, they can reveal important details such as the date and place of birth and parents’ names.
Genealogists prize these records because they contain primary (firsthand) information. But finding these records can be tricky. Each state has its own rules regarding who can access records and when.
Birth Records
In addition to providing information about an ancestor’s birth, birth records can serve as valuable clues. Combined with other records, such as death certificates and census records, they can help genealogists develop a timeline and evaluate relationships.
Before state-mandated birth recording began, families usually recorded their children’s names in a bible or family records. Depending on the period, you can locate birth records through parish records or city, town, or county clerk records. These early documents often need more information than a modern birth certificate. Still, they may contain important information such as the parent’s name and the birth location.
The oldest records may be baptismal or other church records of early sacraments. In fact, in some cases, these church records are the closest thing we have to a birth record before state-mandated birth recording began.
Once you have the birth certificate, look closely at it for clues. In particular, pay attention to the names of the parents and ages. If they don’t match other sources, it could indicate a different parent or an error in the information on the record. It’s also a good idea to compare the birth certificate to other sources you have in hand — did the information on the birth record change over time, for example?
Death Records
In many cases, death records can provide clues to parents’ names and relatives who may have died simultaneously. In addition, death records often contain information about the cause of the ancestor’s untimely end, which can point researchers to the right place to look for other relevant records.
Early birth and death certificates are often available from town or county clerks, particularly those that predate recent privacy laws. When searching these records, clearly state your relationship to the deceased and provide a range for his estimated age at death (if known) in case the clerk is unsure which record you are looking for. Also, search online for coroner case files and other relevant records in the area where your ancestor was born.
Another way to find death records is to use the same resources to track birth certificates: local newspapers, family tree websites, and pedigree books can all contain information about your ancestor’s life and death. In addition, cemetery and funeral home records can reveal a cause of death when a death certificate is unavailable.
Remember that birth and death records are not kept in the exact location for every jurisdiction. A review of census records can help researchers determine which area to seek out these types of records.
Marriage Records
A marriage certificate is more than just an entry in a family tree; it reveals clues about your ancestor’s lives, loves, and children. The details that can be found in this vital record are often more interesting than what’s recorded in other types of records, such as birth, death, or baptisms.
Unlike birth or death registrations, there has never been a national registry of marriages in the US. Instead, local religious institutions typically kept these records. The availability, preservation, and accessibility of church records vary significantly by location.
Searching for marriage records can be difficult and time-consuming, but the rewards are often significant. The nuances of the wedding ceremony and the people involved are often revealed in the details of the marriage record. Adding this vital record to your genealogy database can add new branches and fill in gaps that can’t be filled with other records.
Often, it’s helpful to search for the officiant’s name on a marriage certificate and use it to find other records for that cleric. City directories are one of the best places to look for this information and can help you discover what congregation the cleric was affiliated with. This can lead to church records with further clues about your ancestor’s life.
Burial Records
Sometimes, the only way to determine a death date for your ancestor is to find their burial record. Cemetery records can include more than simply the inscriptions on a headstone or monument. They can also reveal family relationships, ancestral hometowns, and even answers to longstanding mysteries.
Because death records are an ancestor’s most recent life event, they’re also essential signposts to other records that can help you develop more precise timelines as you trace your family tree. You can use a death date as a starting point to search for obituaries, cemetery records, civil and church records, probate records, and, where applicable, body transit or funeral home records.
Burial records can also be an essential source of information about children who died young or did not marry.
The best place to start searching for burial records is with local genealogy societies and county or state archives, where they may have a published index of the cemetery records or online resources. Many genealogical websites have collections of burial records and gravestone inscriptions, which can be valuable additions to your genealogy collection.
