General Information Locator

This study guide is designed to provide the genealogist with a concise guide to locating primary and secondary record sources that contain the most useful genealogical information. Before contacting civil authorities, researchers should always exhaust all home sources. Home sources can be defined as original documents, which may still be in the possession of family members, relatives, or neighbors who had contact with the ancestor. This study guide is divided into two categories:

Part One describes the most useful record types available to provide answers to specific genealogical questions.
Part Two describes the probable locations where this information may be found.

The bibliography at the end of this study guide contains additional sources for information. These sources have been written by experts in the field of genealogical research.

Part One: Record Types

Date of Birth/Age: /

Civil Birth Record
Civil Marriage Record
Civil Death Record
Naturalization Record
Ship Passenger Arrival Record
Family Members and Home Sources
Church/Religious Records
Military Records
Census Records (Federal, State, School, etc.)
Social Security Death Index
Cemetery Records/Grave Markers
Previous Records/Fellow Researchers

Place of Birth /

Civil Birth Record
Civil Marriage Record
Civil Death Record
Naturalization Record
Ship Passenger Arrival Record
Family Members and Home Sources
Church/Religious Records
Military Records
Census Records (Federal, State, School, etc.)
Previous Records/Fellow Researchers

Name of Spouse /

Civil Marriage Record
Civil Death Record
Naturalization Record
Ship Passenger Arrival Record
Family Members and Home Sources
Church/Religious Records
City Directories
Military Records
Census Records (Federal, State, Church)
Cemetery Records/Grave Markers
Previous Records/Fellow Researchers

Date of Marriage /

Civil Marriage Record
Civil Death Record
Family Members and Home Sources
Church/Religious Records
Previous Records/Fellow Researchers

Place of Marriage /

Civil Marriage Record
Family Members and Home Sources
Church/Religious Records
Previous Records/Fellow Researchers

Date of Immigration /

Naturalization Record
Ship Passenger Arrival Record
Family Members and Home Sources
Previous Records/ Fellow Researchers

Place of Origin/Nationality /

Civil Marriage Record
Civil Death Record
Naturalization Record
Ship Passenger Arrival Record
Family Members and Home Sources
Church/Religious Records
Census Records (Federal, State)
Previous Records/ Fellow Researchers

Places of Residence /

Civil Birth Record
Civil Marriage Record
Civil Death Record
Naturalization Record
Ship Passenger Arrival Record
Family Members and Home Sources
Church/Religious Records
City Directories
Military Records
Census Records (Federal, State, School, Local, etc.)
Social Security Death Index
Cemetery Records/Grave Markers
Previous Records/Fellow Researchers

Military Service/Pension /

Family Members and Home Sources
Military Records
Previous Records/Fellow Researchers

Date and Place of Death/Burial /

Civil Death Record
Family Members and Home Sources
Church/Religious Records
Social Security Death Index
Cemetery Records/Grave Markers
Previous Records/Fellow Researchers
Funeral Home Records

Parents’ Names /

Civil Birth Record
Civil Marriage Record
Civil Death Record
Naturalization Record
Ship Passenger Arrival Record
Family Members and Home Sources
Church/Religious Records
Census Records (Federal, State, School, Local, Church)
Cemetery Records/Grave Markers
Previous Records/Fellow Researchers

Children/Siblings /

Naturalization Record
Ship Passenger Arrival Record
Family Members and Home Sources
Church/Religious Records
Census Records (Federal, State, School, Church)
Cemetery Records/Grave Markers
Previous Records/Fellow Researchers

Relatives /

Ship Passenger Arrival Record
Family Members and Home Sources
Church/Religious Records
City Directories
Census Records (Federal, State)
Cemetery Records/Grave Markers
Previous Records/Fellow Researchers

Occupation /

Civil Marriage Record
Civil Death Record
Naturalization Record
Ship Passenger Arrival Record
Family Members and Home Sources
Church/Religious Records
City Directories
Military Records
Census Records (Federal, State)
Previous Records/Fellow Researchers

Previous Research on an Ancestor /

Family Members and Home Sources
Previous Records/Fellow Researchers

Part Two: Typical Locations of Records

Thanks to advances in technology, many records can now be purchased in CD-ROM format or searched on a variety of Internet sites. The Internet is an excellent tool for preliminary research and/or to use as a guide in planning research strategies. Genealogists must be cautious about user-submitted information obtained over the Internet until it has been verified in at least two non-Internet sources. Most professional researchers follow this rule of thumb. For those intent on using the Internet, an excellent starting point is Cyndi’s List. This website indexes the largest collection of genealogical websites on the Internet. Visit

Civil Birth Record /

Town/City Hall or CountyCourthouse
Local or State Historical Society
Local or State Genealogical Society
Family History Centers (Mormon)
Family Members and Home Sources

Civil Marriage Record /

Town/City Hall or CountyCourthouse
Local or State Historical Society
Local or State Genealogical Society
Family History Centers (Mormon)
Family Members and Home Sources

Civil Death Record /

Town/City Hall or CountyCourthouse
Local or State Historical Society
Local or State Genealogical Society
Family History Centers (Mormon)
Family Members and Home Sources

Declarations of Intent/Naturalization Papers /

Town/City Hall or CountyCourthouses
PapersState Archives
Federal Archives Research Centers
State Court/Judicial Archives
Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
Family Members and Home Sources

Passenger Arrival Lists /

Local or State Historical Society
Federal Archives Research Centers
Family History Centers (Mormon)

Family Genealogies/Records /

Local or State Historical Society
Local or State Genealogical Society
Family History Centers (Mormon)
Family Members and Home Sources

Church/Religious Records /

Church Archives

Local or State Historical Society

Local or State Genealogical Society
Family History Centers (Mormon)
Seminaries/Denominational Colleges
Family Members and Home Sources

City Directories /

Town/City Hall or County Courthouse
Local or State Historical Society
Local or State Genealogical Society
Family History Centers (Mormon)
Public Libraries
State Libraries/Archives

Military Records /

Town/City Hall or CountyCourthouse
Local or State Historical Society
State Archives
Local or State Genealogical Society
FederalArchivesResearchCenter
Family History Centers (Mormon)
Family Members and Home Sources

Census Records /

Town/City Hall or CountyCourthouse
Local or State Historical Society
State Archives
Local or State Genealogical Society
FederalArchivesResearchCenter
Family History Centers (Mormon)
Family Members and Home Sources
Church Archives
School District Administrative Offices
Business Archives

Social Security Death Index /

Internet
Family History Centers (Mormon)
Social Security Administration

Cemetery Records/Stones /

Church Archives
Local or State Historical Society
Local or State Genealogical Society
Family History Centers (Mormon)
Cemeteries
Family Members and Home Sources

Compiled Sources /

Local or State Historical Society
Local or State Genealogical Society
Family History Centers (Mormon)
Family Members and Home Sources

Bibliography

American Records and Research: Focusing on Families-Course One. Salt Lake City, UT: Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, Coordinator-Paula Stuart Warren. Contributors-D. Joshua Taylor, Elissa Scalise Powell, William M. Litchman, and Birdie Monk Holsclaw, c2007. Genealogy Reference 929.1 SALT

American Records and Research: Focusing on Families-Course Two. Salt Lake City, UT: Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. Coordinator-Paula Stuart Warren. Contributors- Chuck Knuthson, Marianne Crump, Thomas McGill, Anne Wuehler, Anne Roach, Ruth Maness, John Phillip Colletta, Kory Meyerink, Judith W. Hansen, and Birdie Monk Holsclaw, c2008. Genealogy Reference 929.1 SALT

Guide to Genealogical Research. 3rd Edition. Washington, DC: National Archives,
c2000. Genealogical Reference 929.373 UNI

Land and Court Records. Salt Lake City, UT: Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. Coordinator-Patricia Law Hatcher. Contributors-Lloyd de Witt Bockstruck, Michael J. LeClerc, Rhonda McClure, Gordon L. Remington, and Paula Stuart Warren, c2006. Genealogy Reference 929.1 SALT

Redbook: AmericanState, Country, & Town Sources. 3rd Edition. Salt Lake City, UT:
Ancestry Publishing Company, c2004. Genealogy Ref. 929.1072 RED

Sourcebook to Public Record Information: Comprehensive Guide to County, State, & Federal
Public Record Sources. 5th Edition. Tempe, AZ: BRB Publications, c2003.
Adult Reference 352.387 SOU

Tracing Immigrant Origins. Salt Lake City, UT: Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, Kory Meyerink-Coordinator, Contributors- John P. Colletta, Jeanette K.B. Daniels, Richard W. Dougherty, Gerald Haslam, Larry O. Jensen, Marie Melchiori, John Kitzmiller, c2001.
Genealogy Reference 929.1 SALT

Balhuizen, Anne Ross. Searching on Location: Planning a Research Trip. Salt Lake City,
UT: Ancestry, c1992. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 BAL

Crawford,-Oppenheimer, Christine. Long Distance Genealogy. Cincinnati, OH: Betterway
Books, c2000. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 CRA

Croom, Emily Anne. Genealogist’s Companion & Sourcebook. 2nd Edition. Cincinnati, OH:
Betterway Books, c2003. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 CRO

------Unpuzzling Your Past: The Best Selling Basic Guide To Genealogy.
4th Edition. Cincinnati, OH: Betterway Books, c2002. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 CRO

Everton, George B. Handybook for Genealogists. 10th Edition. Logan, UT: Everton Publishers,
c2002. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Han

Greenwood, Val D. Researcher’s Guide To American Genealogy. 3rd Edition. Baltimore, MD:
Genealogical Publishing Company, c2000. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 GRE

Hatcher, Patricia Law. Locating Your Roots: Discover Your Ancestors Using Land
Records. 1st Edition. Cincinnati, OH: Betterway Books, c2003.
Genealogy Ref. 929.1072 HAT

Melnyk, Marcia Yannizze. Family History 101: Beginner’s Guide to Finding Your Ancestors.
Cincinnati, OH: Family Tree Books, c2005. Genealogy Ref. 929.1072 MEL

------Genealogist’s Question & Answer Book. Cincinnati, OH: Betterway
Books, c2001. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 MEL

Morgan, George G. How to Do Everything With Your Genealogy. New York, NY: McGraw-
Hill/Osborne, c2004. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 MOR

Rose, Christine. Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures. San Jose, CA: CR Publications., 2004. Genealogy Reference 929.1 ROS

Schweitzer, George K. Handbook Of Genealogical Sources. Knoxville, TN: George K.
Schweitzer, c1996. Genealogy Reference 929.1 SCH

Stockwell, Foster. Sourcebook For Genealogical Research: Resources Alphabetically By Type
and Location. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, c2004. Adult Non-Fiction 929.1 STO

Szucs, Loretto Dennis & Luebking, Sandra Hargreaves. The Source: A Guidebook Of
American Genealogy. 3rd Edition. Salt Lake City, Ancestry, c2006.
Genealogy Reference 929.1 SOU

Warren, Paula Stuart. Your Guide to the Family History Library. 1st Edition. Cincinnati, OH:
Betterway Books, c2001. Genealogy Reference 026.929 WAR

NOTE: This study guide is meant to serve as an overview or outline for patrons using the genealogy collection at Fort Myers Regional Library. The compiler emphasizes that the information contained in this study guide should not serve as a substitute for taking the time to read one of the books or articles cited in the bibliography, or attend lectures given by the subject specialists cited as authors.

Compiled by Bryan Mulcahy, Reference Librarian, Fort Myers Regional Library, 2/1/2014.