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Center for Family History and Genealogy
Family History Companion

Gathering Information from Public Records

Lesson 6

This lesson will help you decide which records you'd like to search, obtain them, search them, and analyze them.

After you have done the necessary background research (as mentioned in Lesson ​5B​) on your chosen family or individual, then it is time to decide which records you'd like to search, obtain them, search them, and analyze them.

Handout

Click here to view or download the Lesson 6 handout

Additional Resources

Point to Ponder

"The Mirror Is Too Small. Sometimes it's hard to see the whole picture. When we look into a pocket mirror, what do we see? We see an eye perhaps, but not the whole face. By looking at just a person's eye, can we then envision the whole face accurately? We may be able to deduce that the other eye looks the same, but that may not even be true in all cases. We have to take separate looks at all the parts of the face and piece them together to get a true view of the face. With our family history, the same holds true. One document only gives us that small look at a little piece of our ancestor. For this reason, it's critical that we gather as many records on the individual as we can. Only by putting together all the pieces can we get a more realistic impression of our forebears." (The Mirror is too Small)

Research Guides

There are research guides available on the internet that can help you know where to locate public records in the state where your ancestors lived. Here are some internet sites to explore.

Family History Library Catalog (FHLC)

The FHLC is a useful tool to get an idea of what types of records are accessible for a given locality.

If you cannot go to the FHL in Salt Lake City, Utah, you can order any microfilms of interest for a small fee, from your local Family History Center. To find the Family History Center nearest to you, check FamilySearch.

Analyzing Records

When you begin to gather information about your ancestors' lives, it is very important that you question the information that you find or are given. You should seek to verify it for accuracy.

When you are just beginning to create a record of your family history, sometimes family members will give you pedigree charts and family group records that contain hundreds of names. When this happens, you should work from those relatives closest to you backwards. Verify the relationships between children and parents to ensure that you are, in fact, still researching your family.

  • Constance Palmer Lewis' article Starting from Scra​tch gives an example of why we should be cautious of compiled sources, and to research only one generation at a time, verifying along the way (Constance Palmer Lewis, Starting from Scratch, Ensign, Feb 2008, 42-45).

Census Records

Census records are a great place to start your search in primary records because they can contain valuable information about household members and can also be used as a way to see where your ancestors moved and migrated to throughout the course of their lives. This can lead to clues as to where to look next for records.

  • Debbie Duay, Ph.D., has compiled a wonderful website, Researching Your Family Tree, which gives a great description of how to use census records, along with demonstrations and practice problems to help you become familiar with census records.
  • Digital images of census records can be found at sites such as Record Search, Ancestry, Fold3 and Heritage Quest. Some of these websites have fees, but can be accessed without cost through some public libraries, on campus at BYU, or at the FHL. Census records are also available at the FamilySearch Census Collections, and more will be added as they are completed.

Vital Records

Immigration Records

If you don't know the date your ancestor immigrated to the United States, you can check the 1900, 1910, 1920, or 1930 census for that information.

  • The Castle Garden Database offers access to 12 million immigrants from 1820 through 1892, the year Ellis Island opened. To practice using this website, see Researching Your Family Tree. For names that have various spellings, an * can be used as a wildcard for your searches.
  • The Ellis Island Database has information for those who arrived in America between 1892 and 1924. This site has images of the ship manifests, which is very helpful. This is a free site, but you must register to view the manifest images. To practice using this website, see Researching Your Family Tree.
  • The Immigrant Ancestors Project at BYU is in the process of collection emigration records from European countries. Those records are being extracted by volunteers, and then are made searchable. The database is continually being updated, so if you don't find your ancestors, check back at a later time.
  • Many passenger lists can also be accessed on Ancestry.

Naturalization Records

Although not all immigrants sought naturalization, where naturalization records are available, they can often contain valuable information that can help bridge the gap to their ancestral home. Prior to 1906, naturalization records can be found in any court of record (city, county, state or federal). Declarations of Intention (First Papers) vary in content but might contain the applicant's name, country of birth or allegiance, date of the application, and signature. Some of them also show the date and port of arrival in the United States. The Petition for Naturalization (Second Papers) may also contain useful genealogical information. Records after 1906 are found in federal court and might contain information such as the applicant's name, age, occupation, and a personal description; date and place of birth; citizenship; present address and last foreign address; vessel and port of embarkation for the United States; U.S. port and date of arrival in the United States and the date of application and signature.

  • For more information on naturalization records see The National Archives.
  • Millions of U.S. naturalization records are available on microfilm at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

  • Post-1906 naturalization records can be requested by writing to:

    Director, Freedom of Information/Privacy Act (FOIA), 111 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., 2nd Floor, ULLICO Building, Washington, D.C., 20529

Probate Records

  • Researching Your Family Tree gives background information and links to some probate records.
  • Search the FHLC for what types of probate records are available in the area where you are researching. Do a place search, and look under the heading "probate records."

Military Records

If an individual may have served in the military, then a search in military records should be made. Military records should be one of the first records looked at for such individuals because these records often contain information that point the way to other sources and suggest additional possibilities. Although many types of military records exist, the two most useful for genealogical purposes are service records and records of veterans' benefits. Veterans' benefits may include pensions and bounty land.

  • Ancestry.com (annual fee) is a good place to go for some military records.
  • Another useful site is Fold3 (annual fee).
  • Ancestry.com and Fold3.com are available at some family history libraries. Check with your local family history library to see if they are available.

Land Records

If you know the location of your ancestor, then it is useful to also search in land records. These records can offer valuable information.

Suggested Additional Assignments

Find your chosen ancestor or family in every possible census they would appear in. What information did you learn? What clues to future research did you uncover?

  • Do a place search in the FHL catalog to see what types of records the library has that might have information about your ancestors. Make a list of those sources (books, films, and fiches) and place it in your binder.

    • If the Family History Library is not accessible, try these resources:

      • Interlibrary loan.
      • Visit the closest Family History Center.
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Family History Companion

Gathering Family Information

Lesson 5b

This lesson covers the use of compiled sources in the initial process of family history research.
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Handout

View or download the Lesson 6 handout
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Family History Companion

Providing Temple Ordinances

Lesson 7

This lesson will provide resources that will describe the process for submitting names to the temple through the FamilySearch website.
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