The Big Four United States Record Sources
Marilyn Markham, MLS, AG, CGSM
INTRODUCTION
Genealogy and family history involve the
process of identifying ancestors using family
sources, compiled works (previous research),
and original records.
The four major original United States record
types for genealogy and family history are:
census, vital records, probate, and land.
Why use these records?
• They tend to be available.
• Many people are included.
• They are usually indexed.
• The information is quite reliable.
• They answer genealogy questions.
• Used together, they build a strong case.
1. CENSUS RECORDS
Start by searching census records. You will find
the name of the head of the household; the age
and gender of those in the household; who the
neighbors were; and other important details (in
the later censuses) such as place of birth.
A major benefit of starting with census records
is Location! Location! Location! Knowing
where the family lived pinpoints the place
(county, town) to look for other records about
them.
Frequency. The U.S. Constitution requires the
Federal government to take a census every 10
years.
1790-1840 census schedules name the head of
household and show members of the
household by age ranges and gender.
1850-1940 census schedules name everyone in
the household and give other important
information.
Intellectual Reserve, Salt Lake City, Utah, c2011
Availability of Censuses and Indexes:
Census indexes and census pages are available
on the Internet at sites such as:
• www.ancestry.com (subscription site– free
at Family History Library). All years with
every-name indexes.
• www.heritagequestonline.com (by
subscription at many libraries). All years are
imaged; many years have head-of-family
indexes.
• www.familysearch.org (free). Under
Browse by Location, click “United States”.
In Search Box, type “census”. Scroll through
the list, then click the one you want.
Additional sites for information, indexes, or
images:
• wiki.familysearch.org has great
information about censuses on and off the
Internet
• www.census-online.com has helps and links
• http://rwguide.rootsweb.ancestry.com/less
on9.htm has good information including
Soundex code helps.
Census pages are also on microfilm at the
Family History Library, at family history
centers, at the National Archives and its
branches, and at other public and private
libraries.
2. VITAL RECORDS
Search vital records next. Start with the death
record. It is the most recent event. Then search
marriage records. Many marriage registers have
survived, going back to early days. Then search
birth records. Birth records may give a lot of
information but did not start until around 1900.
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More recent vital records tend to contain more
information. Information includes:
 Death records usually give the person’s
name, date and place of death, and names of
parents and spouse, if applicable.
 Birth records usually give the person’s
name, date and place of birth, and names of
parents.
 Marriage records give the names of the
bride and the groom, the date and place of
marriage and sometimes the names of the
parents.
How to find vital records.
• Determine when the state began to keep vital
records. Use www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm
• Check the Family History Library Catalog
for indexes and copies of vital records.
• Write for a copy of a vital record if not at the
Family History Library.
Useful Internet Sites for vital records:
www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm (free)
www.ancestry.com ($). The site has many
databases for U.S. vital records.
www.worldvitalrecords.com ($). The site has
many databases for U.S. vital records.
www.familysearch.org (free). Click Search.
Under Browse by Location, click “United
States”.
www.germanroots.com/deathrecords.html
and www.deathindexes.com (free) for death
www.germanroots.com/vitalrecords.html
(free) for birth and marriage
www.linkpendium.com (free)
www.vitalchek.com ($)
www.vitalrec.com ($) also has other options
www.cyndislist.com (free)
Substitutes for vital records:
• Church records
• Cemetery records
• Funeral home records
• Obituaries
• Social Security Death Index
Intellectual Reserve, Salt Lake City, Utah, c2011
3. PROBATE RECORDS
Probate records exist from the colonial time
period. They are used by the government to
account for dependents and minor children, to
account for debts, to transfer ownership of
property and for tax purposes. Probate records
include testate (with a valid will) and intestate
cases (without a valid will).
Genealogical information contained in the
various probate records:
• Name of the person who died
• Location of the property involved
• Description of the property involved
• Date and place where the estate was settled
• Names (and relationships) of people
inheriting property
To find probate records, check:
• For probate records at the county and state.
See their web sites.
• The Family History Library Catalog for
indexes and records which have been
filmed.
• For collections in archives, DAR records,
and genealogical societies. See their web
sites.
Web sites for probate records:
• www.cyndislist.com/wills/ has many links
to probate sites. (free)
• www.linkpendium.com (free)
• www.genealogy.com/105/lesson6/course6_
02.html (free) article about wills & probate
4. LAND RECORDS
Land records are important because a high
percentage of men in rural areas can be found in
them. Land records exist from the early 1600s.
Land records are often one of the few sources
available to uniquely identify a person. Older
land records contain more information than
more recent records.
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The contents of land records:
• Where a person was at a specific time.
• Name of person who sold the land (grantor).
• Name of person who bought the land
(grantee)
• Neighbors living next to a person’s land (in
many states)
• History of who had previously owned the
land (in many states)
You may also find:
• Where the buyer (grantee) came from
• Where the seller (grantor) moved to
• The first name of the wife because of the
“dower right”
• The name of a widow’s deceased husband
• Heirs of the land, including the names of
married daughters.
How to find land records:
 Check county records.
 Check state archives.
 Check federal land records.
Web sites for land records:
 www.glorecords.blm.gov is the official
BLM Federal land office site for
homesteads.
 www.linkpendium.com (free)
Substitutes for land records include:
 City directories (many people in cities never
owned land)
 State census records and federal census
records.
 Real and personal property tax records.
Greenwood, Val D. The Researcher’s Guide to
American Genealogy. 3rd ed. Baltimore,
Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2000.
(FHL book 973 D27g 2000)
Hone, E. Wade. Land and Property Research In
the United States. Salt Lake City, UT:
Ancestry, 1997. (FHL book 973 R27h)
The Handy Book for Genealogists: United
States of America. Tenth ed. Draper, Utah:
Everton Publishers: 2002. (FHL book 973
D27e 2002)
Szucs, Loretto and Sandra Hargreaves
Luebking, eds. The Source: A Guidebook of
American Genealogy. 3rd ed. Provo, UT:
Ancestry, 2006. (FHL book 973 D27ts 2006)
Web sites:
 www.ancestry.com (Subscription) All
Federal and many state censuses. Many vital
records by state. Also probate and land
records. Growing in content.

https://wiki.familysearch.org (Free) An
information site, it contains the research
outlines published by the Family History
Department, links to useful internet sites,
and other information. Growing in content.

www.familysearch.org (Free) Historical
Record Collections are digital indexes and
images for many types of records. Growing
in content.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Eicholz, Alice, ed. Red Book: American State,
County, and Town Sources. 3rd ed. Provo,
UT: Ancestry, 2004. (FHL book 973 D27rb
2004)
Intellectual Reserve, Salt Lake City, Utah, c2011
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