Step 4c – Search For Original Records

Somewhere out there (unless you’re from South Carolina), your ancestors are probably listed in some type of record — and, oftentimes, in lots of records. Your job is easy: just find the records. Sounds simple enough.

This is where you’ll really put on that detective hat, searching for clues about your ancestors.

And, hopefully, finding them in many of the records that are available.

Many of the original records described below are now available on the Internet — typically on the FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, and similar websites. And the great thing is, millions of new records are being added every day.

The largest repository of family history records in the world is the Family History Library in Salt Lake. It has over 2.5 million rolls of microfilmed records containing billions of names, with new records pouring in every day from around the world.

The Church is currently embarked on an enormous project to digitize and index all these millions of records, and make them available for free on the FamilySearch website — so you can sit at home in your pajamas and find your ancestors online, in the original records that documented their lives. It’s anticipated this will be completed in approximately 3 to 4 years.

As each set of records is digitized and indexed, they’re posted on the FamilySearch website, where you can access them right now.

How To Find If The Church Has Microfilmed The Records You Need

The first step is to go to the Family History Library’s Online Catalog.
Type in the name of the locality you’re interested in, and you’ll see a list of what records are available.
Click on the specific record type (census, church records, civil registration, etc.), then click on the specific record you want to view.
If the record has been digitized and is available online, there will be a link in red type directing you to the record. Here’s an example of what that looks like.
If the record has not been digitized, there will be no red link and, instead, there will be a microfilm number listed. Click on the microfilm number and it will take you to the Family History Library’s Film Ordering page where you can order the film. The film will be delivered to whichever Family History Center you choose where you can view it on a microfilm reader. In our area, that’s typically the Asheboro, Greensboro, or Winston-Salem Family History Center.

The following is typically how you’d look for original records for your

U.S. born ancestors. For foreign-born ancestors, see this section.

(This started out short, but now it’s not; sorry about that.)

Search The Census

By gathering your home resources, interviewing your relatives, and obtaining vital records for your ancestors, you’re now ready to tackle the census.

Census records: Available from 1790 through 1930, censuses were taken every 10 years. They’re an excellent source for locating where your ancestor lived — and after 1840 they also list age and place of birth, occupation, personal wealth, education, spouse, children, hired hands, and even immigration information.

You can view the main U.S. census records on the Internet. Many other state census records and indexes are also available.

Here’s why you need the census:

For years 1790-1840, it lists names of heads of household in every state.
For years 1850-1930, it lists the name of every person in a household. (Note: fire destroyed the 1890 census.)
From 1880 forward, it shows the relationship of each family member to the head of household.
A census tells you precisely where a person lived, which opens the door to many more discoveries.
A census gives you the name of the county in which your immigrant ancestor’s vital events occurred.

Write for Death Records

Death records: Now you’re ready to take the next step in piecing together your family history: obtaining death records for your ancestors. North Carolina has outstanding death records, and they’re available online. Death records are an essential tool, because they include the following:

Exact place of death—which leads you to other records about your ancestor’s death (and life).
Name of the father and the maiden name of the mother.
Exact date of birth and death.
Possibly, the spouse, cemetery where your ancestor was interred, Social Security #, information about the informant (who may be a relative).

Treat the brothers and sisters of your ancestors as equals — get death records for them, too. Probably 20% of birth and death certificates have mistakes. So, it’s important to get many different kinds of records to compare for accuracy.

How To Write For Death Records:

Determine the state in which your ancestor died.
Find the address for the state’s vital statistics office.
If the date is too early for state records, find the county office.
Write to the state or county vital statistics office and provide any known information about the deceased (name, approximate date of birth, parents’ names, spouse, etc.).

Follow Up On Death Record Clues

From the information on the death records you’ve found, you’re ready to search for the types of records listed below. Remember, each document you find about one ancestor may lead you to another ancestor you didn’t know about before.

Use your death record clues to obtain any of these records you can:

Birth records: Does the death record give a date and place of birth? If so, write for a copy of the birth certificate. For births prior to statewide registration (about 1900-1920), records may still be available from a county courthouse near the place of birth. (New England records from before about 1900 will be in the local Town Hall.)

Funeral records: In your request for funeral records, be sure to ask about the cemetery where the person was buried and whether or not they can provide an address or phone number for the cemetery office. (To get an address for the funeral home, use the Internet or call or visit any funeral director in your area and ask if you can use their directory of funeral homes, The Yellow Book.)

Cemetery records: A cemetery office may have information such as the inscription on your ancestor’s tombstone. If a cemetery does not have an office, a local funeral director may be able to tell you who the record keeper for the cemetery is.

Obituaries: Write a letter requesting a copy of the person’s obituary from the local newspaper, which most county libraries keep on microfilm.

Social Security Records: Since about 1967, death certificates list the deceased’s Social Security number. With or without the number, you can request a copy of the person’s original application (SS-5) for a Social Security card, which provides the following information:

Person’s father
Maiden name of person’s mother
Date of birth
Address at time of application
Employer at time of application

Request a copy of the original application by writing to the Social Security Administration. Here’s a sample of the letter to write.

Search for State and County Records

If you’ve located your ancestor on a census, you know their county of residence. Now you’re ready to search for their records at the state and county level.