Previous research about the family
Previous research can usually be found on any of the documents listed below. If you have the minimum information required to find one of these documents, select the name of that document. The items in the list are ordered from most to least important. If you do not have the minimum information required, read the paragraph below this list.
Contact genealogy societies in the area where your ancestor lived. They often keep lists of individuals who are researching a particular surname. You can also try leaving messages on computer BBS"s.
Make sure to check photo albums, scrapbooks, diaries, and family Bibles at home. See the topic Finding information at home for more information.
Finding previous research with family histories and genealogies
Family histories and genealogies are books about a particular family. You may be able to find one about your family in a library. Remember, though, just because a book contains information about a family that has the same surname as your family, it doesn't mean that the information in that book is about your family. In order to make a connection between your ancestors and the people mentioned in a family history or genealogy, you must start with the name of an individual that you know is one of your ancestors and then find that individual in a family history or genealogy. In addition, to make sure that the information you're adding to your family tree is factual, you should try to verify the information that you find in family histories and genealogies.
To find a genealogy or family history, you need to spend some time at a few libraries. Probably the best libraries in which to search are genealogy and public libraries in the area where your ancestors lived. In addition, you may want to check larger libraries, such as state or university libraries in the area where your ancestors lived. If you are unable to go to those libraries in person, find out if they are part of an interlibrary loan system.
The Library of Congress and the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints both have extensive collections of published family histories and genealogies. You can check the Family History Library catalog through your local Family History Center, and the Library of Congress staff will perform searches for books about a particular surname. Neither the Family History Library nor the Library of Congress lends bound books through the mail. However, many Family History Library books are on microfilm, and you can borrow those. Otherwise, you need to locate the book elsewhere or make a visit to the library. For information about other libraries with a national focus, see the topic Libraries with a national focus, including LDS.
When looking for pedigrees or genealogies, many people use computerized pedigree or genealogy indexes to help them find the pedigree or genealogy that they need. Some libraries have computerized pedigree or genealogy indexes and you can also search online for family histories and genealogies on Ancestry.
There are two other places to check for family histories. Try genealogy lending libraries -- these are companies that have book catalogs and will lend books through the mail for a fee. The addresses for three such libraries are listed below. If you have a modem, you can also search selected library catalogs through the Internet. For example, part of the Library of Congress catalog is accessible via modem.
Genealogy Lending Libraries
American Genealogy Lending Library
P.O. Box 329
Bountiful, UT 84011-0329
Telephone: (801) 298-5358
National Genealogy Society
4527 17th Street North
Arlington, VA 22207-2399
Telephone: (703) 525-0050
New England Historical and Genealogical Society
101 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116
Telephone: (617) 536-5740
Finding the minimum information for family histories and genealogies
To find your ancestors in a family history or genealogy, you must at least know the surname. In addition, in order to confirm that the individuals described in the family history or genealogy are your ancestors, you need information that can verify the relationship. For example, the name, birthplace, and birth date of an ancestor that you already know about.
Get help finding some of the minimum information by selecting one of the following items: or
Finding previous research with biographies
If your ancestors had a biography written about them, it can be a great place to find interesting information about the family. While most people's ancestors didn't have entire biographies written about them, you can often find a short biography of an individual in a compiled biography. Compiled biographies often contain information about people in a specific organization, geographical area, or occupation.
To find a biography about one or more of your ancestors, you need to spend some time at a few libraries. Probably the best libraries in which to search are genealogy and public libraries in the area where your ancestors lived. In addition, you may want to check in larger libraries, such as state or university libraries in the area where your ancestors lived. If you are unable to go to those libraries in person, find out if they are part of an interlibrary loan system.
The Library of Congress and the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints both have extensive collections of published biographies. You can check the Family History Library catalog through your local Family History Center, and the Library of Congress staff will perform searches for books about a particular surname. Neither the Family History Library nor the Library of Congress lends bound books through the mail. However, many Family History Library books are on microfilm, and you can borrow those. Otherwise, you need to locate the book elsewhere or make a visit to the library. For information about libraries with a national focus, see the topic Libraries with a national focus, including LDS.
Finding the minimum information for biographies
To find an ancestor in a biography, you must at least know your ancestor's full name. In addition, in order to confirm that the individual described in the biography is your ancestor, you need information that can verify the identity. For example, birthplace, and birth date of your ancestor.
Get help finding some of the minimum information by selecting one of the following items:
Finding previous research with local histories
Books about towns, counties, and regions were particularly popular in the late 19th century. Many areas planned to publish the local histories to coincide with the centennial anniversary of the United States. While they often gave the history of the development of the area, they usually included some information about the important families that lived there. Remember, though, just because a book contains information about a family that has the same surname as your family, it doesn't mean that the information in that book is about your family. In order to make a connection between your ancestors and the people mentioned in a local history, you must start with the name of an individual that you know is one of your ancestors and then find that individual in a family history. In addition, to make sure that the information you're adding to your family tree is factual, you should try to verify the information that you find in local histories.
To find a local history, you need to spend some time at a few libraries. Probably the best libraries in which to search are genealogy and public libraries in the area where your ancestors lived. In addition, you may want to check in larger libraries, such as state or university libraries in the area where your ancestors lived. If you are unable to go to those libraries in person, find out if they are part of an interlibrary loan system.
The Library of Congress and the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints both have extensive collections of published local histories. You can check the Family History Library catalog through your local Family History Center, and the Library of Congress staff will perform searches for books about a particular surname. Neither the Family History Library nor the Library of Congress lends bound books through the mail. However, many Family History Library books are on microfilm, and you can borrow those. Otherwise, you need to locate the book elsewhere or make a visit to the library. For information about libraries with a national focus, see the topic Libraries with a national focus, including LDS.
You may want to use an index to local histories to help you locate books that will be useful to you. The libraries where you conduct your research may have indexes to local histories. A good one to try is P. William Filby's A Bibliography of American County Histories.
Finding the minimum information for local histories
To get a copy of a local history, you must at least know the county where your ancestors lived and a surname. In addition, in order to confirm that the individuals described in the local history are your ancestors, you need information that can verify the relationship. For example, the name, birthplace, and birth date of an ancestor that you already know about.
Get help finding some of the minimum information by selecting one of the following items:
Finding previous research with manuscripts
Manuscripts are collections of family papers that have not been published. You can find manuscripts of all kinds in libraries throughout the United States. However, the difficulty lies in locating a manuscript that may be useful to you.
The National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections is a collection of twenty volumes and indexes that may help you find papers belonging to your family. Libraries, genealogical societies, and other archives periodically report their manuscript holdings to the creators of the National Union Catalog. You can look up the full name of your ancestor in the index, and then, through the catalogs, you can find out which library or archive has the manuscript that you may need. The National Union Catalog is available through many larger libraries.
Finding the minimum information for manuscripts
To find a manuscript pertaining to your ancestors, you must at least know the full name of your ancestor.
Get help finding the minimum information for:
Finding previous research with periodicals
Genealogical and historical periodicals are also good places to check for previous research about your family. However, the problem lies in locating a periodical that contains information about your family. There are hundreds of genealogical periodicals, ranging from the local to the national level, and no library subscribes to them all. In addition, many of them don't have indexes.
To find genealogical periodicals that may be relevant to your search, contact libraries and historical and genealogical societies. Check with several sources because they all subscribe to a different group of periodicals. The New York Public Library and the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have some of the largest collections of periodicals. You should also contact genealogical societies in the area where you are doing your research. They may have a publication or may know of other periodicals that have previously published genealogical information about the area.
You can also use indexes to find an appropriate periodical. For example, there is the Genealogical Periodical Annual Index: Key to Genealogical Literature, by Leslie K. Towle. Volumes are available for the years 1963 to 1991. Check with libraries and genealogy societies in the area -- they may know if any indexes exist for the periodicals related to that area.
When looking for periodicals, many people use computerized periodical indexes to help them find the periodical that they need. Some libraries have computerized periodical indexes and you can also find many on Ancestry.
Some publications are geared towards a particular surname, so they may be able to provide you with the information that you are looking for. You can also find previous research through periodicals by taking out ads in them. By inquiring whether any of the other readers are researching your line, you may find someone who has information that you can add to your tree, and vice versa. The best publications to take out these sort of ads in are publications about the area where your ancestors lived, whether it's at the state or local level. For the names of these local publications, it's best to contact the genealogical society in that area.
Finding the minimum information for periodicals
To find a relevant genealogical or historical periodical, you must at least know your ancestor's surname and the approximate area where the family lived. In addition, in order to confirm that the individuals described in the periodical are your ancestors, you need information that can verify the relationship. For example, the name, birthplace, and birth date of an ancestor that you already know about.
Get help finding some of the minimum information by selecting one of the following items:
Finding previous research with Ancestral File
The Ancestral File can best be described as the world's genealogy database. The Ancestral File is compiled by the staff at the Family History Library. The heart of the Ancestral File comes from contributors, just like you, who submit their family trees to the Library. The Library adds people's trees to the Ancestral File or attaches them to another tree that is already in the file. The Church encourages everyone to submit what they have to the file. All in all, the File contains about 10 million names and 1 million families. One day, we may be able to see all of mankind linked into one great big family tree! But for now, by searching this file you may find that research has already been done about your family.
By searching the file, you can find out what research has already been done on your family. To search the Ancestral File you must go to a FamilySearch computer at the a Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or to your local Family History Center.
When looking for pedigrees or genealogies, many people use computerized pedigree or genealogy indexes to help them find the pedigree or genealogy that they need. Some libraries have computerized pedigree or genealogy indexes and you can also find public family trees on Ancestry.
Finding the minimum information for Ancestral File
To find your ancestors in the Ancestral File in the FamilySearch computer system, you must at least know the full name of an ancestor. In addition, in order to confirm that the individuals described in the Ancestral File are your ancestors, you need information that can verify the relationship. For example, the birthplace and birth date of an ancestor that you already know about.
If you do not have the minimum information to find an ancestor in the Ancestral File, you can either: