Census records can provide valuable information about your family history. It is recommended to start your search with the most recent census and work your way back. The following information can be found in census records:
Vital records include birth, marriage, divorce, and death records. These records, held by the U.S. government, provide names, dates, places, and relationships. Vital records are considered primary source records and contain reliably accurate information. Vital records are one of the most valuable tools for uncovering your family history.
National Archives Military Records include service records, muster rolls, pension records, medical records, photos, film, electronic resources, and links to information on special research topics relating to military service in the United States.
Immigration records include passenger lists, border crossings, naturalizations, passports, and visas to name a few. Many of these records have been made searchable online.
Church records can be valuable resources for information such as dates and places of births, baptisms or christenings, marriages, deaths, and burials.
Cemetery records and headstones can help you in your search for information about your family history. Headstones provide information about a person's birth and death dates, as well as place of death. Headstones can provide clues about military service and information about a person's relatives. There are also a number of written cemetery records that include sexton's records, municipal records, plot books, and maps.