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U.S. Public Records Index

15 Jan By

I was consulting with a friend the other day who was writing his family history for publication. He was missing some details on distant cousins. I suggested he look at the two-volume “U.S. Public Records Index” hosted on Ancestry.com.

The “U.S. Public Records Index” is easy to overlook on Ancestry.com. You may have use the “Browse Card Catalog” feature to quickly find it.

The information, which frankly is public record, covers all 50 states from 1950 through 1993. It may be a little shocking for some to know what is considered public record in the United States. However, setting any concerns aside for the moment, be aware, Ancestry.com is simply hosting, not actually generating, the information. The data is already available to the public in other formats. Information may include:

  • A person’s first name, middle name or initial and last name
  • A street or mailing address
  • A telephone number
  • A birth date or birth year
  • An age

The information is taken from; voter registrations, public filings, historical residential records, various household databases, white pages of the telephone book, directory assistance records, marketing lists, and postal change of address forms. Now saying this, you have to be aware that sometimes an exact date is not attached to the information cited. Yet, for other entries, for the same person, a year is provided making it relatively easy to reconstruct a time line.

There are some limitations. Persons under 18 years old are not listed. Also you may have to look for a female under the name of a former spouse or partner. The best method I have found to use this database is to try all the name variations, such as Patrick Neil Kelly, Patrick N. Kelly and Patrick Kelly. Because the name is common, especially without the middle name, I try to find a birth date. For the deceased you can search the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) and usually get that. With a place of residence or a birth date, you will find the databases relatively easy to use.

When used responsibly, databases such as these can be a treasure trove of solid information from which to track down the various branches of your family.

If you would like professional help with your family history call us at: 385-214-0925.

 

 

Genealogyblog.com

23 Oct By Leave a Comment

A good blog site is Leland and Patty Meitzler’s www.genealogyblog.com I use it for several specific reasons. I use it to find out some of the newest happenings in the world of Irish genealogy. The field of genealogy is so vast, nobody has a handle on everything. It’s simply not possible. However, being aware of a quality blog site can help manage the massive amounts of new Internet information, databases and publications hitting us on a daily bases. So I utilize Leland’s blog site for new books which seem to make it across his desk before mine!

He has a link to Ireland and other countries, which are essential to being informed. However, as with any blog site, the massive amounts of information can be difficult to archive. In this case, when you are at the home page of GenealogyBlog here is a quick way to access the Irish section:

Scroll down the right hand side of the home page and you will see “Categories”

Click onto “Irish” or “Ireland”

I like the “Categories” section because right in front of me I can see what is listed and this in itself is a research tool. Sometimes none of us know what we are looking for until we see that one category and we say “I wonder…”

So check out Leland and Patty’s book reviews, news, and general genealogical information. This is one among many blog sites which can help your research by keeping you informed as to what is on the market. Remember, the world of Irish genealogy is more than just the island of Ireland due to the immigration history. There’s plenty to keep you exploring on GenealogyBlog.

What is Genuki?

8 Jul By Leave a Comment

As a professional genealogist, I am constantly referring back to the GENUKI links. There are specific county sections as well as categories covering all of Ireland. The basic categories for both are: Archives and Libraries, Bibliography, Biography, Cemeteries, Census, Chronology, Church Records, Civil Registration, Court Records, Description and Travel, Directories, Emigration and Immigration, Gazetteers, Genealogy, Heraldry, History, Land and Property, Maps, Military History, Names (Geographical), Names (Personal) Newspapers, Nobility, Occupations, Periodicals, Probate Records, Social Life and Customs, Societies, and Taxation.

Some Irish counties do not have much, while others have a myriad of links to explore. Some links lead you to the Irish GenWeb Project, others to the local heritage centre, various databases, and just as many to sites developed by individuals with a specific interest. There’s no way of knowing what you will find until you look. Also, you will need to keep referencing GENUKI as this is a growing website constantly being added.

I can personally recommend GENUKI from years of constant use. It doesn’t always have a link which answers a question I might have. However, when it does, and I solve a problem, I couldn’t be happier!

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