- How far back can you research?
- Where can I find ... ?
- Why doesn't ... ?
- Who is ... ?
- What is ... ?
- When is ... ?
How far back can you research?
That depends on several factors: How much information you
know about your ancestors; the state involved, the time period
involved and what records exactly still exist.
Birth certificates?
That depends upon the state of birth and the time period of the
birth. In many states, during earlier centuries, registration
of births was not required. Many births occurred at home and
not in a hospital. Also, some states limit access to birth
certificates to direct descendants of the person.
Census records?
Federal law restricts public access to census records until 72
years after the census was taken. Currently, the earliest
census records released to the public is the 1930 Federal
Census. The 1940 Federal Census will be released to the
public in 2014. Public libraries in most larger cities
have earlier census records on microfilm for every state.
There are also numerous online websites (some free) which have
census records available to the public.
Copies of marriage licenses?
Again, this depends upon the state where the marriage occurs.
Some states, e.g., Virginia, have a repository for all marriages
occurring in the state. In other states, marriage
licenses records at kept at the county level.
Pryor-Blackwell find my ancestor in every
census?
This can occur for several reasons: Your ancestor,
especially if a child, may have died between the dates of two
censuses; your female ancestor may have married and her last
name changed; your ancestor was absent from the homeplace at the
time of the census; and numerous other reasons.
Pryor-Blackwell do all of its research
online and save me money?
Though with the availability online of many records via the
Internet, there are many records that still only exist in dusty
courthouses and libraries. Not all historical records have
been digitized, especially in smaller counties.
The best source for information about my
ancestors?
We recommend talking to your oldest living relative. Many
of these elders remember minute details about your family from what
they heard and overheard as children. Family bibles are also
often an excellent resource for family information.
An Ancestral Chart?
An Ancestral Chart is a chart of ancestors from whom you
directly descend. For example, your maternal Ancestral
Chart would start with you and show the ancestors on your
mother's side from whom you descend.
A Descendant Chart?
A Descendant Chart shows the descendants of a
particular individual. For example, a Descendant Chart of
your grandmother would show all of he people, children,
grandchildren, great-children, etc. who descended from her.
A Marriage Bann?
A Marriage Bann is a formal announcement of an intent
to marry. By tradition,
marriage
banns are called in many Christian
churches, including those administered by the Church of England
and Catholic churches. Depending on the nation,
banns of
marriage can be used instead of a wedding
license, and many churches require that the
banns be read before they will hold a
wedding.
Marriage
banns are rooted in centuries of Christian
tradition, and for many devout couples, they are an important
part of the wedding process.
The next census being released?
For privacy reasons, federal law requires that 72 years must
elapse before a census is released to the public. The 1940
Census will be released in 2012.
