Arkansas Descendancy Research
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As families believe they have researched their pedigrees back in time as far as possible, they sometimes choose to gather information on all the descendants of a particular ancestor or even all of their ancestors. This article explains possible steps to take on such a project in Arkansas online records.
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Step 1. Find descendants in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.[edit | edit source]
Census records, widely indexed, are a fast way to identify members of families, their approximate year of birth, and the state where they were born. That information hints where to look for birth, marriage, and death records for more detailed information. One disadvantage is they are 10 years apart. Children born and dying within that 10-year span can be overlooked.
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For more information on census records, see Arkansas Census and United States Census.
Step 2: Find birth, marriage, and death records online.[edit | edit source]
Government records, known as civil registration, were kept in Arkansas beginning in 1914. They provide full dates and places. They are sometimes indexed, and can be searched by child or parent names. They are especially useful because they name other family members, For example, marriage records name the parents of the bride and groom. Death records are especially helpful because they name parents, who lived years earlier, even before other records were kept. Coverage in the earlier years can be incomplete however. In some states, church records were gathered to provide earlier certificates.
Births
- 1812-1965: Arkansas Births and Christenings at FamilySearch; index only
- 1922-1977: Arkansas Church Records at FamilySearch; index & images
Marriages
- 1779-1850: Arkansas Compiled Marriages at Ancestry - index only ($)
- 1779-1966: US Marriages – Arkansas at Findmypast - index & images ($)
- 1779-1992: Arkansas Compiled Marriages from Select Counties at Ancestry - index only ($)
- 1820-1949: Arkansas Compiled Marriages from Select Counties at Ancestry - index only ($)
- 1837-1944: Arkansas Marriages at FamilySearch; index only
- 1837-1957: Arkansas County Marriages at FamilySearch; index & images; Also at Ancestry; index only ($)
- 1851-1900: Arkansas Compiled Marriages at Ancestry - index only ($)
- 1917-1969: Arkansas Marriage Certificates at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1933-1939: Arkansas Marriage Index at FamilySearch; index only; Also at Ancestry; index & images ($)
Deaths
- 1812-2006: Arkansas Death Records Index at DigitalHeritage
- 1882-1929, 1945-1963: Arkansas Deaths and Burials at FamilySearch; index only
- 1914-1923: Sevier County, Arkansas Death Records at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1914-1950: Arkansas Death Index at FamilySearch; index only
- 1914-1950: Arkansas Death Index at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1935-1961: Arkansas Death Index at MyHeritage - index only ($)
- 1962-2014: US Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch; index only
For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Arkansas, see How to Find Arkansas Birth Records, How to Find Arkansas Marriage Records, and How to Find Arkansas Death Records.
Step 3: Try to find additional details about descendants in obituaries and cemetery records online.[edit | edit source]
These records can be especially useful for details about births and deaths that took place before 1914. Frequently, family members are buried near each other. FindAGrave, often lists details, not even listed on the tombstone, but added to the website by family members or researchers.
Obituaries
- ObitsArchive.com - Arkansas ($)
- ObituariesHelp.org - Arkansas Newspaper Obituaries Listings
- Online Arkansas Death Indexes, Records & Obituaries
- The Obituary Link Page - Arkansas Obituary Links
- Arkansas Obituaries
- United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014 at FamilySearch; index & images — How to Use this Collection
Cemeteries
- Findagrave.com
- Find a Grave Index at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
- U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current at Ancestry
- BillionGraves
- BillionGraves Index at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
- BillionGraves Index at Findmypast
- United States, Cemetery Abstracts, 1949-1969 at FamilySearch — How to Use This Collection
- Arkansas Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy
- Arkansas Cemetery Records at Interment
- Arkansas Gravestone Photo Project at Arkansas Gravestones
- Arkansas Tombstone Transcription Project at USGenWeb Transcription Project
- Online Arkansas Obituary and Cemetery Indexes at DeathIndexes
- Arkansas, Oakland and Fraternal Historic Cemetery Records, 1867-2013 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- Arkansas Jewish Cemetery Project at International Jewish Cemetery Project
For more information, see Arkansas Obituaries and Arkansas Cemeteries.
Step 4: Explore Historical Images for additional online records about descendants..[edit | edit source]
Records collected and digitized by FamilySearch can all be found through their Historical Images feature.
- Arkansas, United States Historical Images, New Version
- Arkansas, United States Historical Images, Old Version
Step 5: Search any other online records listed in Arkansas Online Genealogy Records.[edit | edit source]
The steps given here are intended to list record sources which can most efficiently identify descendants. Many other online records which might or might not mention descendants are listed in the Arkansas Online Genealogy Records page, including immigration records, land records, military records, newspapers, and probate records, and others. These can be records that cover a smaller group within the population, such as men who served in the military, etc.