Georgia 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 Georgia online records.
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Step 1. Find descendants in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.
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 Georgia Census and United States Census.
Step 2: Find birth, marriage, and death records online.
Government records, known as civil registration or vital records, were kept in Georgia statewide beginning in 1919, although counties may have kept earlier records. 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
- 1754-1960: Georgia Births and Christenings at FamilySearch; index only; Also at Ancestry ($)
- 1846-1869: Births Based on Social Security at USGenWeb Archives
- 1870-1960: Georgia County Delayed Birth at FamilySearch; index & images
Marriages
- 17th-20thc: US Marriages at Findmypast - index only
- 1699-1944: Georgia Marriages at Ancestry - index only
- 1754-1850: Georgia Compiled Marriages at Ancestry - index only ($)
- 1754-1960: Georgia Church Marriages at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1785-1950: Georgia County Marriages at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1808-1967: Georgia Marriages at FamilySearch; index only
- 1828-1978: Georgia Marriage Records From Select Counties at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1851-1900: Georgia Compiled Marriages at Ancestry - index only ($)
Deaths
- 1870-1960: Georgia County Delayed Birth and Death Records at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1914-1927: Georgia Deaths at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1914-1940: Georgia Deaths Index at Ancestry - index & images
- 1919-1998: Georgia Death Index at Ancestry - index only ($)
- 1919-1998: Georgia Death Index at USGenWeb Archives
- 1928-1943: Georgia Deaths at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1933-1998: Georgia Death Index at FamilySearch; index only
- 1936-2007: US Social Security Applications and Claims Index at Ancestry - index only ($)
- 1962-2014: US Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch; index only
- Georgia's Virtual Vault Death Certificates at Georgia Archives; index & images
For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Georgia, see How to Find Georgia Birth Records, How to Find Georgia Marriage Records, and How to Find Georgia Death Records.
Step 3: Try to find additional details about descendants in obituaries and cemetery records online.
These records can be especially useful for details about births and deaths that took place before 1919. 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
- United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014 at FamilySearch; index and images — How to Use this Collection
- Tributes.com at MyHeritage, index, incomplete ($)
- United States Obituary Notices at Findmypast, index, incomplete ($)
- U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-2018 at Ancestry, index ($)
- Currentobituary.com index, 2001-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection
Cemeteries
- Find-A-Grave.com
- Find a Grave Index at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
- U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current at Ancestry
- Billion Graves
- BillionGraves Index at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
- BillionGraves Index at Findmypast ($)
- United States, Cemetery Abstracts, 1949-1969 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Record
- Tennessee Valley Cemetery Relocation Files, 1933-1990 at Ancestry ($)
- Georgia Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy
- Georgia Cemetery Records at Interment
- Georgia Tombstone Transcription Project at USGenWeb Transcription Project
- Online Georgia Obituary and Cemetery Indexes at DeathIndexes
For more information, see Georgia Obituaries and Georgia Cemeteries.
Step 4: Explore Historical Images for additional online records about descendants..
Records collected and digitized by FamilySearch can all be found through their Historical Images feature.
- Georgia, United States Historical Images, New Version
- Georgia, United States Historical Images, Old Version
Step 5: Search any other online records listed in Georgia Online Genealogy Records.
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 Georgia 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.