Iowa 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 Iowa 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.
Federal Censuses
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State Censuses
| Year | Type of Census | Links |
|---|---|---|
| 1925 | State, all household members | at FamilySearch.org
at Ancestry ($) |
| 1915 | State, all household members | at FamilySearch.org
at Ancestry ($) |
| 1905 | State, all household members | at FamilySearch.org
at Ancestry ($) at MyHeritage ($) |
| 1895 | State, all household members | at FamilySearch.org
at Ancestry ($) |
| 1885 | State, all household members | at FamilySearch.org |
| 1856 | State, all household members | at FamilySearch
at Ancestry ($) |
| 1854 | State, all household members | at Ancestry ($) |
For more information on census records, see Iowa Census and United States Census.
Step 2: Find birth, marriage, and death records online.
Government records, known as civil registration or vital records, were kept in Iowa statewide beginning in 1880, although counties may have kept earlier records. They provide full dates and places. They are sometimes indexed, and can be searched by child or parent names. They are especially useful because they name other family members, For example, marriage records name the parents of the bride and groom. Death records are especially helpful because they name parents, who lived years earlier, even before other records were kept. Coverage in the earlier years can be incomplete however. In some states, church records were gathered to provide earlier certificates.
Births
- 1800-1999: Iowa Births and Christenings Index at Ancestry - index only ($)
- 1830-1950: Iowa Births and Christenings at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1837-1987: Iowa Church and Civil Births and Baptisms at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1850-1939: Iowa Delayed Birth Records at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1856-1944: Iowa Delayed Birth Records at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1880-1935: Iowa County Births at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1880 onward: Iowa, Births at MyHeritage - index ($)
- 1921-1942: Iowa Birth Records at FamilySearch; index & images
Marriages
- 17thc-20thc: US Marriages at Findmypast - index & images ($)
- 1758-1996: Iowa Select Marriages Index at Ancestry - index only ($)
- 1809-1992: Iowa Marriages at FamilySearch; index only; Also at American Ancestors ($), MyHeritage ($)
- 1835-1850: Iowa Compiled Marriages at Ancestry - index only ($)
- 1836-1926: Iowa Marriages at MyHeritage - index & images ($)
- 1838-1934: Iowa County Marriages at FamilySearch; index only ($)
- 1851-1900: Iowa Compiled Marriages at Ancestry - index only ($)
- 1880-1951: Iowa Marriage Records at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1941-1951: Iowa Marriage Records at FamilySearch; index & images
Deaths
- 1850-1990: Iowa Deaths and Burials at FamilySearch; index only; Also at American Ancestors ($), Ancestry ($), MyHeritage ($)
- 1880-1992: Iowa County Death Records at FamilySearch; index only
- 1900-1939: Iowa Death Index at MyHeritage - index only ($)
- 1904-1951: Iowa Death Records at FamilySearch; index & images
- 1880-1904, 1920-1967: Iowa Death Records at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1935-2014: US Social Security Death Index at Ancestry - 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
- Online Iowa Death Records and Indexes at Death Indexes
For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Iowa, see How to Find Iowa Birth Records, How to Find Iowa Marriage Records, and How to Find Iowa 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 1880. 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
- 1899-2012 United States, Obituaries, American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1899-2012 at FamilySearch; index and images — How to Use this Collection
- Online Iowa Death Records Indexes and Obituaries, by county
- IAGenWeb Obituaries
- Iowa Genealogical Society obituaries index
- Iowa Statewide Obituary and Death Notice Collection, GenealogyBuff.com
- Central Iowa Obituaries, GenealogyBuff.com
- Iowa Obituaries
- United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014 at FamilySearch; index and images — 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 ($)
- United States, Cemetery Abstracts, 1949-1969 at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
- Iowa Cemeteries at The Cemetery Site
- Iowa Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy
- Iowa Cemetery Records at Ancestry ($)
- Iowa Cemetery Records at Interment
- Iowa Gravestone Photo Project at Iowa Gravestones
- Iowa Tombstone Transcription Project at USGenWeb Transcription Project
- Iowa Graves Survey at Iowa WPA Graves
- Online Iowa Obituary and Cemetery Indexes at DeathIndexes
- Jewish Cemeteries in Iowa at Find-A-Grave
- Hebrew Cemeteries in Iowa at Find-A-Grave
For more information, see Iowa Obituaries and Iowa 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.
- Iowa, United States Historical Images, New Version
- Iowa, United States Historical Images, Old Version
Step 5: Search any other online records listed in Iowa 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 Iowa 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.