Nebraska Research Tips and Strategies

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Purpose of Research Tips and Strategies Wiki Page

The Nebraska Research Tips and Strategies page consists of links to specific research strategies for Nebraska. It also contains general tips and other resources for finding your ancestors in this locality.

Nebraska Research Strategies[edit | edit source]

Below are links to different research strategy pages to help you locate your ancestors in Nebraska:

Finding Nebraska Birth, Marriage or Death Records[edit | edit source]

Finding Nebraska Records[edit | edit source]

Nebraska Statewide Databases[edit | edit source]

Nebraska Research Process[edit | edit source]

Nebraska Research Tips[edit | edit source]

These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in Nebraska:

Birth and Death information:

  • Statewide birth registration: Statewide registration of births began in 1904 and was generally complied with by 1920.
  • Access to records: See Montana Vital Records for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in Montana.


Substitute Records:

  • Secondary source: Substitute records are used when primary sources do not exist for an event, such as birth, marriage, and deaths. Secondary sources list information about the event but they were not recorded at the time of the event and they are not an official record of the event.
  • Accuracy: Because the information about an event in substitute records was not the official recording of the event (such as, cemetery or obituary records) inaccuracy may occur. Use other substitute records to help verify information.
  • List of substitute records: See Montana Substitute Records for more information.


Finding Parents:

  • Death records: State recorded deaths starting in 1904 required birth and parent information. Information was not always provided and the accuracy of the information was limited by the grieving relatives' memory.
  • Obituaries: Official obituaries can also include the names of parents and other family members. See Montana Newspapers and Montana Obituaries for more information.
  • Church records: Knowing the denomination of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See Montana Church Records for more information.


Census Records:

  • Check all census years: Always look for your ancestor in every possible census to learn more about them and their family members. See Montana Census Records for more information.
  • Clues to other records: There are clues in censuses regarding immigration, naturalization, and occupation that can lead to other records.
  • Finding families: Starting in 1850, all members of the household were listed in the census. By 1880, relationship to the head of household was added.
  • Birth information: Statewide registration of births began in 1904 and was generally complied with by 1920. A helpful substitute record to find birth information is a death record. However, date and place of birth on a death record is considered secondary information, as it was not recorded at the time of the birth event. The birth information should be corroborated with other substitute records to improve accuracy.
  • Finding Parents: The State of Nebraska began recording deaths in 1904. They often will list the parents of the deceased and their birth information. Search Nebraska death records
  • Look in all censuses: Always look for your ancestor in every possible census. There are clues regarding immigration, naturalization, and occupation that can lead to other records. Sometimes parents can be found living with their children later in life. Search U.S. Censuses.

Further Nebraska Research[edit | edit source]

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