Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma 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.
Federal Censuses
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State Censuses
| Year | Type of Census | Links |
|---|---|---|
| 1907 | Territorial (Seminole County), all household members | at Ancestry ($) |
| 1890 | Territorial (Select counties), all household members | at FamilySearch
at Ancestry ($) |
For more information on census records, see Oklahoma Census and United States Census.
Step 2: Find birth, marriage, and death records online.[edit | edit source]
Government records, known as civil registration or vital records, were kept in Oklahoma statewide beginning in 1907, 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
- Oklahoma State Vital Records Index at OK2Explore
Marriages
- 17thc-20thc: US Marriages at Findmypast - index only ($)
- 1841-1927: Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Marriage Citizenship and Census Records at Ancestry - index & images ($)
- 1870-1930: Oklahoma Marriages at FamilySearch; index only; Also at Ancestry ($); Also at MyHeritage ($)
- 1889-1951: Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Marriage Index at Ancestry - index only ($)
- 1890-1995: Oklahoma County Marriages at FamilySearch; index & images; Also at Ancestry ($)
- Oklahoma Marriage Records at Oklahoma Historical Society
Deaths
- 1864-1941: Oklahoma Deaths and Burials at FamilySearch; index only
For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Oklahoma, see How to Find Oklahoma Birth Records, How to Find Oklahoma Marriage Records, and How to Find Oklahoma 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 1907. 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
- OK Obits, 1883-1897
- Oklahoma, Oklahoman Obituary Index, 1972-2012
- ObitsArchive
- Oklahoma Obituaries
- 1980-2014 United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Cemeteries
- Find-A-Grave
- 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
- Cemeteries of Oklahoma at Cemetery Census
- Oklahoma Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy
- Oklahoma Cemetery Records at Interment
- Oklahoma Gravestone Photo Project at Oklahoma Gravestones
- Oklahoma Tombstone Transcription Project at USGenWeb Transcription Project
- Online Oklahoma Obituary and Cemetery Indexes at DeathIndexes
- OGS On-Line Cemetery Records at Oklahoma Genealogical Society
- Hebrew Cemeteries in Oklahoma at Find-A-Grave
- Oklahoma Jewish Cemetery Project at International Jewish Cemetery Project
For more information, see Oklahoma Obituaries and Oklahoma 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.
- Oklahoma, United States Historical Images, New Version
- Oklahoma, United States Historical Images, Old Version
Step 5: Search any other online records listed in Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma 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.