Oregon Research Tips and Strategies

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Oregon

Research Tips and Strategies

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

Oregon Research Strategies

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

Finding Oregon Birth, Marriage or Death Records

• Finding Oregon Births, Marriages, and Deaths using Guided Research

Finding Oregon Records

• Oregon Record Finder

Oregon Statewide Databases

• Oregon Online Genealogy Records

Oregon Research Process

• Step-by-Step Oregon Research, 1900-Present
• Step-by-Step Oregon Research, 1850-1903
• Oregon Descendancy Research
• How to Find Birth Records
• How to Find Marriage Records
• How to Find Death Records

Oregon Research Tips

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

Birth and Death information:

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• Statewide registration: The statewide registration of births and deaths began in 1903 and had immediate compliance.
• County registration: A few counties kept birth and death records as early as 1854, although most did not start until after state registration began in 1903.
• Access to records: See Oregon Vital Records for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in Oregon.

Substitute Records:

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• 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 Oregon Substitute Records for more information.

Finding Parents:

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• Death records: In 1903, the state required recording the deceased's 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 Oregon Newspapers and Oregon Obituaries for more information.
• Church records: Knowing the denomination of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See Oregon Church Records for more information.

Census Records:

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• Check all census years: Always look for your ancestor in every possible census to learn more about them and their family members. See Oregon 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.