Pennsylvania Research Tips and Strategies

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Purpose of Research Tips and Strategies Wiki Page

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

Pennsylvania Research Strategies[edit | edit source]

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

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

Finding Pennsylvania Records[edit | edit source]

Pennsylvania Statewide Databases[edit | edit source]

Pennsylvania Research Process[edit | edit source]

Pennsylvania Research Tips[edit | edit source]

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

Birth and Death information:

  • Statewide registration: The statewide registration of births and deaths began in 1906 and had compliance for registration by 1915.[1]
  • Access to records: See Pennsylvania Vital Records for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in Pennsylvania.


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 Pennsylvania Substitute Records for more information.


Finding Parents:

  • Death records: In 1906, 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 Pennsylvania Newspapers and Pennsylvania Obituaries for more information.
  • Church records: Knowing the denomination of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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.

Further Pennsylvania Research[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Pennsylvania Research Outline. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1988, 2005, 33. (Accessed 20 Feb 2025). Online at: BYU University - Provo
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