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*Death records exist for many persons born before birth and marriage records began. Death records may contain birth and marriage information not available anywhere else. | *Death records exist for many persons born before birth and marriage records began. Death records may contain birth and marriage information not available anywhere else. | ||
=== Tip 3. How do I find my ancestor's record if they were not in an index? === | === Tip 3. How do I find my ancestor's record if they were not in an index? === | ||
Not all early records were indexed. You may need to search registers that are available page by page. | |||
Then look in the registers for neighboring or "parent" districts or counties. The place your ancestor lived may have belonged to a different district or county earlier. | If you didn't find your ancestor, search for brothers and sisters, children, and even remarriages of parents, aunts, and uncles. Finding them may not only give additional information you need, it will also verify that you are looking in the right time and place. | ||
Then look in the registers for neighboring or "parent" districts or counties. The place your ancestor lived may have belonged to a different district or county earlier. | |||
Travelling clergymen may have registered marriages with civil authorities in any district or county along their way. Look at all records of churches and clergymen in the area, especially Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, which were not always required to register marriages with district or county authorities. | Travelling clergymen may have registered marriages with civil authorities in any district or county along their way. Look at all records of churches and clergymen in the area, especially Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, which were not always required to register marriages with district or county authorities. | ||
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At certain periods of the history of a Province, only certain denominations were allowed to perform marriages. In many cases individuals were married by a priest or minister of a religion other than their own. | At certain periods of the history of a Province, only certain denominations were allowed to perform marriages. In many cases individuals were married by a priest or minister of a religion other than their own. | ||
=== Why can't I find a vital record? === | |||
Some possible reasons are: | |||
*You need to check all sets of marriage and other records for the time your ancestor lived in the area. | |||
*Your ancestor might have lived in a different place at the time. | |||
*The clergyman may have recorded the birth, marriage, or death in a different district. In early years, clergymen traveled over a wide territory, often more than one district or county. Look for your ancestor's records in registers for nearby districts or counties. | |||
*Your ancestor may have used a nickname, or used a different surname, or the registrar spelled the name wrong. See Name Variations. | |||
*Your ancestor's birth, marriage, or death might have been at a slightly different time. Expand your search a few years. | |||
*Not every birth, marriage, or death was registered. But don't let this statement be a "cop out" for you. Expand your search to other people in your ancestor's family to verify the time and place you are searching is accurate. | |||
Try searching for known and possible family members, such as brothers and sisters, in the marriage records. The more family members you search for, the more likely you are to find one of them in the records. | |||
For other possibilities, see How To Recognize Your Ancestor and How to Locate Your Ancestor. | |||
== Locating Vital Records == | == Locating Vital Records == | ||