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Step-by-Step Alaska Research, 1880-Present



Step-by-step Alaska
Research 1880--to the present

Table of Contents

1. Contact living relatives.
2. Online census records.
3. Births, marriages, and deaths online
4. Obituary and cemetery records online.
5. Military records online.
6: Look for church records online.
7: Search for online wills and probate packets.
8. Search immigration and naturalization records online.
9. Search local histories or biography collections online.
10. Historical or genealogical societies.
11: Use other FamilySearch tools.
12: Study the Research Wiki pages for any borough in Alaska.


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Some online records have restrictions, due to contractual agreements, allowing them to be used only at FamilySearch Centers or FamilySearch Affiliate Library. This pop-up warning has links to lists of addresses of the many affiliate libraries that are available throughout the world.

Subscription websites such as Ancestry.com, FindMyPast, and MyHeritage and many others offer complimentary service at these affiliate libraries and at most local libraries.

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Step 1. Find out everything possible from living relatives and their family records.

Every good genealogy project starts with finding all the clues that can be gathered from living relatives — both from their memories and from documents or memorabilia in their homes.

What are the best questions to ask?

In order to extend research, ask for names, dates, and places. Everything about who a relative was and when and where they lived is a clue to a new record search. For ideas, see :

What documents should be collected or copied?

Because these records cover names, dates, places, and relationships, they are a valuable source of clues. Look for them in your home, your parents' home, and ask living grandparents to check for them.

  • Announcements of births, weddings,
    and anniversaries
  • Baby and wedding books
  • Certificates
  • Deeds, and property records
  • Family Bibles
  • Family reunion notices and records
  • Fraternal or society records
  • Insurance policies
  • Journals and diaries
  • Letters and cards
  • Licenses (business, marriage,
    fishing, driving)
  • Naturalization documents
  • Newspaper clippings and obituaries
  • Medical records
  • Military service and pension documents
  • Occupational awards
  • Passports
  • Personal histories and biographies
  • Photograph albums
  • Printed Notices and Announcements
  • Programs (graduation, award ceremonies, funerals)
  • School records
  • Scrapbooks
  • Wills and trusts

Step 2. Find ancestors in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.

A census is a count and description of the population of a country, state, county, or city for a given date. A census took a "snapshot" of a family on a certain day. For each person living in a household you might find (depending on the year) their name, age, birthplace, relationship to head of household, place of birth for father and mother, citizenship status, year of immigration, mother of how many children and number of children living, native language, and whether they were a veteran of the military.

Using clues to lead to census record searches.

This marriage certificate, found among old family papers, gives clues when and where to begin searching census records.

  • Glenn Parker and Nellie Crowell were married in 1938.
  • They were married in Gustavus, Alaska.

The first research step would be to look for them in the index of the 1940 census of Alaska.

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In 1940, they are listed in the census of Juneau County, Alaska. Glenn Parker is 31 years old, making him born about 1909. They have many other Parker families as neighbors.
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The next step would be to follow Glenn Parker back in time through the 1930, 1920, and 1910 census records.


Here are the records. Right away in 1930 Glenn Parker is listed as the son of Abraham and Edith Parker. So the research goal changes to following their family in the census, which will include Glenn. Also, the various Parker neighbors in the 1940 census are now proven to be relatives.

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There is one more Alaska census to search for Glenn Parker. Prior to then, the family lived in Canada. The 1950 census of Alaska should still be searched for Glenn and Nellie Parker.

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Look for ancestors in as many censuses as possible. Use the clues from each census for hints where to find families in both earlier and later census records.

Step 3: Find birth, marriage, and death certificates for ancestors and their children.

States, counties, or (even towns in some states) recorded births, marriages, and deaths.

  • In addition to the child's name, birth date, and place of birth, a birth certificate may give the birthplaces of the parents, their ages, and occupations.
  • A marriage certificate might list the parents of the bride and groom.
  • A death certificate may give the person's birth date and place, parents' names and birthplaces, and spouse's name.


Using census clues to lead to a birth certificate.

Census information gives approximate birth years and probable birth places, and that information leads to finding important birth records. In addition to basic birth date and place, a birth certificate can give age, birthplace, occupation, etc. about the parents.

Example of birth record (not related to Parkers):

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Using census clues to lead to a marriage certificate.

Finding marriage records can:

  • establish the full identity of the wife, with her maiden name and possible birth details.
  • find the names of the parents of the bride and groom.

Example of indexed entries found in Alaska Vital Records 1816-2005:

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The camera icon at the far right links to the original certificate, for example:

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Using the census clues to lead to a death certificate.

Moving forward in time, older generations stop showing up in the census. That is a clue that they probably died in the last 10 years. The death certificate is important because of all the possible secondary data beyond just the date and place of death:

  • birth date and place of the deceased
  • maiden name of the wife
  • names of the deceased's parents
  • birth places of the deceased's parents.



Example of death certificate found in Alaska, Vital Records, 1816-1959:

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Gather as many birth, marriage, and death records as possible.

How to Find the Records

There are basically two ways to find these indexes or full original certificates:

Online databases, usually indexes, with some images

Also, see How to Find Alaska Birth Records.

Also, see How to Find Alaska Marriage Records.

Also, see How to Find Alaska Death Records.

Order Certificates from Alaska Vital Records Department.

Almost always the full original certificate will contain information not contained in the index. Although it costs money, consider sending for the full original certificates, particularly for direct line ancestors (grandparents, great-grandparents, etc).

For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Alaska, see How to Find Alaska Birth Records, How to Find Alaska Marriage Records, and How to Find Alaska Death Records.

Step 4: Try to find additional details about ancestors in obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records online.

There are additional record collections available, based upon a person's death: obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records. These are a great source for more details about a person. Here are some examples; notice the level of details.

Example of a FindAGrave Record.


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Example of a Social Security Record.


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Example of an obituary.


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Obituaries

Cemeteries

For more information, see Alaska Obituaries and Alaska Cemeteries.

U.S. Social Security Death Index and Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

  • The U.S. Social Security program began in 1935 but most deaths recorded in the index happened after 1962.
  • The Social Security Death index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits.
  • You can search these records online at
  • 1935-2014 U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 at Ancestry — index ($)
  • 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry, Picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off by providing information filed in the application or claims process — index ($)
  • 1962-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
  • If you find an ancestor in the SSDI index, you can order a copy of their original Social Security application (SS-5). If you can prove the individual has died (by sending an obituary or copy of their cemetery headstone), the application will also give the deceased's parents' names, if listed.

For more information, see Alaska Obituaries and Alaska Cemeteries.

Step 5: Search military records: World War I and II draft cards.

There are many different types of military records: draft records, enlistment records, service records, pension records, etc. Information in military records can vary from a simple lists of name, age, and residence, to more detailed records including name, residence, age, occupation, marital status, birthplace, physical description, number of dependents, pensions received, disabled veterans, needy veterans, widows or orphans of veterans, and other information.

Example of a World War I draft card.
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Example of a World War II draft card.
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Search the World War I and World War II Draft Collections for male relatives.



For more information and additional collections, see Alaska Military Records.

Step 6: Look for church records online.

Church records function as vital records.

  • An infant christening or baptism record documents a birth.
  • Many, if not most, people are married in a church, and then a record is created by the minister.
  • Likewise, ministers presided over funerals, then creating a burial record, which documents a death.

Church records are particularly helpful prior to the advent of civil registration.

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Search for church records that can provide additional birth, marriage, and death information.


Lutheran

Presbyterian

For help with church records kept in Alaska, see Alaska Church Records.
To search records by denomination, if you know your ancestors religion, go to Searching for Church Records by Denomination.

Step 7: Search for online wills and probate packets.

  • County probate records include probate proceedings, petitions, affidavits, orders for sales, reports of sales, administrators' and executors' bonds, guardianship papers, wills, and letters of administration.
  • In a will book, usually just a transcription of the will is recorded. But all of these other records are kept in a probate packet.
  • Administrations are probate proceedings that handled an estate if no known will existed.


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Search these indexes and images for probate records.



For more information, see Alaska Probate Records and United States Probate Records.

Step 8: If any ancestor was an immigrant, search immigration and naturalization records online.

The census records may show that an ancestor was born in another country. It will be necessary to try to find the town or city they were born in to continue research in the country of origin. Searches of immigration records (usually passenger lists) and naturalization (citizenship) records would be the next step.


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Look for immigrant ancestors in shipping lists and citizenship sources.

Alaska Immigration Records

Alaska Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records

For more information, see Alaska Emigration and Immigration and Alaska Naturalization and Citizenship.

Step 9: Search for printed local histories or biography collections online.

Local Histories

  • Published histories of towns, counties, and states sometimes contain biographies and accounts of early or prominent families.
  • Here are several websites that feature online copies of printed county histories: Alaska; that will bring up too many hits. Just use the name of the county and "county": for example, "Hyde County"


FamilySearch Collected Local Histories

  • Go to the FamilySearch Catalog.
  • In the "Place" field, type the name of your county and click "Search".
  • A list of subheadings for the county will appear. Local histories containing genealogies and biographies will be found under Biography, Genealogy, History, or History - Indexes.

Biography Collections

These collections of biographies can be searched online. Most have a table of contents and an index. Or use the "Find" function on a computer.


Step 10: Contact a local historical or genealogical society.

  • Historical societies have collections that are frequently little known and often overlooked.
  • Many have a surname file, where they have collected genealogies, newspaper clippings, old photographs, etc.
  • Many have a sort of "pioneer ancestor" program, where people can submit pedigrees to prove they are the descendants of an early resident of the area.
  • Most keep track of queries about families that once lived in the area from other distant relatives who may actually have more family memorabilia.
  • Find the society on the internet, and they may list their holdings. Or call them on the phone, find out what they have, and find out what arrangements can be made to search their collection. Frequently, one of their members can be hired to search the collection for you.
  • See Alaska Societies for addresses. Here is an example of an internet website for a local genealogical society.


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Step 11: Use other FamilySearch tools.

Historical Images

Records collected and digitized by FamilySearch can all be found through their Historical Images feature.

Alaska Online Genealogy Records

Search any other online records listed in Alaska Online Genealogy Records. 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 Alaska 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.


Step 12: Study the Research Wiki pages for any borough in Alaska.

The U.S. state of Alaska is not divided into counties, as 48 other states are (Louisiana having parishes instead), but it is divided into boroughs. However, unlike county-equivalents in the other 49 states, the organized boroughs do not cover the entire land area of the state. The area not part of any organized borough is referred to as the Unorganized Borough. The U.S. Census Bureau, in cooperation with the state, divides the Unorganized Borough into 11 census areas.[1]

This article focused more on Alaska state or state-wide records. There is a separate Wiki article for each borough in Alaska. These articles give information, office addresses, and links to borough records.

Boroughs

Anchorage / Mat-Su Region

Gulf Coast Region

Interior Region

Northern Region

Southwest Region

Southeast Region

  1. ↑ "List of boroughs and census areas in Alaska", in Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_boroughs_and_census_areas_in_Alaska, accessed 3 June 2023.
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