Illinois Record Finder

United States    Illinois    Record Selection Table

This table can help you decide which records to search. It is most helpful for post-1850 research.

1. In column 1, select a research goal.
2. In column 2, click the types of records most likely to have the information you need.
3. In column 3, find additional types of records that may be useful.
4. If you do not find the desired information, see Illinois Search Strategies for more suggestions.

Note: Records of previous research (Genealogy, Biography, History, Periodicals, and Societies) are useful for most goals, but are not listed unless they are especially helpful.

1. If you need information about	2. Look first in	3. Then search
Adoptions	Court Records, Vital Records	Census, Probate Records
Age	Census, Cemeteries, Obituaries	Vital Records, Military Records, Naturalization and Citizenship
Birth date	Vital Records, Social Security Death Index, Obituaries, Cemeteries	Church Records, Military Records, Biography
Birth place	Census, Vital Records, Obituaries	Church Records, Military Records, Funeral Homes
Boundaries and origins	Maps, Gazetteers	History, Societies
Children	Census, Probate Records, Obituaries, Genealogy	Vital Records, Church Records, Land and Property
City or parish of foreign birth	Vital Records, Obituaries, Biography	Naturalization and Citizenship, Church Records, Funeral Homes
Country of foreign birth	Census, Vital Records, Obituaries	Natualization and Citizenship, Military Records,Ethnic Groups
Death information	Vital Records, Cemeteries, Obituaries, Social Security Death Index, Newspapers	Probate Records, Funeral Homes, Church Records
Dissolution of marriage (Divorce)	Vital Records, Court Records	Newspapers, Census
Emigration information	Emigration and Immigration, Naturalization and Citizenship, Census	Obituaries, Biography, Ethnic Groups, Land and Property,Court Records
Ethnic background	Census, African Americans, American Indians, Ethnic Groups, Emigration and Immigration	Naturalization and Citizenship, Church Records, Periodicals, Societies
Historical background	History, Periodicals, Gazetteers	Maps, Land and Property, Church Records
Immigration date	Emigration and Immigration, Census, Naturalization and Citizenship	Court Records, Biography, Obituaries, Periodicals
Living relatives	Obituaries, Probate Records, Census	Funeral Homes, Land and Property, Biography, Newspapers
Maiden name	Vital Records, Obituaries, Probate Records	Church Records, Funeral Homes, Bible Records
Marriage information	Vital Records, Obituaries, Census, Genealogy	Church Records, Probate Records, Military Records
Naturalization	Naturalization and Citizenship, Census, Voting Registers	Court Records, Land and Property, Periodicals
Occupations	Occupations, Census, Obituaries	Biography, Directories, History
Other family members	Census, Obituaries, Probate Records	Funeral Homes, Vital Records, Church Records, Genealogy
Parents	Vital Records, Obituaries, Census, Genealogy	Probate Records, Funeral Homes, Church Records, Biography
Physical description	Military Records, Naturalization and Citizenship, Emigration and Immigration	Biography, Occupations
Place-finding aids	Maps, Gazetteers	Archives and Libraries, History, Societies
Places of residence	Census, Military Records, Obituaries, Directories, Taxation	Land and Property, Naturalization and Citizenship, Voting Registers
Place of residence when you know only the state	Census, Vital Records, Military Records	Naturalization and Citizenship, Taxation
Previous research	Genealogy, Biography, Periodicals	History, Archives and Libraries, Societies
Record-finding aids	Archives and Libraries, Church Records, Periodicals	Societies, For Further Reading
Religion	Church Records, Vital Records, Obituaries	Biography, Cemeteries, Funeral Homes
Social activities	Societies, Obituaries, Biography	Cemeteries, Directories, Newspapers