New Jersey Research Tips and Strategies: Difference between revisions

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Research Tips and Strategies

New Jersey Research Strategies[edit | edit source]

Below are links to different research strategy pages to help you locate your ancestors in New Jersey

New Jersey Research Tips[edit | edit source]

These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in New Jersey.

Birth information: The first laws requiring town clerks to register vital records were made in 1675 and 1682, but few clerks complied. In 1848 New Jersey became the second state (after Massachusetts) to require statewide registration, but the early registration was not complete. At least 100,000 births in the period before 1920 were not recorded. The best substitute record for locating birth information is death records (the majority of death records will list the date of birth of the decedent, and since death certificates are considered a primary resource, they can provide you with the same documentation as a birth certificate). Or, try these other substitute records.
Finding Parents: Statewide registration of deaths began in 1848. They often will list the parents of the deceased and their birth information. Search New Jersey death records
Look in all censuses: Always look for your ancestor in every possible census. There are clues regarding immigration, naturalization, and occupation that can lead to other records. Sometimes parents can be found living with their children later in life. Search U.S. Censuses.

New Jersey Record Finder[edit | edit source]

This Record Finder is designed to help you determine the best record to search for the type of information you are looking for. It is most helpful for post-1850 research.

1. What you are looking for:	2. Try these records first:	3. Other useful records
Birth information	Birth records, Death records, Obituaries, Church records	Cemeteries, Naturalization and Citizenship, Bible records, Military records (pension)
Marriage information	Marriage records, Obituaries, Bible records	Church records, Probate records, Military records
Death information	Death Records, Cemeteries, Obituaries	Probate Records, Church Records, Bible Records
Parents	Birth records, Death records, Obituaries, Census, Church records	Biography, Genealogy
Maiden name	Marriage Records, Obituaries, Probate records	Church Records, Military Records (pension)
Immigration date	Emigration and Immigration, Naturalization and Citizenship, Census	Obituaries, Biography, History
Naturalization	Naturalization and Citizenship, Census, Court Records	Voting Registers, Biography, Periodicals
Physical description	Military Records, Naturalization and Citizenship (after 1906)	Biography, History

Further New Jersey Research[edit | edit source]

For more research on New Jersey, including research at the county level, visit the New Jersey page on the Research Wiki.

Search all of the New Jersey record collections at FamilySearch.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{NJ-sidebar}}{{breadcrumb
-| link1=[[New Jersey, United States Genealogy|New Jersey]]
+| link1=[[United States Genealogy|United States]]
-| link2=
+| link2=[[New Jersey, United States Genealogy|New Jersey]]
 | link3=
 | link4=
 | link5=[[New Jersey Research Tips and Strategies|Research Tips and Strategies]]
 }}
-{|style="float:right; margin-right:030px; background-color:#acd9f9" " width="25%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5" border="1"
-|
-<center><font size = "4"><br>'''Purpose of Research Tips and Strategies Wiki Page'''</font></center><br>
-<center>''The New Jersey Research Tips and Strategies page consists of links to specific research strategies for New Jersey. It also contains general tips and other resources for finding your ancestors in this locality.''</center><br>
-|}
-== New Jersey Research Strategies  ==
+=== New Jersey Research Strategies  ===
-Below are links to different research strategy pages to help you locate your ancestors in New Jersey:<br>
-===Finding New Jersey Birth, Marriage or Death Records===
-*[[GuidedResearch:New Jersey|Finding New Jersey Births, Marriages, and Deaths using Guided Research]]
-===Finding New Jersey Records===
+Below are links to different research strategy pages to help you locate your ancestors in New Jersey<br>
-*[[New Jersey Record Finder]]
-===New Jersey Statewide Databases===
 *[[New Jersey Online Genealogy Records|New Jersey Online Genealogy Records]]
+*[[How to Find New Jersey Birth Records|How to find New Jersey Birth Records]]
+*[[How to Find New Jersey Marriage Records|How to find New Jersey Marriage Records]]
+*[[How to Find New Jersey Death Records|How to find New Jersey Death Records]]
+=== New Jersey Research Tips  ===
+These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in New Jersey.
-===New Jersey Research Process===
+*'''Birth information:''' The first laws requiring town clerks to register vital records were made in 1675 and 1682, but few clerks complied. In 1848 New Jersey became the second state (after Massachusetts) to require statewide registration, but the early registration was not complete. At least 100,000 births in the period before 1920 were not recorded. The best substitute record for locating birth information is [[How to Find United States Death Records|death records]]&nbsp;(the majority of death records will list the date of birth of the decedent, and since death certificates are considered a primary resource, they can provide you with the same documentation as a birth certificate). Or, try these other [[Substitute Records For United States Birth Information|substitute records]].
-*[[Step-by-Step New Jersey Research, 1880-Present]]
+*'''Finding Parents:''' Statewide registration of deaths began in 1848.&nbsp;They often will list the parents of the deceased and their birth information. [[How to Find United States Death Records|Search New Jersey death records]]
-*[[Step-by-Step New Jersey Research, 1850-1910]]
+*'''Look in all censuses:''' Always look for your ancestor in every possible census. There are clues regarding immigration, naturalization, and occupation that can lead to other records. Sometimes parents can be found living with their children later in life. [[United States Census Online|Search U.S. Censuses]].
-*[[New Jersey Descendancy Research]]
-*[[How to Find New Jersey Birth Records|How to Find Birth Records]]
+=== New Jersey Record Finder  ===
-*[[How to Find New Jersey Marriage Records|How to Find Marriage Records]]
-*[[How to Find New Jersey Death Records|How to Find Death Records]]
+This Record Finder is designed to help you determine the best record to search for the type of information you are looking for. It is most helpful for post-1850 research.
+{| width="65%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" border="1"
+|-
+| style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| '''1. What you are looking for:'''
+| style="vertical-align:top; width:40%;"| '''2. Try these records first:'''
+| style="vertical-align:top; width:40%;"| '''3. Other useful records'''
+|-
+| Birth information
+| [[How to Find New Jersey Birth Records|Birth records]], [[How to Find New Jersey Death Records|Death records]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[New Jersey Church Records|Church records]]
+| [[New Jersey Cemeteries|Cemeteries]], [[New Jersey Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]], [[New Jersey Bible Records|Bible records]], [[New Jersey Military Records|Military records]] (pension)
+|-
+| Marriage information
+| [[How to Find New Jersey Marriage Records|Marriage records]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[New Jersey Bible Records|Bible records]]
+| [[New Jersey Church Records|Church records]], [[New Jersey Probate Records|Probate records]], [[New Jersey Military Records|Military records]]
+|-
+| Death information
+| [[How to Find New Jersey Death Records|Death Records]], [[New Jersey Cemeteries|Cemeteries]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]]
+| [[New Jersey Probate Records|Probate Records]], [[New Jersey Church Records|Church Records]], [[New Jersey Bible Records|Bible Records]]
+|-
+| Parents
+| [[How to Find New Jersey Birth Records|Birth records]],&nbsp;[[How to Find New Jersey Death Records|Death records]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[New Jersey Census|Census]], [[New Jersey Church Records|Church records]]
+| [[New Jersey Biography|Biography]], [[New Jersey Genealogy|Genealogy]]
+|-
+| Maiden name
+| [[How to Find New Jersey Marriage Records|Marriage Records]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[New Jersey Probate Records|Probate records]]
+| [[New Jersey Church Records|Church Records]], [[New Jersey Military Records|Military Records]] (pension)
+|-
+| Immigration date
+| [[New Jersey Emigration and Immigration|Emigration and Immigration]], [[New Jersey Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]], [[New Jersey Census|Census]]
+| [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[New Jersey Biography|Biography]], [[New Jersey History|History]]
+|-
+| Naturalization
+| [[New Jersey Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]], [[New Jersey Census|Census]], [[New Jersey Court Records|Court Records]]
+| [[New Jersey Voting Registers|Voting Registers]], [[New Jersey Biography|Biography]], [[New Jersey Periodicals|Periodicals]]
+|-
+| Physical description
+| [[New Jersey Military Records|Military Records]], [[New Jersey Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]] (after 1906)
+| [[New Jersey Biography|Biography]], [[New Jersey History|History]]
+|}
-== New Jersey Research Tips  ==
+=== Further New Jersey Research  ===
-These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in New Jersey:<br>
+For more research on New Jersey, including research at the county level, visit the [[New Jersey Genealogy|New Jersey]] page on the Research Wiki.
-<br>
-'''Birth and Death information:'''<br>
-----
-*'''''Statewide birth registration:''''' In 1848 New Jersey became the second state (after Massachusetts) to require statewide registration, but the early registration was not complete. General compliance was in 1920.<ref>''New Jersey Research Outline.'' Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1991, 55-56. (Accessed 20 Feb 2025). '''''Online at:''''' [http://files.lib.byu.edu/family-history-library/research-outlines/US/NewJersey.pdf BYU University - Provo]</ref>
-*'''''Statewide death registration:''''' The first laws requiring town clerks to register vital records were made in 1675 and 1682, but few clerks complied.<ref>''New Jersey Research Outline.'' Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1991, 55-56. (Accessed 20 Feb 2025). '''''Online at:''''' [http://files.lib.byu.edu/family-history-library/research-outlines/US/NewJersey.pdf BYU University - Provo]</ref>
-*'''''Access to records:''''' See [[Delaware Vital Records]] for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in Delaware.
-<br>
-'''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 [[Delaware Substitute Records|Delaware Substitute Records]] for more information.
-<br>
-'''Finding Parents:'''
-----
-*'''''Death records:''''' Death returns from 1848 to 1878 show the names of parents, the exact date of death, and the age at death. Death certificates from 1878 to 1900 may show the names of the parents, but the death registers do not.<ref>''New Jersey Research Outline.'' Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1991, 57. (Accessed 20 Feb 2025). '''''Online at:''''' [http://files.lib.byu.edu/family-history-library/research-outlines/US/NewJersey.pdf BYU University - Provo]</ref> In 1912, the New Jersey State Office of Vital Statistics began to register deaths. Certificates required information about the names of the parents. 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 [[Delaware Newspapers]] and [[Delaware Obituaries]] for more information.
-*'''''Church records:''''' Knowing the denomination of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See [[Delaware Church Records]] for more information.
-<br>
-'''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 [[Delaware Census|Delaware 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 New Jersey Research  ==
+Search all of the [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/location/42?region=United%20States%20of%20America New Jersey record collections] at FamilySearch.<br>
-*[http://files.lib.byu.edu/family-history-library/research-outlines/US/NewJersey.pdf New Jersey Family History Library Research Outline]
-*[https://sites.google.com/site/newjerseygenweb/ NJGenWeb] - New Jersey GenWeb Project
-*[http://genealogytrails.com/njer/ New Jersey Genealogy Trails] - collection of transcribed data for the state of New Jersey
-*[http://www.cyndislist.com/us/nj/ Cyndi's List] - New Jersey genealogy websites
-*[http://www.raogk.org/newjersey-genealogy/ Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness] - State of New Jersey Records Guide
-==References==
-{{reflist}}
 [[Category:New Jersey, United States]][[Category:United States Research Strategies]]
 [[Category:Research Tips and Strategies]]