New Jersey Research Tips and Strategies: Difference between revisions

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Research Tips and Strategies

Purpose of Research Tips and Strategies Wiki Page
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.

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. A helpful substitute record to find birth information is a death record. However, date and place of birth on a death record is considered secondary information, as it was not recorded at the time of the birth event. The birth information should be corroborated with other substitute records to improve accuracy.
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.

[STATE] Record Finder[edit | edit source]

This brief 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. For a more complete Record Finder, covering additional research needs, see [[[STATE] Record Finder]].

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

Further [STATE] Research[edit | edit source]

Remember, for a more complete Record Finder, covering additional research needs, see [[[STATE] Record Finder]].
For online record collections, go to [[[STATE] Online Genealogy Records|[STATE] Online Genealogy Records.]]
For more research on [STATE], including research at the county level, visit the [[[STATE], United States Genealogy|[STATE]]] 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=
@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 <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>
-|}
+|}<br><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 Process===
+=== New Jersey Research Tips  ===
-*[[Step-by-Step New Jersey Research, 1880-Present]]
-*[[Step-by-Step New Jersey Research, 1850-1910]]
-*[[New Jersey Descendancy Research]]
-*[[How to Find New Jersey Birth Records|How to Find Birth Records]]
-*[[How to Find New Jersey Marriage Records|How to Find Marriage Records]]
-*[[How to Find New Jersey Death Records|How to Find Death Records]]
-== New Jersey Research Tips  ==
+These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in New Jersey.
-These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in New Jersey:<br>
+*'''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. A helpful substitute record to find birth information is a death record. However, date and place of birth on a death record is considered secondary information, as it was not recorded at the time of the birth event. The birth information should be corroborated with other [[Substitute Records For United States Birth Information|substitute records]] to improve accuracy.
-<br>
+*'''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]]
-'''Birth and Death information:'''<br>
+*'''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]].
-----
-*'''''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>
+=== [STATE] Record Finder  ===
-*'''''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.
+This brief 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. '''For a more complete Record Finder, covering additional research needs, see [[[STATE] Record Finder]].'''
-<br>
-'''Substitute Records:'''
+{| width="70%" border="1"
-----
+|-
-*'''''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.
+| style="padding:10px"| '''1. What you are looking for:'''
-*'''''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.
+| style="padding:10px"| '''2. Try these records first:'''
-*'''''List of substitute records:''''' See [[Delaware Substitute Records|Delaware Substitute Records]] for more information.
+| style="padding:10px"|'''3. Other useful records'''
-<br>
+|-
-'''Finding Parents:'''
+| style="padding:10px"|
-----
+Birth information
-*'''''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.
+| style="padding:10px; vertical-align:top"|
-*'''''Obituaries:''''' Official obituaries can also include the names of parents and other family members. See [[Delaware Newspapers]] and [[Delaware Obituaries]] for more information.
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Birth Records|Birth records]]
-*'''''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.
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Death Records|Death records]]
-<br>
+*[[[STATE] Obituaries|Obituaries]]
-'''Census Records:'''
+*[[[STATE] Church Records|Church records]]
-----
+| style="padding:10px"|
-*'''''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.
+*[[[STATE] Cemeteries|Cemeteries]]
-*'''''Clues to other records:''''' There are clues in censuses regarding immigration, naturalization, and occupation that can lead to other records.
+*[[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]]
-*'''''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.
+*[[[STATE] Bible Records|Bible records]]
+*[[[STATE] Military Records|Military records]]
+|-
+| style="padding:10px"|Marriage information
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Marriage Records|Marriage records]]
+*[[[STATE] Obituaries|Obituaries]]
+*[[[STATE] Bible Records|Bible records]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Church Records|Church records]]
+*[[[STATE] Probate Records|Probate records]]
+*[[[STATE] Military Records|Military records]]
+|-
+| style="padding:10px"|Death information
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Death Records|Death Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Cemeteries|Cemeteries]]
+*[[[STATE] Obituaries|Obituaries]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Probate Records|Probate Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Church Records|Church Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Bible Records|Bible Records]]
+|-
+| style="padding:10px"|Parents
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Birth Records|Birth records]]
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Death Records|Death records]]
+*[[[STATE] Obituaries|Obituaries]]
+*[[[STATE] Census|Census]]
+*[[[STATE] Church Records|Church records]]
+| style="padding:10px; vertical-align:top"|
+*[[[STATE] Biography|Biography]]
+*[[[STATE], United States Genealogy|Genealogy]]
+|-
+| style="padding:10px"|
+Maiden name
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[How to Find [STATE] Marriage Records|Marriage Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Obituaries|Obituaries]]
+*[[[STATE] Probate Records|Probate records]]
+| style="padding:10px; vertical-align:top"|
+*[[[STATE] Church Records|Church Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Military Records|Military Records]]
+|-
+| style="padding:10px"|
+Immigration date
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Emigration and Immigration|Emigration and Immigration]]
+*[[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]]
+*[[[STATE] Census|Census]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Obituaries|Obituaries]]
+*[[[STATE] Biography|Biography]]
+*[[[STATE] History|History]]
+|-
+| style="padding:10px"|
+Naturalization
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]]
+*[[[STATE] Census|Census]]
+*[[[STATE] Court Records|Court Records]]
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Voting Records|Voting Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Biography|Biography]]
+*[[[STATE] Periodicals|Periodicals]]
+|-
+| style="padding:10px"|
+Physical description
+| style="padding:10px"|
+*[[[STATE] Military Records|Military Records]]
+*[[[STATE] Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]] (after 1906)
+| style="padding:10px; vertical-align:top"|
+*[[[STATE] Biography|Biography]]
+*[[[STATE] History|History]]
+|}
-== Further New Jersey Research  ==
+=== Further [STATE] Research  ===
-*[http://files.lib.byu.edu/family-history-library/research-outlines/US/NewJersey.pdf New Jersey Family History Library Research Outline]
+*'''Remember, for a more complete Record Finder, covering additional research needs, see [[[STATE] Record Finder]].'''
-*[https://sites.google.com/site/newjerseygenweb/ NJGenWeb] - New Jersey GenWeb Project
+*For online record collections, go to [[[STATE] Online Genealogy Records|'''[STATE] Online Genealogy Records.''']]
-*[http://genealogytrails.com/njer/ New Jersey Genealogy Trails] - collection of transcribed data for the state of New Jersey
+*For more research on [STATE], including research at the county level, visit the [[[STATE], United States Genealogy|'''[STATE]''']] page on the Research Wiki.
-*[http://www.cyndislist.com/us/nj/ Cyndi's List] - New Jersey genealogy websites
+*Search all of the [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/location/42?region=United%20States%20of%20America New Jersey record collections] at FamilySearch.<br>
-*[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]]

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