Connecticut Descendancy Research

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Connecticut Descendancy Research

Connecticut Descendancy Research As families believe they have researched their pedigrees back in time as far as possible, they sometimes choose to gather information on all the descendants of a particular ancestor or even all of their ancestors. This article explains possible steps to take on such a project in Connecticut online records. Here, the emphasis is on online records with good to fair coverage and indexes, making searches as efficient as possible.

1. Online census records. 2. Birth, marriage, and death records online. 3. Obituary and cemetery records online. 4. FamilySearch Historical Images online. 5. Connecticut Online Genealogy Records.

Step 1. Find descendants in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.

Census records, widely indexed, are a fast way to identify members of families, their approximate year of birth, and the state where they were born. That information hints where to look for birth, marriage, and death records for more detailed information. One disadvantage is they are 10 years apart. Children born and dying within that 10-year span can be overlooked. XXXXFederal Censuses

1850 census: FamilySearch Ancestry.com 1860 census: FamilySearch Ancestry.com 1870 census: FamilySearch Ancestry.com 1880 census: FamilySearch Ancestry.com 1900 census: FamilySearch Ancestry.com

1910 census: FamilySearch Ancestry.com 1920 census: FamilySearch Ancestry.com 1930 census: FamilySearch Ancestry.com 1940 census: FamilySearch Ancestry.com 1950 census: NARA Index FamilySearch Images

For more information on census records, see Connecticut Census and United States Census.

Step 2: Find birth, marriage, and death records online.

Government records, known as civil registration or vital records, were kept in Connecticut statewide beginning in 1897, although towns and counties kept earlier records. They provide full dates and places. They are sometimes indexed, and can be searched by child or parent names. They are especially useful because they name other family members, For example, marriage records name the parents of the bride and groom. Death records are especially helpful because they name parents, who lived years earlier, even before other records were kept. Coverage in the earlier years can be incomplete however. In some states, church records were gathered to provide earlier certificates.

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Births

• 1620-1635: New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins at Ancestry - index & images ($)
• 1639-1941: Connecticut Births and Baptisms at FamilySearch; index & images
• 1649-1906: Connecticut Births and Christenings at FamilySearch; index only
• Pre-1870: Connecticut Town Birth Records (Barbour Collection) at Ancestry - index & images ($): Also at Findmypast ($)

Marriages

• 1630-1997: Connecticut Marriages at FamilySearch; index only
• 17th-20th: US Marriages at Findmypast - index & images ($)
• 1700-1850: Mansfield and Redding, Connecticut, Compiled Marriages at Ancestry - index only ($)
• 1790-1833: Marriages and Deaths at American Ancestors; index ($)
• 1897-2001: Connecticut Index of Marriages at Connecticut State Library, index only
• 1959-2001: Connecticut Marriage Index at FamilySearch; index only
• 1959-2012: Connecticut Marriage Index at Ancestry - index only ($)
• 1966-2002: Connecticut Marriages at MyHeritage - index only ($)
• Pre-1700: New England Marriages at Ancestry - index & images ($)
• Pre-1870: Connecticut Town Marriage Records (Barbour Collection) at Ancestry - index & images ($)
• Connecticut, Marriages at MyHeritage - index ($)
• Early Connecticut Marriages at Ancestry - index & images ($)
• Polish American Marriage Records at Polish Genealogical Society of Connecticut & The Northeast

Deaths

• 1640-1955: Connecticut Deaths at FamilySearch; index & images
• 1650-1934: Connecticut Deaths and Burials Index at Ancestry - index only ($)
• 1772-1934: Connecticut Deaths and Burials at FamilySearch; index only
• 1790-1833: Connecticut Marriages and Deaths at American Ancestors ($)
• 1897-2001: Connecticut Death Records Index at Connecticut State Library; index only
• 1936-2007: US Social Security Applications and Claims Index at Ancestry - index only ($)
• 1949-2001: Connecticut Death Index at FamilySearch; index only
• 1949-2010: Connecticut Deaths at Findmypast - index only ($)
• 1949-2012: Connecticut Death Index at MyHeritage - index only ($)
• 1962-2014: US Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch; index only
• Pre-1870: Connecticut Town Death Records (Barbour Collection) at Ancestry - index & images ($)

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

Step 3: Try to find additional details about descendants in obituaries and cemetery records online.

These records can be especially useful to find further details about births and deaths. Frequently, family members are buried near each other. FindAGrave, often lists details, not even listed on the tombstone, but added to the website by family members or researchers.

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Obituaries

• 1629-1934 Connecticut, U.S., Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
• 1791-2009 Connecticut Newspapers 1791-2009 at MyHeritage ($)
• 1977-2014 Connecticut Obituaries, 1977-2014(*) NewsBank (Naples, Florida) at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
• Obituaries for Connecticut at Archives.com ($)
• United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014 at FamilySearch; index & images — How to Use this Collection
• Newspaper Obituary collection for Connecticut: starts about 2003 to present at Ancestry ($)
• ProQuest Obituaries for Connecticut ($)
• United States Obituary Collection for Connecticut at Ancestry ($)
• Online Connecticut Death Indexes & Records. index.
• Connecticut Obituaries

Cemeteries

• Find-A-Grave.com
• Find a Grave Index at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
• U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current at Ancestry
• Billion Graves
• BillionGraves Index at FamilySearch - How to Use This Collection
• BillionGraves Index at Findmypast
• United States, Cemetery Abstracts, 1949-1969 at FamilySearch How to Use This Collection
• Connecticut Cemetery Records at AccessGenealogy
• Connecticut Cemetery Records at Interment
• Connecticut Cemetery Records at New Horizons Genealogy
• Connecticut Tombstone Transcription Project at USGenWeb Transcription Project
• Farber Gravestones in Connecticut - photos and index
• Hale Collection of Connecticut Cemetery Records - at Ancestry, at FamilySearch, at hale-collection.com
• Online Connecticut Obituary and Cemetery Indexes at DeathIndexes
• Hebrew Cemeteries in Connecticut at Find-A-Grave
• Connecticut Jewish Cemetery Project at International Jewish Cemetery Project

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For more information, see Connecticut Obituaries and Connecticut Cemeteries.

Step 4: Explore Historical Images for additional online records about descendants..

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

• Connecticut, United States Historical Images, New Version
• Connecticut, United States Historical Images, Old Version

Step 5: Search any other online records listed in Connecticut 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 Connecticut 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.

• Connecticut Online Genealogy Records

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.

Due to contractual agreements, some images and/or databases on FamilySearch.org may only be viewed at a FamilySearch Center or FamilySearch Affiliate Library.

Dates listed are estimated. Use Explore Historical Images to browse the newest collections available on FamilySearch. More information