Mississippi Research Tips and Strategies: Difference between revisions

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=== Mississippi Research Strategies  ===
=== Mississippi Research Strategies  ===
Below are links to different research strategy pages to help you locate your ancestors in Mississippi<br>
<br>
===Finding Mississippi Birth, Marriage or Death Records===
*[[GuidedResearch:Mississippi|Finding Mississippi Births, Marriages, and Deaths using Guided Research]]


Below are links to different research strategy pages to help you locate your ancestors in Mississippi<br>
===Finding Mississippi Records===
*[[Mississippi Record Finder]]


===Mississippi Statewide Databases===
*[[Mississippi Online Genealogy Records|Mississippi Online Genealogy Records]]  
*[[Mississippi Online Genealogy Records|Mississippi Online Genealogy Records]]  
*[[How to Find Mississippi Birth Records|How to find Mississippi Birth Records]]  
 
*[[How to Find Mississippi Marriage Records|How to find Mississippi Marriage Records]]  
===Mississippi Research Process===
*[[How to Find Mississippi Death Records|How to find Mississippi Death Records]]
*[[Step-by-Step Mississippi Research, 1880-Present]]
*[[Step-by-Step Mississippi Research, 1850-1910]]
*[[Mississippi Descendancy Research]]
*[[How to Find Mississippi Birth Records|How to Find Birth Records]]
*[[How to Find Mississippi Marriage Records|How to Find Marriage Records]]
*[[How to Find Mississippi Death Records|How to Find Death Records]]


=== Mississippi Research Tips  ===
=== Mississippi Research Tips  ===


These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in Mississippi.  
These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in Mississippi.<br>
<br>
'''Birth and Death information:'''<br>
----
*'''''Statewide registration:''''' The state began registering births and deaths in 1919, with full compliance by 1928.
*'''''Local regististration:''''' Some cities recorded birth and death records as early as 1887, although registration was inconsistent.
*'''''Access to records:''''' See [[Mississippi Vital Records]] for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in Mississippi.
<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 varify information.
*'''''List of substitute records:''''' See [[Mississippi Substitute Records|Mississippi Substitute Records]] for more information.
<br>
'''Finding Parents:''' 
----
*'''''Death records:''''' Death records created by the state starting in 1919 required information on parents of the deceased. 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 [[Mississippi Newspapers]] and [[Mississippi Obituaries]] for more information.
*'''''Church records:''''' Knowing the denominiation of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See [[Mississippi 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 [[Mississippi Census|Mississippi 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.
 


*'''Birth information:''' Statewide registration of births began in 1912 in Mississippi with general compliance by 1921. 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.  
*'''Birth information:''' Statewide registration of births began in 1912 in Mississippi with general compliance by 1921. 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.  
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*'''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]].  
*'''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]].  


=== Mississippi Record Finder  ===
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 [[Mississippi Record Finder]].'''
{| width="70%" border="1"
|-
| style="padding:10px"| '''1. What you are looking for:'''
| style="padding:10px"| '''2. Try these records first:'''
| style="padding:10px"|'''3. Other useful records'''
|-
| style="padding:10px"|
Birth information
| style="padding:10px; vertical-align:top"|
*[[How to Find Mississippi Birth Records|Birth records]]
*[[How to Find Mississippi Death Records|Death records]]
*[[Mississippi Obituaries|Obituaries]]
*[[Mississippi Church Records|Church records]]
| style="padding:10px"|
*[[Mississippi Cemeteries|Cemeteries]]
*[[Mississippi Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]]<br>(after 1906)
*[[Mississippi Bible Records|Bible records]]
*[[Mississippi Military Records|Military records]]
|-
| style="padding:10px"|Marriage information
| style="padding:10px"|
*[[How to Find Mississippi Marriage Records|Marriage records]]
*[[Mississippi Obituaries|Obituaries]]
*[[Mississippi Bible Records|Bible records]]
| style="padding:10px"|
*[[Mississippi Church Records|Church records]]
*[[Mississippi Probate Records|Probate records]]
*[[Mississippi Military Records|Military records]]
|-
| style="padding:10px"|Death information
| style="padding:10px"|
*[[How to Find Mississippi Death Records|Death Records]]
*[[Mississippi Cemeteries|Cemeteries]]
*[[Mississippi Obituaries|Obituaries]]
| style="padding:10px"|
*[[Mississippi Probate Records|Probate Records]]
*[[Mississippi Church Records|Church Records]]
*[[Mississippi Bible Records|Bible Records]]
|-
| style="padding:10px"|Parents
| style="padding:10px"|
*[[How to Find Mississippi Birth Records|Birth records]]
*[[How to Find Mississippi Death Records|Death records]]
*[[Mississippi Obituaries|Obituaries]]
*[[Mississippi Census|Census]]
*[[Mississippi Church Records|Church records]]
| style="padding:10px; vertical-align:top"|
*[[Mississippi Biography|Biography]]
*[[Mississippi, United States Genealogy|Genealogy]]
|-
| style="padding:10px"|
Maiden name
| style="padding:10px"|
*[[How to Find Mississippi Marriage Records|Marriage Records]]
*[[Mississippi Obituaries|Obituaries]]
*[[Mississippi Probate Records|Probate records]]
| style="padding:10px; vertical-align:top"|
*[[Mississippi Church Records|Church Records]]
*[[Mississippi Military Records|Military Records]]
|-
| style="padding:10px"|
Immigration date
| style="padding:10px"|
*[[Mississippi Emigration and Immigration|Emigration and Immigration]]
*[[Mississippi Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]]<br>(after 1906)
*[[Mississippi Census|Census]]
| style="padding:10px"|
*[[Mississippi Obituaries|Obituaries]]
*[[Mississippi Biography|Biography]]
*[[Mississippi History|History]]
|-
| style="padding:10px"|
Naturalization
| style="padding:10px"|
*[[Mississippi Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]]<br>(after 1906)
*[[Mississippi Census|Census]]
*[[Mississippi Court Records|Court Records]]
| style="padding:10px"|
*[[Mississippi Voting Records|Voting Records]]
*[[Mississippi Biography|Biography]]
*[[Mississippi Periodicals|Periodicals]]
|-
| style="padding:10px"|
Physical description
| style="padding:10px"|
*[[Mississippi Military Records|Military Records]]
*[[Mississippi Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]]<br>(after 1906) (after 1906)
| style="padding:10px; vertical-align:top"|
*[[Mississippi Biography|Biography]]
*[[Mississippi History|History]]
|}


=== Further Mississippi Research  ===
=== Further Mississippi Research  ===
*'''Remember, for a more complete Record Finder, covering additional research needs, see [[Mississippi Record Finder]].'''
*[http://files.lib.byu.edu/family-history-library/research-outlines/US/Mississippi.pdf Mississippi Family History Library Research Outline]  
*For online record collections, go to [[Mississippi Online Genealogy Records|'''Mississippi Online Genealogy Records.''']]
*[https://www.msgw.org/ MSGenWeb] - Mississippi GenWeb Project
*For more research on Mississippi, including research at the county level, visit the [[Mississippi, United States Genealogy|'''Mississippi''']] page on the Research Wiki.
*[http://genealogytrails.com/miss/ Mississippi Genealogy Trails] - collection of transcribed data for the state of Mississippi  
*Search all of the [https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/location/54?region=United%20States%20of%20America Mississippi record collections] at FamilySearch.<br>
*[http://www.cyndislist.com/us/ms/ Cyndi's List] - Mississippi genealogy websites
*[http://www.raogk.org/mississippi-genealogy/ Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness] - State of Mississippi Records Guide


[[Category:Mississippi, United States]]
[[Category:Mississippi, United States]]
[[Category:United States Research Strategies]]
[[Category:United States Research Strategies]]
[[Category:Research Tips and Strategies]]
[[Category:Research Tips and Strategies]]

Revision as of 20:45, 17 February 2025

Mississippi Wiki Topics
Mississippi flag.png
Beginning Research
Record Types
Mississippi Background
Cultural Groups
Local Research Resources

Purpose of Research Tips and Strategies Wiki Page

The Mississippi Research Tips and Strategies page consists of links to specific research strategies for Mississippi. It also contains general tips and other resources for finding your ancestors in this locality.

Mississippi Research Strategies[edit | edit source]

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

Finding Mississippi Birth, Marriage or Death Records[edit | edit source]

Finding Mississippi Records[edit | edit source]

Mississippi Statewide Databases[edit | edit source]

Mississippi Research Process[edit | edit source]

Mississippi Research Tips[edit | edit source]

These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in Mississippi.

Birth and Death information:


  • Statewide registration: The state began registering births and deaths in 1919, with full compliance by 1928.
  • Local regististration: Some cities recorded birth and death records as early as 1887, although registration was inconsistent.
  • Access to records: See Mississippi Vital Records for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in Mississippi.


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 varify information.
  • List of substitute records: See Mississippi Substitute Records for more information.


Finding Parents:


  • Death records: Death records created by the state starting in 1919 required information on parents of the deceased. 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 Mississippi Newspapers and Mississippi Obituaries for more information.
  • Church records: Knowing the denominiation of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See Mississippi Church Records for more information.


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 Mississippi 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.


  • Birth information: Statewide registration of births began in 1912 in Mississippi with general compliance by 1921. 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 1912 in Mississippi. They often will list the parents of the deceased and their birth information. Search Mississippi 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.


Further Mississippi Research[edit | edit source]