South Carolina Research Tips and Strategies

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South Carolina

Research Tips and Strategies

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

South Carolina Research Strategies

Below are links to different research strategy pages to help you locate your ancestors in South Carolina:

Finding South Carolina Birth, Marriage or Death Records

• Finding Indiana Births, Marriages, and Deaths using Guided Research

Finding South Carolina Records

• South Carolina Record Finder

South Carolina Statewide Databases

• South Carolina Online Genealogy Records

South Carolina Research Process

• Step-by-Step South Carolina Research, 1880-Present
• Step-by-Step South Carolina Research, 1850-1910
• South Carolina Descendancy Research
• How to Find Birth Records
• How to Find Marriage Records
• How to Find Death Records

South Carolina Research Tips

These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in South Carolina:

Birth and Death information:

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• Statewide registration: The statewide registration of births and deaths began in 1915 and was generally complied with by 1918.
• Local registration: South Carolina did institute a number of laws regarding the registry of births and deaths, some going back as far as March 1, 1669/70. These laws however, were apparently not implemented or ignored. If they were implemented then the register books have not survived. Under the Church Act of 1706 the registering of births, marriages, and burials was transferred to the established church in the colony, the Church of England. It did not matter if the individuals were members of the Church or not. The Church was disestablished as the state church in 1778, however the churches continued to create records according to their canon laws. Beginning in 1706, birth, marriage and burial records were recorded in registers of the Church of England (later known as the Protestant Episcopal Church). There are seven Episcopal parish registers in existence from the colonial era. Some cities recorded births and deaths before 1915 but registration is sporadic.
• Access to records: See Oklahoma Vital Records for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in Oklahoma.

Substitute Records:

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• 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 Oklahoma Substitute Records for more information.

Finding Parents:

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• Death records: In 1915, the state required recording the deceased's birth and parent information. 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 Oklahoma Newspapers and Oklahoma Obituaries for more information.
• Church records: Knowing the denomination of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See Oklahoma Church Records for more information.

Census Records:

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• Check all census years: Always look for your ancestor in every possible census to learn more about them and their family members. See Oklahoma 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 South Carolina Research

• South Carolina Family History Library Research Outline
• SCGenWeb - South Carolina GenWeb Project
• South Carolina Genealogy Trails - collection of transcribed data for the state of South Carolina
• Cyndi's List - South Carolina genealogy websites
• Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness - State of South Carolina Records Guide