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{{West Virginia-sidebar}}
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=== West Virginia Research Strategies ===
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<center><font size = "4"><br>'''Purpose of Research Tips and Strategies Wiki Page'''</font></center><br>
<center>''The West Virginia Research Tips and Strategies page consists of links to specific research strategies for W:est Virginia. It also contains general tips and other resources for finding your ancestors in this locality.''</center><br>
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== West Virginia Research Strategies  ==
Below are links to different research strategy pages to help you locate your ancestors in West Virginia<br>  
Below are links to different research strategy pages to help you locate your ancestors in West Virginia<br>  


*[[West Virginia Online Genealogy Records|West Virginia Online Genealogy Records]]  
===Finding West Virginia Birth, Marriage or Death Records===
*[[GuidedResearch:West Virginia|Finding West Virginia Births, Marriages, and Deaths using Guided Research]]
 
===Finding West Virginia Records===
*[[West Virginia Record Finder]]
 
===West Virginia Statewide Databases===
*[[West Virginia Online Genealogy Records]]
 
===West Virginia Research Process===
*[[Step-by-Step West Virginia Research, 1880-Present]]
*[[Step-by-Step West Virginia Research, 1850-1910]]
*[[West Virginia Descendancy Research]]
*[[How to Find West Virginia Birth Records|How to find West Virginia Birth Records]]  
*[[How to Find West Virginia Birth Records|How to find West Virginia Birth Records]]  
*[[How to Find West Virginia Marriage Records|How to find West Virginia Marriage Records]]  
*[[How to Find West Virginia Marriage Records|How to find West Virginia Marriage Records]]  
*[[How to Find West Virginia Death Records|How to find West Virginia Death Records]]
*[[How to Find West Virginia Death Records|How to find West Virginia Death Records]]


=== West Virginia Research Tips  ===
== West Virginia Research Tips  ==
 
These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in West Virginia:<br>
These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in West Virginia.
<br>
 
'''Birth and Death information:'''<br>
*'''Birth information:''' Statewide registration of births began in 1917 in West Virginia and was generally complied with by 1925. &nbsp;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]].
----
*'''Finding Parents:''' Statewide registration of deaths began in 1917 in West Virginia and was generally complied with by 1925. &nbsp;They often will list the parents of the deceased and their birth information. [[How to Find United States Death Records|Search West Virginia death records]]
*'''''Statewide registration:''''' Statewide registration of births and deaths began in 1917 and was generally complied with by 1925.<ref>''West Virginia Research Outline.'' Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1997, 22. (Accessed 20 Feb 2025). '''''Online at:''''' [http://files.lib.byu.edu/family-history-library/research-outlines/US/WestVirginia.pdf BYU University - Provo]</ref>
*'''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]].
*'''''County registration:''''' County birth and death records date from 1853 to the present for most counties. <ref>''West Virginia Research Outline.'' Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1997, 22. (Accessed 20 Feb 2025). '''''Online at:''''' [http://files.lib.byu.edu/family-history-library/research-outlines/US/WestVirginia.pdf BYU University - Provo]</ref>
 
*'''''Access to records:''''' See [[West Virginia Vital Records]] for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in West Virginia.
=== West Virginia Record Finder  ===
<br>
 
'''Substitute 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.  
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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.
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*'''''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 [[West Virginia Substitute Records|West Virginia Substitute Records]] for more information.
| style="vertical-align:top; width:20%;"| '''1. What you are looking for:'''  
<br>
| style="vertical-align:top; width:40%;"| '''2. Try these records first:'''  
'''Finding Parents:''' 
| style="vertical-align:top; width:40%;"| '''3. Other useful records'''
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|-
*'''''Death records:'''''  In 1917, 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. 
| Birth information
*'''''Obituaries:''''' Official obituaries can also include the names of parents and other family members. See [[West Virginia Newspapers]] and [[West Virginia Obituaries]] for more information.
| [[How to Find West Virginia Birth Records|Birth records]], [[How to Find West Virginia Death Records|Death records]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[West Virginia Church Records|Church records]]
*'''''Church records:''''' Knowing the denomination of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See [[West Virginia Church Records]] for more information.
| [[West Virginia Cemeteries|Cemeteries]], [[West Virginia Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]], [[West Virginia Bible Records|Bible records]], [[West Virginia Military Records|Military records]] (pension)
<br>
|-
'''Census Records:'''
| Marriage information
----
| [[How to Find West Virginia Marriage Records|Marriage records]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[West Virginia Bible Records|Bible records]]
*'''''Check all census years:''''' Always look for your ancestor in every possible census to learn more about them and their family members. See [[West Virginia Census|West Virginia Census Records]] for more information.
| [[West Virginia Church Records|Church records]], [[West Virginia Probate Records|Probate records]], [[West Virginia Military Records|Military records]]
*'''''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.
| Death information  
| [[How to Find West Virginia Death Records|Death Records]], [[West Virginia Cemeteries|Cemeteries]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]]
| [[West Virginia Probate Records|Probate Records]], [[West Virginia Church Records|Church Records]], [[West Virginia Bible Records|Bible Records]]
|-
| Parents  
| [[How to Find West Virginia Birth Records|Birth records]],&nbsp;[[How to Find West Virginia Death Records|Death records]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[West Virginia Census|Census]], [[West Virginia Church Records|Church records]]  
| [[West Virginia Biography|Biography]], [[West Virginia Genealogy|Genealogy]]
|-
| Maiden name
| [[How to Find West Virginia Marriage Records|Marriage Records]], [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[West Virginia Probate Records|Probate records]]
| [[West Virginia Church Records|Church Records]], [[West Virginia Military Records|Military Records]] (pension)
|-
| Immigration date
| [[West Virginia Emigration and Immigration|Emigration and Immigration]], [[West Virginia Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]], [[West Virginia Census|Census]]
| [[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]], [[West Virginia Biography|Biography]], [[West Virginia History|History]]
|-
| Naturalization
| [[West Virginia Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]], [[West Virginia Census|Census]], [[West Virginia Court Records|Court Records]]  
| [[West Virginia Voting Registers|Voting Registers]], [[West Virginia Biography|Biography]], [[West Virginia Periodicals|Periodicals]]
|-
| Physical description
| [[West Virginia Military Records|Military Records]], [[West Virginia Naturalization and Citizenship|Naturalization and Citizenship]] (after 1906)
| [[West Virginia Biography|Biography]], [[West Virginia History|History]]
|}
 
=== Further West Virginia Research ===


For more research on West Virginia, including research at the county level, visit the [[West Virginia Genealogy|West Virginia]] page on the Research Wiki.
== Further West Virginia Research  ==
*[http://files.lib.byu.edu/family-history-library/research-outlines/US/WestVirginia.pdf West Virginia Family History Library Research Outline]
*[https://www.wvgw.net/ West Virginia GenWeb Project] - West Virginia GenWeb Project
*[http://genealogytrails.com/wva/ West Virginia Genealogy Trails] - Collection of transcribed data for the state of West Virginia
*[http://www.cyndislist.com/us/wv/ Cyndi's List] - West Virginia genealogy websites
*[http://www.raogk.org/westvirginia-genealogy/ Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness] - State of West Virginia Records Guide


Search all of the [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/location/28?region=United%20States%20of%20America West Virginia record collections] at FamilySearch.<br>


==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:West Virginia, United States]][[Category:United States Research Strategies]]
[[Category:West Virginia, United States]][[Category:United States Research Strategies]]
[[Category:Research Tips and Strategies]]
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