How to Find Descendants in the United States
The goal of descendancy research is to find the children (and spouses), grandchildren (and spouses), and so forth of an ancestral couple. Descendancy research starts farther back in time and moves toward the present.
Motives for descendancy research. Researchers sometimes do descendancy research in order to:
- contact relatives who have moved to distant lands
- show a relationship to a famous ancestor
- find genealogical evidence such as the family Bible of a common ancestor
- return a family heirloom such as an old photograph
- find heirs of an unclaimed rich estate
- locate possible compatable organ donors
- identify family members who may have an inherited tendancy toward a disease
- publish an article in a genealogical journal like the New England Historical and Genealogical Society Register
- submit an application for certification with the Board for Certification of Genealogists
- find more names to submit for LDS temple ordinances.
Value of Descendancy Research
More names per generation. One advantage of descendancy research is the potential number of names you could find. Most families have more than two children per couple. If all those children marry and have more than two children, there is a potential to find more relatives by descendancy research than in the same number of generations of pedigree research. However, to be fair, pedigree researchers also usually research the immediate children of each couple on their pedigree. In theory, assuming each generation has exactly four children who live, marry once, and have exactly four children, in three generations, pedigree researchers would find 42 relatives (counting spouses and immediate children), and descendancy researchers would find 106 relatives. With larger families the difference can increase dramatically. This way of counting names does not change the number of actual people who have lived—it only changes because of who you count as a relative.
More clues. Descendancy research can lead you to important clues, contacts, or records such as family Bibles that you might not find if you researched only direct ancestors and their immediate children. Collaborating with new contacts about the new clues you find may help you get past dead ends in your ancestral research.
To understand the family better. Understanding the children often leads to more information about the parents. The best researchers seek to understand a family in community context. Learning about descendants is part of understanding the family's community and why they lived their lives the way they did.
More recent records are usually easier to find, more complete, and easier to understand. Descendancy research takes advantage of more recent records over earlier, usually harder-to-find older records.
Risks of Descendancy Research
It may increase the chances of an error. If the goal is to gather as many names as fast as possible, there is a risk the research and documentation will become casual or sloppy. Undue haste may result in unnecessary duplication of research and name submissions.
Also, descendancy researchers are sometimes trying to prove their relationship to a famous ancestor. When celebrity is involved, there is a greater temptation to make child to parent linkage decisions than cannot be proved.
It may be harder. Some genealogists consider descendancy research more difficult than pedigree research. This is because finding children is sometimes more difficult than finding parents. There are always exactly two parents of each child, but the number of children of each set of parents can vary widely. In many cases there tends to be more documents that are likely to name the parents of a child, and fewer documents that list all the children of a set of parents. Finding children who died young and between censuses is often more difficult than finding parents.
On the other hand, some genealogists consider descendancy research easier—an opportunity to snatch the low-hanging fruit1 by the wagon full.
No shortage of pedigree names. It is true you can find more names in three generations of descendancy research than in three generations of pedigree research. So what? There is no shortage of names for a pedigree researcher willing to go back a few more generations and concentrate on the immediate children of direct line ancestors.
Latter-day Saints have the responsibility to research and submit for temple ordinances direct-line ancestors and their children. Private extraction programs are not appropriate. Further, living children and spouses may wish to have the ordinances postponed for near relatives. Acting in conflict with the wishes of the closest living relative can result in bad feelings.2 Mass descendancy research and submissions by an overzealous distant cousin often deprive more closely related family members of the joy of contributing work on their nearer relatives.
Protect privacy and the feelings of others. When doing descendancy research please be protective of the privacy of living people. Please be respectful and considerate of the feelings of living relatives regarding their deceased ancestors.
Doing Descendancy Research
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Steps of Descendancy Research Step 1: Prepare Step 2: Choose a Starting Family Step 3: Collect Previous Research Step 4: Consult Additional Sources Step 5: Compile What You Have Learned |
Step 1: Prepare
Fill in a pedigree chart, or locate a pedigree chart for your family. This chart will provide some dates and places to help you get started.
Step 2: Choose a Starting Family
Do you have an ancestor about whom you are curious? Have you heard intriguing stories about a great-grandparent? Possibly you are looking for a genetic connection to a great uncle who may have had the same illness you have just had diagnosed. Many reasons may spark your interest in a particular individual or family. Regardless of how you decide, the first step is to choose an individual or family to use as the starting point.
Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind as you get started:
- Begin with what you know. If you already know the names of your great-grandparents and approximately when and where they were married, it will be much easier to search for their descendants.
- Begin with individuals or families alive around 1850. People who lived in the period from the mid-1800s to the present are usually easier to find. In many countries, birth, and death records began to be created by the mid-1800s. Also, some countries began to keep census records showing the names and ages of each family member.
- Record what you find on family group records. A family group record will enable you to record information for all the children in a family, parents and grandparents. As you search for the descendants of your ancestors, family group records will help you organize your work.
Step 3: Collect Previous Research
Someone else may have already started gathering information about the family you have selected. Your extended family members may have this information, or you may be able to find it in published family histories or on the Internet.
| Tip: Many family histories can be accessed on the Internet. You can also request them at your local library through an interlibrary loan system, or they can be sent to a family history center. The following are great places to start your search for family histories: |
Finding family records. Contact family members for information. They may have access to family Bibles, photographs, letters, and personal histories, or they may know where you can go to find these records.
Finding published family histories. Family histories may give genealogical information about one or more generations of a family. They are a great place to start, but verify information you find in published family histories for accuracy.
You may find family histories in libraries in the area where your ancestors lived. The Library of Congress and the Family History Library also have extensive collections of published family histories.
| Tip: Your search may result in several sources of information about an ancestor. These records may not be accurate or complete, but they will give you a starting point. |
Finding Internet information compiled by others. Internet genealogical databases are another possible source. Someone may have already posted information on the family you are seeking. A quick search of web sites may yield complete and well-documented research that only requires verification. You may even discover family members with whom you can collaborate. A good place to start your search for family information that has been compiled by others is www.familysearch.org. This site has several compiled databases that may help you find information, including the Ancestral File, the Pedigree Resource File, and the International Genealogical Index (IGI).
Internet search engines. Search engines, such as Google or Yahoo, help you learn if someone has posted information on the Internet about your ancestors or their descendants. Search engines may help you find pedigree charts, family Web sites, cemetery records, personal histories, family Bibles, and so forth.
Tip: You may find many references to your ancestor in a search engine, especially if he or she has a common name. The following search strategies can help to narrow your search:
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Quick Reference Chart 1 – Where to Look for Previous Research
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Internet Resource |
Contents |
Access |
Instructions |
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Published Family Histories |
The Family History Library Catalog has an index of published family histories. |
Click here to use the Surname Search of the Family History Library Catalog |
Enter the family name in the search box; then check the search results. If the book has been microfilmed, you can order a copy of it through your local family history center. For common surnames, choose Keyword Search in the Family History Library Catalog and add an additional surname or the name of the location where the family lived to narrow the search. |
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Compiled Family Genealogies |
Use the Pedigree Resource File (PRF) to see if someone has already identified some or all of the children in the family you are researching. |
Click here to search the Pedigree Resource File |
Enter the family name and fill in other boxes you might have information for; then click Search. There may be multiple results. Look for records that include spouse and children. Remember that records in the Pedigree Resource File may not always be accurate or complete. Use them as a starting point. |
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Internet Search Engines |
A search engine may help you find documents anywhere on the Internet that mention the search name you entered. This search often leads to descendant data. |
Click here to use the Google search engine, or click here to use Yahoo |
Type in the information in the search box; then click Search. Click on the links that seem to contain relevant information. Narrow the search by placing quotation marks around the first and last name—“John K. Doe.” Try putting the surname first—“Doe, John K.” If you do not get any relevant results, try searching without the middle initial or middle name. If you get too many results, try adding a place name or a date. |
Broadening your search. A quick review of published family histories, compiled genealogies, and resources on the Internet will tell you how much research may still be needed. For information on how to do basic research, go to How to Begin a Search for Your Ancestor.
Step 4: Consult Additional Sources
Five record types are particularly rich in descendant information:
- census
- wills (probate records)
- county histories
- church records
- obituaries
| Tip: Search a few census pages before and after your family for possible relatives living nearby. Tip: The 1900 and 1910 U.S. censuses give the number of children born to a mother, and how many were still living. |
Census. Censuses show residence. When you know where someone lived you can search for other records created for them in that place. Censuses also may list all living members of a family, and tell their relationship to the head of house. The best researchers use ALL the censuses available for every member of a family.
- To use the British 1881 census index online click here and in the Census field select the 1881 British Census.
- For links to the Canadian census indexes online click here and scroll down to the Census Records section to select a province and census year.
- For links to the United States census indexes online click here and select a state and census year.
Wills and probate records. Some places have wills or probate records useful to genealogists as early as the 1600s. Wills commonly list children by name. Even if your ancestor did not leave a will, a probate record containing a list of possible heirs may still exist. Wills and probate records are generally kept on a county level, so you will need to have some idea of where your ancestors died to find a will. To see probate records available at the Family History Library, click here and follow these steps:
- In the Place field, type the name of the county where your ancestor resided.
- In the Part of field, type the name of the state in which the county is located.
- Look for "Probate Records" listed among the record types. Microfilms of the listed records are available in the Family History Library and can be ordered from a local Family History Center.
County histories. County histories also often identify families and their descendants. Thousands of these histories were compiled and published as part of the U.S. centennial celebration in 1876. Others were published to mark various county centennial anniversaries. Most histories include biographical sketches of county residents, often containing information about the subject’s children, grandchildren, siblings, and ancestors. Because a fee was often required for inclusion in a county history, not all residents participated, but many did.
To see what county histories are available in the Family History Library, visit www.familysearch.org and follow these steps:
1. From the home page, click the Library tab at the top of the screen.
2. Click Family History Library Catalog.
3. Click Place 'Search'.
4. In the Place field, type the name of the county where your ancestor resided.
5. In the Part of field, type the name of the state in which the county is located
6. Look for "History" among the record types.
You can also call county offices directly. Many directories are available on the Internet to help you find the telephone number of a county office in the locality you are searching.
Expert Tip: You can search for town histories as well as county histories.
Church records. Many churches kept excellent baptismal records, which usually included the names of the child’s parents. Sometimes all the children of a particular couple were identified in one set of church records. If you know what church your ancestor belonged to, obtain the microfilmed church records by using the same method described for finding town and county records.
Expert Tip: When you look at church and other records, remember that families sometimes gave two or more children the same first name. Occasionally they gave all their male or female children the same first name, and then provided each with a unique middle name. A more common occurrence was that when a child died, the parents gave the second child the same name as the deceased child.'
To see what church records are available in the family history library, visit www.familysearch.org and follow these steps:
1. Click the Library tab at the top of the screen.
2. ClickFamily History Library Catalog.
3. Click Place 'Search'.
4. In the Place field, type the name of the town where your ancestor resided.
5. In the Part of field, type the name of the state in which the county is located.
6. Look for "Church Records" among the record types.
You can also call a church directly. Many directories are available on the Internet to help you find the telephone number of a church in the locality you are searching.
Obituaries. By 1900, local newspapers often published obituaries containing information about the deceased’s siblings and children. Some began much earlier. Many newspapers today have archives carrying obituaries from past editions. You can quickly search to see if your ancestor had an obituary by contacting the local library newspaper archives. A telephone number for the library in your ancestor’s town may be available on the Internet. Ask the librarian how you can obtain the information or arrange an interlibrary loan. Some newspaper archives are also available on the Internet.
Many obituaries contain information about extended family members related to the person who has died. You can use print and Internet telephone directories to locate people mentioned in an obituary.
If you do not know when or where your ancestor died, you may be able to find this information in the Social Security Death Index at www.socialsecuritydeathindex.gov for ancestors who lived and worked in the United States. The index lists names of deceased individuals from the mid-1960s to the present. It provides the date an ancestor was born, when the person died, and where the person resided at the time of death. This index only includes individuals who had a social security number in the United States.
Quick Reference Chart 2 – Records to Consult
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Record Type |
Contents |
How to Use |
URL Address |
For More Help |
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Census Records |
Family Search includes an index to some censuses online. Some censuses list the names of individuals living in the household, with ages and occupations. |
Use censuses to learn information about family units. Gender, ages, and other useful information are often provided. Neighboring relatives can sometimes be identified. Fees are charged by some online census databases. However, Church family history centers can provide free access to some of these online databases. |
Go to: www.familysearch.org > Guides > Step-by-step Guides > Click the state or country link dealing with census records. |
Go to: [Address] for a lesson on using census records. |
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Wills and Probate Records |
The Family History Library has a large collection of wills and probate records on microfilm. Some have online indexes. Probate records include information on family members, property, and so forth. |
Locate the films you want to review. Order a copy of the film from a Church family history center. |
From: www.familysearch.org > Library > Family History Library Catalog > Place Search. |
Go to: [Address] for a lesson on using wills and probate records. |
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County Histories |
Thousands were published by counties for the U.S. Centennial in 1876. Most include biographies of residents and contain information about children, grandchildren, siblings, and ancestors. Because fees were often charged for inclusion in the county history, not all residents were included. |
Find the county of residence; then search by surname among the county or town history records. |
From: www.familysearch.org Library > Family History Library Catalog > Place Search. Type the name of the county in the Place field. Type the name of the state in the Part of field. Click on the History link. Repeat the process, using the name of the town of residence. |
Go to: [Address] for a lesson on using county historical records. |
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Church Records |
Many churches kept excellent baptismal records, including the names of parents. Sometimes all the children of a couple were identified in one set of church records. |
Contact the churches in the ancestor’s town of residence. A pastor or priest may be able to help you search the records. There may be a small fee. |
From: www.familysearch.org Library > Family History Library Catalog > Place Search. Type the town or county in the Place field. Type the state in the Part of field. • Click on the Church Records link. |
Go to: [Address] for a lesson on finding family members in church records. |
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Obituaries |
Local newspapers often publish obituaries, including information about siblings and children. Some began reporting deaths in the 1800s; others started even earlier. Many local libraries and newspaper publishers maintain archives of past newspaper editions on microfilm or on the Internet. |
Find the library or newspaper office. Search the files, or pay the fee to have the librarian or archivist find editions close to the death date. |
Go to: www.switchboard.com to find the telephone number of a newspaper or library in your ancestor’s town. Ask the archivist or librarian what you need to do to obtain information or to arrange an interlibrary loan. |
Go to: [Address] for a lesson on using obituaries. |
Step 5: Compile What You Have Learned
Once you have learned about the descendants of your ancestors, record the information, and share it with others.
Record what you find. As you identify the members of your ancestral families, you should record the information you find. The family group record is the most universal means for recording information about parents and their descendants.
If you own a computer, you may prefer to record the information you find in an electronic database. There are many computer programs that allow you to do just that. One that is free of charge is Personal Ancestral File (PAF).
To download the latest version of this program, visit www.familysearch.org and follow these steps:
1. From the home page, click the Download PAF link located at the bottom of the screen.
2. Provide your name and e-mail address, and click Submit.
3. Follow the download instructions found on the screen.
Although PAF requires some computer experience, the program is not hard to learn. PAF includes numerous tutorials. For additional help, visit www.familysearch.org/eng/paf
Conclusion Finding the descendants of your ancestors can be rewarding. This approach to family history research will help you find hundreds of relatives you would have missed had you focused your research only on your ancestors. It might also provide the clues and information you need to get past dead ends in your search for ancestors. Descendancy research will help you locate living relatives you didn’t know about. You can collaborate with living relatives and share the workload with others. Learning about the children, grandchildren, and even the great-grandchildren of your ancestors gives you a more complete picture of your family.</div>
Related Content
George D. Durrant, "Branching Out on Your Family Tree," Ensign, April 2007, 44-47.
Category:United_States
Endnotes
1. Sam Lower, "Picking the Low-Hanging Fruit," Ensign, April 2007, 46. On the Internet with the article by George D. Durrant, "Branching Out on Your Family Tree," Ensign, April 2007, 44-47.
2. A Member's Guide to Temple and Family History Work: Ordinances and Covenants (Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1993), 14.