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Step-by-Step Utah Research, 1900-Present

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Utah Gotoarrow.png Step-by-step research 1900--present


Step-by-step Utah
Research 1900--to the present

Table of Contents

1. Contact living relatives.
2. Online census records.
3. Births, marriages, and deaths online
4. Obituary and cemetery records online.
5. Military records online.
6. Immigration and naturalization records online.
7. Study clues.



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Some online records have restrictions, due to contractual agreements, allowing them to be used only at FamilySearch Centers or FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries. This pop-up warning has links to lists of addresses of the many affiliate libraries that are available throughout the world.

Subscription websites such as Ancestry.com, FindMyPast, and MyHeritage and many others offer complimentary service at these affiliate libraries and at most local libraries.

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Step 1. Find out everything possible from living relatives and their family records.

Every good genealogy project starts with finding all the clues that can be gathered from living relatives — both from their memories and from documents or memorabilia in their homes.

What are the best questions to ask?

In order to extend research, ask for names, dates, and places. Everything about who a relative was and when and where they lived is a clue to a new record search. For ideas, see :

What documents should be collected or copied?

Because these records cover names, dates, places, and relationships, they are a valuable source of clues. Look for them in your home, your parents' home, and ask living grandparents to check for them.

  • Announcements of births, weddings,
    and anniversaries
  • Baby and wedding books
  • Certificates
  • Deeds, and property records
  • Family Bibles
  • Family reunion notices and records
  • Fraternal or society records
  • Insurance policies
  • Journals and diaries
  • Letters and cards
  • Licenses (business, marriage,
    fishing, driving)
  • Naturalization documents
  • Newspaper clippings and obituaries
  • Medical records
  • Military service and pension documents
  • Occupational awards
  • Passports
  • Personal histories and biographies
  • Photograph albums
  • Printed Notices and Announcements
  • Programs (graduation, award ceremonies, funerals)
  • School records
  • Scrapbooks
  • Wills and trusts

Step 2. Find ancestors in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.

  • A census is a count and description of the population for a given date. A census took a "snapshot" of a family on a certain day.
  • For each person living in a household (depending on the year), their name, age, birthplace, relationship to head of household, place of birth for father and mother, citizenship status, year of immigration, mother of how many children and number of children living, native language, and whether they were a veteran of the military can be listed.
  • Searching for a family in census records every ten years can identify all the children in a family.
  • Searching in earlier census records to find someone as a child can identify parents.

Using clues to lead to census record searches.

In this obituary are clues to when and where to search in census records for Laura Swallow.
She was born in 1896 in Fillmore, Utah, to Charles and Isabel Swallow. She married Joseph Clifton Beckstrand in 1917.

  • The first step is look for her in the 1900 and 1910 censuses living with her parents.
  • Beginning with the 1920 census through the 1950 census, searching would include both Laura's parents and then Laura as the wife of Joseph Clifton Beckstrand.
  • Another goal would be to look for Joseph Clifton Beckstrand in the 1900 and 1910 censuses living with his parents.
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Look for ancestors in as many censuses as possible. Use the clues from each census for hints where to find families in both earlier and later census records.

For more information, see Utah Census and United States Census.


Step 3: Find birth, marriage, and death certificates for ancestors and their children.

States, counties, or (even towns in some states) recorded births, marriages, and deaths.

  • In addition to the child's name, birth date, and place of birth, a birth certificate may give the birthplaces of the parents, their ages, and occupations.
  • A marriage certificate might list the parents of the bride and groom.
  • A death certificate may give the person's birth date and place, parents' names and birthplaces, and spouse's name.


Using census clues to lead to a birth certificate.

Census information gives approximate birth years and probable birth places, and that information leads to finding important birth records. In addition to basic birth date and place, a birth certificate can give age, birthplace, occupation, etc. about the parents.

Using census clues to lead to a marriage certificate.

Finding marriage records can:

  • establish the full identity of the wife, with her maiden name and possible birth details.
  • find the names of the parents of the bride and groom.

Using census clues to lead to a death certificate.

Moving forward in time, older generations stop showing up in the census. That is a clue that they probably died in the last 10 years. The death certificate is important because of all the possible secondary data beyond just the date and place of death:

  • birth date and place of the deceased
  • maiden name of the wife
  • names of the deceased's parents
  • birth places of the deceased's parents.
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Some of the examples shown above are index entries. That means for each of them an actual, original, full certificate exists. It is highly advisable to order the original certificate. It will contain many details not given in the index. Instructions are given below on obtaining the original certificate.

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Gather as many birth, marriage, and death records as possible.

How to Find the Records

There are basically three ways to find these indexes or full original certificates:

Online databases, usually indexes, with some images

Also, see How to Find Utah Birth Records.

Also, see How to Find Utah Marriage Records.

Also, see How to Find Utah Death Records.

Records at the County Courthouse.

These records were originally created by county clerks, and then copies were sent to the state. County clerks can be willing to help find all the birth records for one family or perform other searches that the state would not do. To contact county clerks by e-mail or telephone, go to the Wiki article for each county. Links to the county Wiki articles are found at the end of this page or by clicking here: Utah Counties.

Order Certificates from Utah Vital Records Department.

Almost always the full original certificate will contain information not contained in the index. Although it costs money, consider sending for the full original certificates, particularly for direct line ancestors (grandparents, great-grandparents, etc).

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

Step 4: Try to find additional details about ancestors in obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records online.

Obituaries

Cemeteries

U.S. Social Security Death Index and Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

  • The U.S. Social Security program began in 1935 but most deaths recorded in the index happened after 1962.
  • The Social Security Death index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits.
  • You can search these records online at
  • If you find an ancestor in the SSDI index, you can order a copy of their original Social Security application (SS-5). If you can prove the individual has died (by sending an obituary or copy of their cemetery headstone), the application will also give the deceased's parents' names, if listed.

For more information, see Utah Obituaries and Utah Cemeteries.

Step 5: Search military records: World War I and World War II draft cards.

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Step 6: Look for church records online.

Church records function as vital records.

  • An infant christening or baptism record documents a birth.
  • Many, if not most, people are married in a church, and then a record is created by the minister.
  • Likewise, ministers presided over funerals, then creating a burial record, which documents a death.

Church records are particularly helpful prior to the advent of civil registration.

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Search for church records that can provide additional birth, marriage, and death information.


FamilySearch

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Dutch Reformed

Lutheran

Presbyterian

For help with church records kept in Utah, see Utah Church Records.
To search records by denomination, if you know your ancestors religion, go to Searching for Church Records by Denomination.

Step 7: Search for wills and probate packets.

  • County probate records include probate proceedings, petitions, affidavits, orders for sales, reports of sales, administrators' and executors' bonds, guardianship papers, wills, and letters of administration.
  • In a will book, usually just a transcription of the will is recorded. But all of these other records are kept in a probate packet.
  • Administrations are probate proceedings that handled an estate if no known will existed.


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Search these indexes and images for probate records.



Probate Information in County Wiki Articles

Each Utah county Research Wiki page lists additional probate sources, including where to write for records: Utah Counties

For more information, see Utah Probate Records and United States Probate Records.


Step 8: If any ancestor was an immigrant, search immigration and naturalization records online.

The census records may show that an ancestor was born in another country. It will be necessary to try to find the town or city they were born in to continue research in the country of origin. Searches of immigration records (usually passenger lists) and naturalization (citizenship) records would be the next step.


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Look for immigrant ancestors in shipping lists and citizenship sources.

Utah Immigration Records

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The usage of "Mormon" and "LDS" on this page is approved according to current policy.



Utah Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records

For more information, see Utah Emigration and Immigration and Utah Naturalization and Citizenship.

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