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Hawaii Research Tips and Strategies

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Hawaii Wiki Topics
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Beginning Research
Record Types
Hawaii Background
Cultural Groups
Local Research Resources

Purpose of Research Tips and Strategies Wiki Page

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

Hawaii Research Strategies

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

Finding Indiana Birth, Marriage or Death Records

Finding Indiana Records

Indiana Statewide Databases

Indiana Research Process

Hawaii Research Tips

These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in Hawaii:

Birth and Death information:

  • Statewide registration: Statewide registration of births began in 1842 in Hawaii, but most records begin in 1896. Deaths began in 1849. Both had general compliance by 1929.
  • County regististration: Local government authorities and clergymen recorded some pre-1860 birth and death records.
  • Access to records: See Hawaii Vital Records for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in Hawaii.


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 Hawaii Substitute Records for more information.


Finding Parents:

  • Death records: Death records created by the county starting in 1882 may contain parents of the deceased. However, state recorded deaths required birth and parent information. Information is only as accurate as a grieving relative remembers.
  • Obituaries: Official obituaries can also include the names of parents and other family members. See Hawaii Newspapers and Hawaii Obituaries for more information.
  • Church records: Knowing the denominiation of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See Hawaii 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 Hawaii 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 Hawaii Research

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