Maryland Research Tips and Strategies

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Maryland

Research Tips and Strategies

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

Maryland Research Strategies

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

Finding Maryland Birth, Marriage or Death Records

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

Finding Maryland Records

• Maryland Record Finder

Maryland Statewide Databases

• Maryland Online Genealogy Records

Maryland Research Process

• Maryland Record Finder
• Step-by-Step Maryland Research, 1880-Present
• Step-by-Step Maryland Research, 1850-1910
• Maryland Descendancy Research
• How to Find Birth Records
• How to Find Marriage Records
• How to Find Death Records

Maryland Research Tips

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

Birth and Death information:

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• Statewide registration: The state began registering births and deaths in 1898 (Baltimore began in 1875), with full compliance by the 1910s.
• Local registration: A few counties recorded births and deaths before 1720 in the county land records. From 1865 to 1899 some county clerks and the Secretary of the Senate maintained birth and death records. These records are incomplete, and the exact dates of the records vary from county to county.
• Access to records: See Maryland Vital Records for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in Maryland.

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 Maryland Substitute Records for more information.

Finding Parents:

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• Death records: Early death records may contain parents of the deceased. However, state recorded deaths starting in 1898 required 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 Maryland Newspapers and Maryland Obituaries for more information.
• Church records: Knowing the denomination of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See Maryland 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 Maryland 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.

• Birth information: All counties in Maryland began recording births in 1898, although full compliance did not happen until about 1910. A helpful substitute record to find birth information is a death record. However, date and place of birth on a death record is considered secondary information, as it was not recorded at the time of the birth event. The birth information should be corroborated with other substitute records to improve accuracy.
• Finding Parents: All counties in Maryland began recording deaths in 1898, although greater compliance did not happen until after 1914. They often will list the parents of the deceased and their birth information. Search Maryland death records
• 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. Search U.S. Censuses.

Further Maryland Research

• Maryland Family History Library Research Outline
• MDGenWeb - Maryland GenWeb Project
• Cyndi's List – Maryland genealogy websites
• Maryland Genealogy Trails – Collection of transcribed data for the state of Maryland
• Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness – State of Maryland Records Guide