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Kentucky Research Tips and Strategies

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Kentucky Wiki Topics
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Purpose of Research Tips and Strategies Wiki Page

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

Kentucky Research Strategies

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

Finding Kentucky Birth, Marriage or Death Records

Finding Kentucky Records

Kentucky Statewide Databases

Kentucky Research Process

Kentucky Research Tips

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

Birth and Death information:

  • Statewide registration: The state began registering births and deaths in 1911, with full compliance between 1917-1920.[1]
  • Local registration: Counties were required by law to record birth and death records as early as 1852. The law was repealed in 1862, with a new attempt from 1874-1879. Again, another attempt from 1892 to 1910 with sporadic registration by the public.[2]
  • Access to records: See Kentucky Vital Records for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in Kentucky.


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 verify information.
  • List of substitute records: See Kentucky Substitute Records for more information.


Finding Parents:

  • Death records: Deaths were recorded as early as 1852, but information was limited. However, death records created by the state starting in 1911 required information on parents of the deceased. 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 Kentucky Newspapers and Kentucky Obituaries for more information.
  • Church records: Knowing the denomination of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky Research

References

  1. ↑ Kentucky Research Outline. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1988, 2000, 36. (Accessed 19 Feb 2025). Online at: BYU University - Provo
  2. ↑ Kentucky Research Outline. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1988, 2000, 36. (Accessed 19 Feb 2025). Online at: BYU University - Provo
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