Nevada Research Tips and Strategies

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Purpose of Research Tips and Strategies Wiki Page

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

Nevada Research Strategies[edit | edit source]

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

Finding Nevada Birth, Marriage or Death Records[edit | edit source]

Finding Nevada Records[edit | edit source]

Nevada Statewide Databases[edit | edit source]

Nevada Research Process[edit | edit source]

Nevada Research Tips[edit | edit source]

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

Birth and Death information:

  • Statewide birth registration: Statewide registration of births began in 1911 and was generally complied with by 1920.[1]
  • Local registration: Some county records begin as early as 1887 and will be at the county recorder's office, or in some counties, the county health department.[2]
  • Access to records: See Nevada Vital Records for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in Nevada.


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 Nevada Substitute Records for more information.


Finding Parents:

  • Death records: State recorded deaths starting in 1911 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 Nevada Newspapers and Nevada Obituaries for more information.
  • Church records: Knowing the denomination of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See Nevada 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 Nevada 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 Nevada Research[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Nevada Research Outline. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1988, 17. (Accessed 20 Feb 2025). Online at: http://files.lib.byu.edu/family-history-library/research-outlines/US/Nevada.pdf BYU University - Provo]
  2. ↑ Nevada Research Outline. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1988, 17. (Accessed 20 Feb 2025). Online at: http://files.lib.byu.edu/family-history-library/research-outlines/US/Nevada.pdf BYU University - Provo]
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