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Indiana Research Tips and Strategies

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

Purpose of Research Tips and Strategies Wiki Page

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

Indiana Research Strategies

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

Finding Indiana Birth, Marriage or Death Records

Finding Indiana Records

Indiana Statewide Databases

Indiana Research Process


Indiana Research Tips

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

Birth and Death information:

  • Statewide registration: The state began registering births in 1907 and deaths in 1900, with full compliance by 1920.
  • County regististration: County health office began recording birth and death records in 1882 until the state board took over in 1907 and 1900 respectively.
  • Access to records: See Indiana Vital Records for more information about birth, marriages, and deaths in Indiana.


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 Indiana 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 Indiana Newspapers and Indiana Obituaries for more information.
  • Church records: Knowing the denominiation of the church the family belonged to helps in locating information about the parents. See Indiana 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 Indiana 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 Indiana Research

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