Researching my family history, what other records can I try to get?

Question

I love birth, marriage and death certificates, i also have army records and 1 will, but I would love school and medical records which I know I cannot get.

are there any other records I am ALLOWED to have?

Answer 1

http://rwguide.rootsweb.ancestry.com/

Here is a list of some common sources of information.  A tombstone is a record, so is a photo, if labeled.  A ring from a fraternity would even be a "record".

OVERALL, the best framework to use is the census, because it tries to list everyone. I am not sure where you are.. the US is available from 1790 to 1930, while UK only is open through 1901.  The trick is that you follow where the people were, then zoom in on the locality and what it could have.  

Again, overall.. birth/death certificates are "recent".  Just for a general thing.. those are ABOUT 1900 forward.  Census covers much of the 1800s.  Before the census, your main source is court records or churches.

Don't forget books.  Around 1876, many counties wrote histories, to honor 100 yrs of independence. They tend to include local persons.. keep in mind, the family often wrote it, and always hoped to sound good.

The trick is that records are MOSTLY confidential for living persons. Once you get past the live people.. records open up to being historical.  1/2 the fun is "WHERE can I find a record about him/her?" The challenge of the game.  It won't all be online.  

Answer 2

I use birth, death, marriage, Bible, cemetery/funeral home and obits. I also check local papers during that time to see if there was an article written on them.

It depends on how long ago and what relationship you are if you can get their medical records. I was able to get my father's from the military as well as my mom's from her dr's office. It just depends too on the office.

Anything that is public record you can obtain or lets say you should be able to obtain.

Answer 3

You might want to try collecting cemetery and funeral home records.  My great grandmother died in 1939 and I have her funeral home records.  They are so complete that they have the car line up for the procession and who was riding in each one!!   It's one of the coolest funeral home record I've seen.  These records also sometimes mention their parents and what they wore at their funeral and how their hair was done!  Sometimes they mention what songs were played as well. Every funeral home has a different type of record, so know that you will get different information with each funeral home you write to.    I have gotten a lot of funeral home records and they are normally very cheap to get. Many times,  just a request and a self addressed stamped envelope is all you need.  To find out what funeral home to write to, look at the death certificate or sometimes even the obituary will have that information. When a funeral home goes out of business, they are usually bought up by another or they donate their records to the local lirary or historical society.  

Answer 4

Here  are some of the websites I use for my research I have been doing my family history for over 20 years.  

http://www.ancestry.co.uk/

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

http://search.labs.familysearch.org/reco...

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default....

School records may be kept at the Local Records Office ask at your library where the main records office for your area is, I know the main library in my city actually has a section where they have local history records , such as church registers etc.   Some Countys have one big Record Office which holds them.  

Have a look on the internet for the area you live in and you should find a good lot of info. Medical records again would only probably be in a place like that if they had been donated by the hospital.

Try Genuki  if you live in the UK as there is a real good amount of info on that site as to where you might find assorted records.  

Don't forget to ask your family as well maybe your eldest living relative has the family certificates in an attic somewhere, don't leave it too late I have on many an occassion.   Have fun and happy hunting

Answer 5

If your researching in the UK you can try for Removal Orders and Indenture Papers at the appropriate County RO,  

Answer 6

I know you can have Census Records from the year. I traced my familt back to 1745!!