Names of parents
An individual's parents' names can usually be found on any of the documents listed below. If you have the minimum information required to find one of these documents, select the name of that document. The items in the list are ordered from most to least important. If you do not have the minimum information required, read the paragraph below this list.
Try looking at gravestones and cemetery records for the children. They are likely places to find information about an individual's parents. For help locating cemeteries and cemetery records, see the topic Locating cemeteries and cemetery records.
Make sure to check photo albums, scrapbooks, diaries, and family Bibles at home. See the topic Finding information at home for more information. Also check for local histories. See the topic Finding previous research.
Finding parents' names with census records
Beginning in 1850, the census recorded the name of each individual in the family, as well as their relationship to the head of household. To find an individual's parents in a census record, you have to first locate the children in the census, and then read the names on the surrounding lines to find the parents.
To find out if your ancestor appears in an 1850 or later census, it's easiest to search databases online. Ancestry's census collections have both digitized and scanned copies of every US Census. Even if you don't find the exact name that you need in the index, it is worth it to start looking at all records for families with that surname in the state, as long as the surname isn't too common. For example, if you are looking for Roberto Zubilaga, but only find John Zubilaga and Gianni Zubilaga in the index, look at those records. Using this method, you may come across the family that you are looking for.
At many libraries you can find bound indexes for pre-1880 censuses. These indexes are organized by state and list individuals in alphabetical order by surname, so you don't need to know the county. Different indexes contain different information that will help you find the census record. Some just give you the county that the person lived in; others tell you more. You can find bound indexes at the National Archives and the National Archives regional centers , the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and branch Family History Centers , and many other libraries. Different locations have different indexes, so check more than one library if you don't find the index that you need. In addition, Soundex indexes are available, with some exceptions, for the years 1880 to 1920. For information about Soundex, see the topic Soundex: what it is and how to use it.
Once you locate your ancestor's name in an index, you will want to look at microfilm copies of the original census records. The original records will help you find the information you need and verify that you have found your ancestor, and not just someone with the same name. Pre-1930 census records are available at the National Archives and National Archives regional centers. Also check with your local public and genealogy libraries, because they may have census records or be part of an interlibrary loan system. In addition, your local Family History Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may either have census records or be able to get copies of them for you.
Access to post-1920 census records is restricted to immediate relatives and descendants. If the individual whose records you are searching for is still living, you must have their written permission to obtain a copy of the record. If the individual is deceased, you must have a certified death certificate. Write to: Bureau of the Census, P.O. Box 1545, Jeffersonville, IN 47131. They will send you a form that you must fill out and return with a fee.
You may also want to check the information contained in state and local censuses. Not all states and localities took their own censuses and the contents vary from state to state. However, sometimes the information is quite valuable. Ancestry has a selection of state census records online , and you can also contact libraries, state archives, and genealogy societies in the area where your ancestors lived. They should be able to tell you if any exist and where you might find them. The Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is another possible source.
Finding the minimum information for census records
To find an individual's parents' names in census records, you must at least know the individual's name, the state, and the county in which the individual lived when the census was taken. If you are using census records for 1870 or earlier, you can probably use an index that only requires the state and surname.
Get help finding some of the minimum information by selecting one of the following items:
Finding parents' names with vital records
An individual's birth certificate is the best place to look for parents' names. Birth certificates are available from either the county or the state where the birth took place, depending on the year of the birth. You may also find the names of both parents on death certificates and marriage certificates. In addition, if you have one of the parent's names, you could find the name of the other parent on a marriage or divorce record for the couple. Death, marriage, and divorce records are also available from either the county or the state where the event took place. To get the address where you must write to obtain any of these vital records, see the topic Resources by state.
When looking for marriage records, many people use computerized marriage records indexes to help them find the record that they need. Some libraries have computerized marriage records indexes.
Finding the minimum amount of information for vital records
To find an individual's parents' names on a birth, marriage, divorce, or death certificate, you must at least know the individual's full name for birth and death certificates, the full name of the groom and/or the maiden name of the bride for a marriage certificate, the name of either of the spouses for a divorce record, the approximate year of the event, and the state or county of the event, depending on when the event took place.
Get help finding some of the minimum information by selecting one of the following items:
Even if you don't have the minimum information required to find the original records, you're not completely out of luck. Indexes to vital records, such as death and marriage certificates have been made for some states and counties. These indexes provide you with the information you need to access the original record. Check with libraries and genealogy societies in the area -- they may know if any indexes exist for the records that you need.
Finding parents' names with newspapers
Wedding and engagement announcements often include an individual's parents names.
The directories listed below will help you find the current owners of old newspapers from the time and place when the wedding announcement was published. If the individual spoke a foreign language, check to see if there was a newspaper in that language, too. Once you have located the current owners, you can request to search the appropriate copies. The current owners should be able to direct you in your search.
- Ayer Directory of Newspapers and Periodicals, available at most community libraries.
- Winifred Gregory's American Newspaper, available at community and genealogical libraries
The Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) microfiche. The OCLC has a database of the U.S. Newspaper Program National Union List. You can access the OCLC at most university libraries and some community libraries.
Finding the minimum information for newspapers
To find an individual's parents' names in a wedding or engagement announcement, you must at least know the approximate date of the wedding, the full name of the groom and/or the maiden name of the bride, and the state and city or town where the marriage took place (or where the announcement was likely to have been published).
Get help finding some of the minimum information by selecting one of the following items:
Finding parents' names with the Social Security Death Index
To find an individual's parents' names on Social Security Death records, you must first find the individual in the Social Security Death Index. With the Social Security Death Index, you can get information regarding an individual's birth date, death date, Social Security number, state/county code of residence, last residence zip code, and the zip code where the death benefit lump sum payment was sent.
In addition, with a name, the Social Security number that you get from the Social Security Death Index, and $7, you can obtain a copy of the individual's original application for a Social Security card. This often contains much information of genealogical interest. Write to: Freedom of Information Officer, 4-H-8 Annex Bldg., 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21235.
You can search the SSDI online on Ancestry as well.
You also can access the Social Security Death Index in several other places. For example, many larger libraries have the Social Security Death Index on databases. In addition, you can use the index through the FamilySearch computer. This a computer system at the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Social Security Death Index is also available at the National Archives and some of the regional branches of the National Archives. Contact your local branch of the National Archives to find out whether or not they have the Social Security Death Index before you make a special trip. For addresses and phone numbers of the National Archives and each of the regional branches, see the topic National Archives.
Finding the minimum information for the Social Security Death Index
To find an individual's parents' names in the Social Security Death Index, you only need to know the individual's name.
Get help finding the minimum information for:
Finding parents' names with church records
You can usually find an individual's parents' names with their children's church baptism and christening records.
The books listed below can help you locate your ancestors' church records by telling you who currently has the records belonging to your ancestors' church. You can find these books in a public or genealogical library. Depending on the book that you use, you can look up either the name of your ancestors' church or the name of the clergyman and find out who currently has the records belonging to your ancestors' church. Of course, if you live close to your ancestors' church, you should go directly to the church and ask the staff for assistance in locating the records that you need.
- The Handbook of American Denominations, by Frank Mead
- The Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches and Reformed Churches , edited by the National Council of Churches
- List of Historical Records Survey Publications , by the Works Projects Administration
- State Historical Records Surveys , by the Works Projects Administration
Once you locate the records that belong to your ancestors' church, the current custodian of the records should be able to direct you in your search for the christening or baptism record that you need.
Another good place to look for both American and foreign church records is among the microfilm records at the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their church records are organized first by state, then county, and then town. Unless the town that you are searching for had very few churches, knowing a denomination will make your search easier.
Finding the minimum information for church records
To find an individual's parents' names in church baptism or christening records, you must at least know the individual's name, and either the name of the church where the ceremony was performed or the name of the clergyman that appears on the certificate.
Get help finding the minimum information for:
If you can find out the denomination of your ancestor's religion, you can try contacting all of the churches of that denomination in the area where you believe your ancestor lived. If they have records from the corresponding time period, they should be able to tell you whether or not your ancestor was a church member. If their records do not go back far enough, they may be able to tell you if any other churches of that denomination existed in the area at the time and where their records may be.
Finding parents' names with adoption records
If you know a child was adopted and you know his or her date of birth, you may be able to find the parents' names by contacting your local chapter of the Adoptee Liberty Movement Association (ALMA). They can direct you in your search for the biological parents.
For more information about ALMA and researching your biological roots, see the topic Finding adoptive information.
Finding the minimum information for adoption records
To find the parents of an adopted individual, you must at least know the individual's birthplace and birth surname.
For suggestions about finding the birthplace and birth surname for an adopted individual, contact your local chapter of the Adoptee Liberty Movement Association (ALMA). For more information about ALMA and researching your biological roots, see the topic Finding adoptive information.