Searching for Your Family in FamilySearch.org

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Searching for Your Family in FamilySearch.org

• International Genealogical Index (IGI)
• Ancestral File
• Census
• Pedigree Resource File
• Social Security Death Index
• Vital Records Death Index

Created by Joyce A. Brannan, Technical Services
Librarian, Julia Tutwiler Library, University of
West Alabama, Livingston, Alabama. 8/20/2004
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This is the home page for Family Search. Select
Sign On.
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Signing on is NOT necessary to use the web site.
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You create your own user name and password. Keep
them simple. Only members who have registered
with their membership information are able to
view ordinance data.
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This is the home page for Family Search. Select
Search for Ancestors.
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This is the basic search screen. All resources
will be searched. The only required field is
the surname. There are tips for searching. I am
signed in.
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We may want to enter more search terms. There
are 540 hits. The right sidebar links to the
hits by source.
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This is one feature I do NOT like. I dont want
all the Hollands in the US I only want one
state!
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We still have 327 hits. Select IGI/North America.
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There are 3694 IGI hits in Alabama for the name
Holland. Each IGI record may contain more than
one name.
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I have started a different search using a name
for which I know the results.
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Scroll down to number 34 under IGI.
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The individual record for a marriage sealing.
Ordinance data is only available to members who
have registered their membership information.
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This how the screen will look if you have not
signed on. You can click on several different
places for additional information.
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This is a family group record for Hezekiah and
Sarah. I have no idea who sent this in. It only
shows one child. They actually had four.
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This is the most serious drawback using the IGI
as a source. Too many people have sent the same
names in and frequently do so with incomplete
information. As a research tool, the IGI should
be considered a simple road map drawn by someone
to help you get started. It should not be
considered a valid research source.
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Under Ancestral File, select number 1.
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This is Hezekiah C. Adams, the son of Hezekiah
and Sarah. It contains more complete
information. Ancestral File records usually
contain more information than IGI records.
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The family group record for Hezekiah and Sarah.
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And all their children.
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The pedigree chart for Hezekiah.
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And on the mothers side. You can select any
individual from this screen to go to his
individual record.
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Some Ancestral File records will contain the name
and addresses of the submitters. For some
reason, my name has been removed.
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Go back to the results list for Hezekiah Adams.
There is some census information available.
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Information is extracted from the census record.
You can click on household.
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Hezekiah and Sarahs children.
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A new search. Remember, many records for women
will use their maiden names.
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I had exact spelling turned off. This is
recommended. Select pedigree resource file.
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Select number 7.
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This is minimal information. Information on the
compact discs are available at Family History
Centers only. Submitter information is provided.
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240 Joyce Adamses have died since the beginning
of social security. However, if someone was
looking for me, social security does not use a
womans maiden name. It uses the name that the
person died under. (They would also have to wait
a few years. This is a death index.) Select
number 236.
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Minimal information is available. If a survivor
applies for the death benefit, a zip code will be
shown.
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More information may be available by contacting
the Social Security office.
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Go back to the Search for Ancestors page. Each
resource can be searched individually.
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Select Vital Records Index.
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Vital Record Indexes are only available for a few
countries.
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One last search. I am searching all resources
with just a last name.
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The record says All sources 631. This is the
number showing on this page.
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Scroll down to numbers 25 and 26. Notice it says
Ancestral File over 25. If I select that . .
.
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I get a web page with 165 names. Abel Adams is
early in the alphabet so I can assume that there
are a lot of Adams. I would want to refine this
search.
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Go back to the results list of Adamses and scroll
down to number 607. At the end of each All
Records search there will be web sites. This is
not a comprehensive listing of all existing web
sites for your name.
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You do not know what these pages might contain.
Usually the information will be of some use.
Number 626 has an unusual number of pop-ups.
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After I close the 16 pop-ups, I get a page worth
looking at.
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We have seen this woman on several screens. Make
use of the helps.
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This has been a brief overview of some of the
features of the Family Search provided by the
Family History Library in Salt Lake City,
Utah. For information about their research
guidance, education, publications, and library
catalog, see the presentation, The Family
History Library System.