Iowa Research Tips and Strategies
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Contents
Iowa Research Strategies[edit | edit source]
Below are links to different research strategy pages to help you locate your ancestors in Iowa
- Iowa Online Genealogy Records
- How to find Iowa Birth Records
- How to find Iowa Marriage Records
- How to find Iowa Death Records
Iowa Research Tips[edit | edit source]
These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in Iowa.
- Birth information: Statewide registration of births began in July 1, 1880 in Iowa and was generally complied with by 1924. TA helpful substitute record to find birth information is a death record. However, date and place of birth on a death record is considered secondary information, as it was not recorded at the time of the birth event. The birth information should be corroborated with other substitute records to improve accuracy.
- Finding Parents: Statewide registration of deaths began in 1899 in Iowa; however, general compliance did not begin until 1917. They often will list the parents of the deceased and their birth information. Search Iowa death records
- Look in all censuses: Always look for your ancestor in every possible census. There are clues regarding immigration, naturalization, and occupation that can lead to other records. Sometimes parents can be found living with their children later in life. Search U.S. Censuses.
Iowa Record Finder[edit | edit source]
This Record Finder is designed to help you determine the best record to search for the type of information you are looking for. It is most helpful for post-1850 research.
| 1. What you are looking for: | 2. Try these records first: | 3. Other useful records |
| Birth information | Birth records, Death records, Obituaries, Church records | Cemeteries, Naturalization and Citizenship, Bible records, Military records (pension) |
| Marriage information | Marriage records, Obituaries, Bible records | Church records, Probate records, Military records |
| Death information | Death Records, Cemeteries, Obituaries | Probate Records, Church Records, Bible Records |
| Parents | Birth records, Death records, Obituaries, Census, Church records | Biography, Genealogy |
| Maiden name | Marriage Records, Obituaries, Probate records | Church Records, Military Records (pension) |
| Immigration date | Emigration and Immigration, Naturalization and Citizenship, Census | Obituaries, Biography, History |
| Naturalization | Naturalization and Citizenship, Census, Court Records | Voting Registers, Biography, Periodicals |
| Physical description | Military Records, Naturalization and Citizenship (after 1906) | Biography, History |
To look for more Iowa records, go here
Further Iowa Research[edit | edit source]
For more research on Iowa, including research at the county level, visit the Iowa page on the Research Wiki.
Search all of the Iowa record collections at FamilySearch.
Marieta A. Grissom. Genealogical Research in Iowa. National Genealogical Society Quarterly 102 # 4 (December 2014): 263-306. FHL 973 B2ng
To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.
