United States

1. In the State list (just below the Statue of Liberty picture above), access the State page you are interested in. Each State page has Goals and Choices, similar to other Projects in The Family History Guide.
2. In each State page, you can access a county of interest in the County list at the top (such as AL Counties).
3. Resources: Read this article for an overview on doing state-by-state research.
   
   AR—Using State Resources for Genealogy - 2011


4. Learn about techniques for doing research in any U.S. state.
   
   GC—Steps For Genealogy Research In Any State


5. Find free resources for research in all 50 states.
   
   FHD—Free Genealogy Research Sites for Every Single U.S. State - 2020


6. Explore the U.S. Genealogy Records links on the LDSGenealogy.com site (non-denominational).

Exercises

1. Learn about U.S. research in the Midwest region.
   
   • FS—History and Background—7:46 - 2018
   • FS—Migration—3:02
   • FS—Church Records—5:14
   • FS—Census Records—4:56
   • FS—Land Records—2:35
   • FS—Military Records—1:29


2. Learn about Great Plains research.
   
   • FS—History and Background—4:24 - 2018
   • FS—Migration—5:20 - 2018
   • FS—Church Records—5:30 - 2018
   • FS—State and Territorial Census Records—9:20 - 2018
   • FS—Land Records—6:32 - 2018
   • FS—Military Records—2:27 - 2018
   • FS—Additional Records—2:22 - 2018
   • FS—Finding the Records—3:23 - 2018


3. Learn how to trace immigrant ancestors to the Midwest .
   
   PR—Useful Sources for Tracing the Origins of US Midwest Immigrants


4. See also the U.S. state pages for Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
5. Explore resources at the Mid-Continent Public Library / Midwest Genealogy Center in Missouri.
6. Facebook: Explore the Regional Facebook page for the Midwest Genealogy Research Community.
7. Books We Own: Explore the Books We Own site for books that can be checked out or researched for you by others.
8. FamilySearch Community: Explore the FamilySearch community for help with Midwest research.

Exercises

New England

See also the section on Colonial research in Goal D3, Choice A, and the U.S. state pages for Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

1. Introduction: Learn about U.S. research in the New England region.
   
   • FS—History and Background—25:28 - 2018
   • FS—State-Specific Records—24:44 - 2018


2. Watch the video for tips on Northern New England research.
   
   AA—Northern New England Resources at American Ancestors—64:21
   
   
   


3. Here are additional resources for New England research.
   
   GC—New England Primer
   AA—Basics of New England Research—68:32   
   • Historical context
   • Colonial research
   • Key records
   • Repositories
   
   
   
   
4. Learn about Boston vital records.
   
   FS—Boston Records and Resources—63:26 - 2020   
   • Church records
       Vital Records
       Deeds
       Cemeteries
       City Directories
       Voting Lists
     
   
   
   
   


5. 17th-Century: Explore 17th-century research in New England.
   
   RT—Top 10 Published Resources for Early New England Research—20:19 - 2021   
   • What Makes a Top Resource
   • Our Top 10
   • Genealogist's handbook for New England Research
   • Mayflower Families
   • New England Marriages prior to 1700
   • Great Migration Study Project
   
   
   
   
   AA—Find Your 17th-c. New England Ancestors with NEHGS—63:35 - 2014
   
   
   



6. Books We Own: Explore the Books We Own site for books that can be checked out or researched for you by others.
7. Facebook: Explore the Regional Facebook page for the Northeast Genealogy Research Community.
8. FamilySearch Community: Explore the FamilySearch community for help with New England research.

New England: Military Records

1. Learn about minor wars in New England.
   
   FS—New England Military Records: Minor Wars—4:50 - 2018


2. Learn about Revolutionary War records in New England.
   
   FS—New England Military Records: Revolutionary War—19:27 - 2018

New England: Probate, Land, and Tax Records

1. Get an introduction to probate, land, and tax records in New England.
   
   FS—New England Probate, Land, and Tax Records: Background Information—3:08 - 2018


2. Probate: Learn about New England probate records.
   
   FS—New England Probate, Land, and Tax Records: Probate Records—13:08 - 2018


3. Learn more about probate records from the 17th to 20th centuries.
   
   RT—Using New England Probate Records -17th to 20th century—23:01 - 2022   
   • Why Use Probate Records?
   • Various types of wills
   • Various types of probate cases
   • Connecticut probates
   • Maine probates
   • Massachusetts probates
   • New Hampshire probates
   • Rhode Island probates
   • Vermont probates
   
   
   
   


4. Learn how to search for New England probate records on the American Ancestors site.
   
   AA—How to Search New England Probate Databases—3:18
   
   
   


5. Land: Learn about New England land records.
   
   FS—New England Probate, Land, and Tax Records: Land Records—13:52 - 2018


6. Tax: Learn about New England tax records.
   
   FS—New England Probate, Land, and Tax Records: Tax Records—6:18 - 2018

New England: Maps and Gazetteers

1. Explore the 1829 New England Gazetteer for town and location information.
2. Explore the 1839 New England Gazetteer for town and location information.

Mid-Atlantic

See also the U.S. state pages for Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York.

1. Learn about Mid-Atlantic research.
   
   FS—Mid-Atlantic States Overview—85:46 - 2016
   
   • FS—United States Research: Mid-Atlantic Region - Historical Background—8:40 - 2018
   • FS—United States Research: Mid-Atlantic Region - Census—6:55 - 2018
   • FS—United States Research: Mid-Atlantic Region - Vital Records—5:48 - 2018
   • FS—United States Research: Mid-Atlantic Region - Church Records—8:42 - 2018
   • FS—United States Research: Mid-Atlantic Region - Land Records—10:09 - 2018
   • FS—United States Research: Mid-Atlantic Region - Probate Records—6:59 - 2018
   • FS—United States Research: Mid-Atlantic Region - Newspapers—10:09 - 2018


2. Check out the FamilySearch Community Group for Atlantic States Research.

Exercises

Mid-South

See also the U.S. state pages for Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

1. Learn about U.S. research in the Mid-South region.
   
   • FS—History and Background—8:43 - 2018
   • FS—Land Records—6:33 - 2018
   • FS—Probate Records—5:14 - 2018
   • FS—Tax Records—2:58 - 2018
   • FS—Church Records—3:34 - 2018
   • FS—Court Records—1:44 - 2018
   • FS—Confederate Records—2:31 - 2018
   • FS—Additional Records—4:07 - 2018
   • FS—United States Research: Mid-South Region—61:56 - 2018


2. Learn about research in colonial Virginia and North Carolina.
   
   RT—Tarheels: Genealogy in Colonial Virginia and the North Carolinian Back Country—21:08 - 2022   
   • What is Tarheel country?
   • Resources
   • Counties change
   • What can location tell us?
   • History without records/unspecific history
   • Additional resources
   • Summary
   
   
   
   
3. Learn more about southern colonial research.
   
   FL—Southern Colonial Research: Maps and the Law - 2022


4. Tips: Learn about key records for Southern and Mid-Atlantic research.
   
   LT—The Key Records You Need for Southern U.S. & Mid-Atlantic Genealogy


5. Learn more about research in Southern states.
   
   LT—Genealogy Research in the Southern United States
   
   BYU—Proving Relationships with Vital Records—53:33 - 2023
   
   
   


6. Try these research strategies for working in the Southern states.
   
   RT—Research Strategies in the Southern United States, Part 1 of 2—24:19 - 2021   
   • Challenges
   • Migration patterns
   • Burned counties
   • What records are available?
   • FS Research Wiki
   • FAN club
   • Case of Joel Franklin
   
   
   
   RT—Research Strategies in the Southern United States, Part 2 of 2—27:16 - 2021
   
   
   

Gulf Coast

See also the U.S. state pages for Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

1. Gulf Coast: Learn about U.S. research in the Gulf Coast region.
   
   • FS—History and Background—8:31 - 2018
   • FS—Land Records—5:16 - 2018
   • FS—Probate Records—3:36 - 2018
   • FS—Tax Records—2:38 - 2018
   • FS—Church Records—3:13 - 2018
   • FS—Court Records—1:32 - 2018
   • FS—Confederate Records—2:18 - 2018

Resources

1. Check out the FamilySearch Community Group for Southern States Research.
2. Facebook: Explore the Regional Facebook page for the Southern Genealogy Research Community.
3. Books We Own: Explore the Books We Own site for books that can be checked out or researched for you by others.

Exercises
• * Proficient: Using the articles and videos in this Choice, write down key learnings for both of the following topics: resources for Souther state research, and Southern state research strategies. Then use the learnings for record searches for U.S. ancestors in the Southern states.

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West Coast/Pacific

See also the U.S. state pages for Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington.

1. Learn about West Coast Resources in this Ancestry article.
   
   AC—West Coast Resources - 2016


2. Learn about U.S. research in the Pacific States region.
   
   FS—History and Background—6:32 - 2018
   FS—What Next?—5:22 - 2018


3. Learn about U.S. research in the Pacific states.
   
   • FS—United States Research: Pacific States Region - History and Background—6:32 - 2018
   • FS—United States Research: Pacific States Region - Alaska—3:55 - 2018
   • FS—United States Research: Pacific States Region - California—8:27 - 2018
   • FS—United States Research: Pacific States Region - Hawaii—3:38 - 2018
   • FS—United States Research: Pacific States Region - Oregon—4:27 - 2018
   • FS—United States Research: Pacific States Region - Washington—4:25 - 2018

Mountain West

See also the U.S. state pages for Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

1. Learn about U.S. research in the Mountain West region.
   
   • FS—Boundary Changes—5:02 - 2018
   • FS—Border Crossings—5:08 - 2018
   • FS—Vital Records—6:24 - 2018
   • FS—Census—1:56 - 2018
   • FS—Voting Records—2:03 - 2018
   • FS—Land Records—6:24 - 2018
   • FS—Native Americans—1:17 - 2018
   • FS—Military—4:59 - 2018
   • FS—Internet Sites—9:05 - 2018
   • FS—Now What?—3:30 - 2018


2. Learn about additional resources for Mountain West research.
   
   FS—Mountain West States—82:34 - 2016


3. Read this blog article to get started with Southwest research.
   
   FL—Southwestern United States Research: Key Records and Repositories Part 1 – Understanding Federal, State, and Local Records - 2024


4. Learn more about church and cemetery records in the Southwest.
   
   FL—Southwestern United States Research: Key Records and Repositories Part 2 – Church and Cemetery Records Unique to the Southwest - 2024


5. Learn more about land and property records in the Southwest.
   
   FL—Southwestern United States Research: Key Records and Repositories Part 3 – Land and Property Records, Including Spanish Land Grants - 2024


6. Check out the FamilySearch Community Group for Western United States Research.
7. Facebook: Explore the Regional Facebook page for the USA—West Genealogy Research Community.
8. Books We Own: Explore the Books We Own site for books that can be checked out or researched for you by others.

Exercises