North Dakota Research Tips and Strategies

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North Dakota

Research Tips and Strategies

North Dakota Research Strategies

Below are links to different research strategy pages to help you locate your ancestors in North Dakota

• North Dakota Online Genealogy Records
• How to find North Dakota Birth Records
• How to find North Dakota Marriage Records
• How to find North Dakota Death Records

North Dakota Research Tips

These tips will help you as you research your ancestors in North Dakota.

• Birth information: In 1893 a state law was enacted requiring registration of births. This law was repealed in 1895 and then reenacted in 1899. A 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: In 1893 a state law was enacted requiring registration of deaths. This law was repealed in 1895 and then reenacted in 1899. They often will list the parents of the deceased and their birth information. Search North Dakota 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.

North Dakota Record Finder

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

Further North Dakota Research

For more research on North Dakota, including research at the county level, visit the North Dakota page on the Research Wiki.

Search all of the North Dakota record collections at FamilySearch.