Difference between revisions of "GuidedResearch:Why Can't I Find the Record - Kentucky Births"

Revision as of 15:31, 8 December 2020

This page will give you additional guidance and resources to find birth information for your ancestor. Use this page after first completing the birth section of the Kentucky Guided Research page.

Additional Online Resources

[hide]

Additional Databases and Online Resources

1847-1911: Kentucky, Birth Records at Ancestry ($)
1911-2007: Kentucky Birth Records Index at Archives
1911-1999: Kentucky, Birth Index at Ancestry ($)

Substitute Records

[hide]

Additional Records with Birth Information

Substitute records may contain information about more than one event and are used when records for an event are not available. Records that are used to substitute for birth events may not have been created at the time of the birth. The accuracy of the record is contingent upon when the information was recorded. Search for information in multiple substitute records to confirm the accuracy of these records.

Use these substitute records to locate birth information about your ancestor:
Wiki Page	FamilySearch(FS) Collections	Why to search the records
Death Records	Kentucky Death Guided Research	Death records may include the birthdate or age of the deceased. With the age, a birthdate can be approximated. Click on the link to the left to return to the "Death" page.
Cemetery Records	See Wiki page	Gravestone inscriptions and cemetery records may include a birthdate.
Census Records	U.S. Census FS Collections	Census records from 1850 onward give ages of the recorded individuals, allowing researchers to calculate birth years.
Church Records	See Wiki page	Baptism records occasionally provide a birthdate. In addition, a death or burial record may include an age that can approximate a birthdate. To access church records, first determine the denomination.
Newspapers	See Wiki page	In addition to obituaries, newspapers publish notices of marriages, divorces, deaths, and funerals. In recent years, birth notices have also been published providing the names of the parents and sex of the child.
Obituaries	See Wiki page	Obituaries often include the birthdate and place of the deceased.
Military Records	Kentucky Military FS Collections	Post-Civil War records may include the date and place of birth.
Bible Records	See Wiki page	Family Bibles may include dates and places of birth for family members, however the accuracy of this information is contingent upon when the information was recorded.

Improve Searching

[hide]

Tips for finding births

Successfully finding birth records in online databases depends on a few key points. Try the following search suggestions:

Spelling variations. Your ancestor's name may be misspelled. Search with spelling variations for the first and last name of your ancestor.
Search parents. Search for the parents, if known, as the child's first name may not be on the birth record.
Search given name. Search by given name (leave out the last name) with the approximate date of birth.
Add information. For common names, add more information to narrow the search such as approximate birth date or parent's names if known.
Date range. Expand the date range of the search by 5 years.
Search state. Search using the state name only instead of by county.

Why the Record may not Exist

[hide]

Known Record Gaps

Records Start

Birth records begin in 1852 at the county level but registration was inconsistent.
1911 Statewide Registration.
1917 Compliance to Statewide Registration.

Records Published by FamilySearch
Collection coverage tables show the places and time periods of original records published by FamilySearch. For any FamilySearch collections you did not find your ancestor in, check the coverage table for gaps in the online collection. If the time period or location your ancestor lived in is missing from the collection, it may require searches in records found at original repository or finding substitute records for the event.

Kentucky Births and Christenings - FamilySearch Historical Records

Records Destroyed
The following counties had record loss. Click on the county for more information.

Online Map · What is Guided Research? · Recent Updates

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Dropdown|Page title=Kentucky Births - Why can't I find the record?}}
+{{GR logo}}
+{{Dropdown|Page title=Kentucky Births - What else you can try}}
 This page will give you additional guidance and resources to find birth information for your ancestor. Use this page after first completing the birth section of the [[GuidedResearch:Kentucky|Kentucky Guided Research]] page.
-__NOTOC__
+__NOTOC__<br>
+<br>
 {{Dropdown|    <!-- Define dropdown-->
-   Dropdown title=Additional records|
+   Dropdown title=Additional Online Resources||
    Dropdown text style=font-size:20px !important; color:#0B0BEC !important; text-decoration:underline !important; display:inline-block; font-weight:bold;|
 }}
-<br><br>
 === Additional Databases and Online Resources ===
-*'''1847-1911:''' [https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1213 Kentucky, Birth Records] - at Ancestry ($)
+*'''1847-1911:''' [https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1213 <u>'''Kentucky, Birth Records'''</u>] at Ancestry ($)
-*'''1911-2007:''' [http://www.archives.com/genealogy/records-kentucky-birth-index.html Kentucky Birth Records Index] - at Archives
+*'''1911-2007:''' [http://www.archives.com/genealogy/records-kentucky-birth-index.html <u>'''Kentucky Birth Records Index'''</u>] at Archives
-*'''1911-1999:''' [https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8788 Kentucky, Birth Index] - at Ancestry ($)
+*'''1911-1999:''' [https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8788 <u>'''Kentucky, Birth Index'''</u>] at Ancestry ($)
 <br><br>
 {{Dropdown end}}<br><br><br>
 {{Dropdown|    <!-- Define dropdown-->
-   Dropdown title=Substitute records|
+   Dropdown title=Substitute Records|
    Dropdown text style=font-size:20px !important; color:#0B0BEC !important; text-decoration:underline !important; display:inline-block; font-weight:bold;|
 }}
-==== Additional Records with Birth Information ====
+=== Additional Records with Birth Information ===
-Substitute records can contain information about more than one event, and are used when records for an event are not available. Because the substitute records may not be created at the time of the event, it may contain incorrect information. Search for as many substitute records as possible to corroborate information found in substitute records to help improve accuracy.
+Substitute records may contain information about more than one event and are used when records for an event are not available. Records that are used to substitute for birth events may not have been created at the time of the birth. The accuracy of the record is contingent upon when the information was recorded. Search for information in multiple substitute records to confirm the accuracy of these records.
 {| width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1"
 |-
@@ Line 30: / Line 32: @@
 | width="10%" | <center>[[Kentucky Vital Records|Death Records]]  </center>
 | width="15%" | <center><u>[[GuidedResearch:Kentucky|Kentucky Death Guided Research]]</u></center>
-| width="75%" | Go back to the Kentucky Guided Research page, and click on "Death". Death records may include the deceased individual's birthday or age at death is given, suggesting an approximate birthdate by subtracting the age from the death date.
+| width="75%" | Death records may include the birthdate or age of the deceased. With the age, a birthdate can be approximated. Click on the link to the left to return to the "Death" page.
 |-
 | width="10%" | <center>[[Kentucky Cemeteries|Cemetery Records]] </center>
 | width="15%" | <center>See Wiki page</center>
-| width="75%" | Tombstone inscriptions and records created when a deceased individual was interred in a cemetery.
+| width="75%" | Gravestone inscriptions and cemetery records may include a birthdate.
 |-
 | width="10%" | <center>[[Kentucky Census|Census Records]] </center>
-| width="15%" | <center><u>[https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&localeSubcountryName=Kentucky&collection_id=(1420441%201420440%201877095%201803765%201803955%201786457%201803958%201401638%201473181%202000219%201810731%201488411%201727033%201325221%201417683%201438024)&query=%2Brecord_country%3A%22United%20States%22%20%2Brecord_subcountry%3A%22United%20States%2CKentucky%22 U.S. Census FS Collections]</u></center>
+| width="15%" | <center><u>[https://www.familysearch.org/search/location/united-states-of-america/kentucky?recordType=3 U.S. Census FS Collections]</u></center>
-| width="75%" | Census records from 1830 onward give ages of the recorded individuals, allowing researchers to calculate birth years.
+| width="75%" | Census records from 1850 onward give ages of the recorded individuals, allowing researchers to calculate birth years.
 |-
 | width="10%" | <center>[[Kentucky Church Records|Church Records]] </center>
 | width="15%" | <center>See Wiki page</center>
-| width="75%" | Include baptism records, which occasionally give the individual's birthday. Also includes death and burial records, sometimes giving individual's age at death, allowing researchers to calculate approximate birth years. In order to access these records, researchers need to know the church their ancestor attended.
+| width="75%" | Baptism records occasionally provide a birthdate. In addition, a death or burial record may include an age that can approximate a birthdate. To access church records, first determine the denomination.
 |-
 | width="10%" | <center>[[Kentucky Newspapers|Newspapers]] </center>
 | width="15%" | <center>See Wiki page</center>
-| width="75%" | Contain obituaries. Before the 21st century, obituaries were mostly restricted to leading members of a community or for those who died in an unusual manner. While the majority of the population did not have their own obituaries, such records often give the individual's age at death, and sometimes include birth information.
+| width="75%" | In addition to obituaries, newspapers publish notices of marriages, divorces, deaths, and funerals. In recent years, birth notices have also been published providing the names of the parents and sex of the child.
 |-
 | width="10%" | <center>[[United States Obituaries|Obituaries]] </center>
-| width="15%" | <center><u>[https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&localeSubcountryName=Kentucky&collection_id=(2311973%202333694%202367299)&query=%2Brecord_country%3A%22United%20States%22%20%2Brecord_subcountry%3A%22United%20States%2CKentucky%22 Kentucky Obituary FS Collections]</u></center>
+| width="15%" | <center>See Wiki page</center>
-| width="75%" | Obituaries often include the birth date and place of the deceased.
+| width="75%" | Obituaries often include the birthdate and place of the deceased.
 |-
 | width="10%" | <center>[[Kentucky Military Records|Military Records]] </center>
-| width="15%" | <center><u>[https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&localeSubcountryName=Kentucky&collection_id=(1932371%201932398%201916017%201877095%201936545%201937233%201932377%201471019%201922519%201932387%201910717%201932383%201919699%201916249%201979427%201987567%201916228%201979390%201825347%201979425%201913388%202250054%201880762%202069831%202546162%201968530%202028680%201861144%202250027%202729264)&query=%2Brecord_country%3A%22United%20States%22%20%2Brecord_subcountry%3A%22United%20States%2CKentucky%22 Kentucky Military FS Collections]</u></center>
+| width="15%" | <center><u>[https://www.familysearch.org/search/location/united-states-of-america/kentucky?recordType=5 Kentucky Military FS Collections]</u></center>
-| width="75%" | May provide the age and/or birth date of the individuals who served in military positions.
+| width="75%" | Post-Civil War records may include the date and place of birth.
 |-
 | width="10%" | <center>[[United States Bible Records|Bible Records]] </center>
 | width="15%" | <center>See Wiki page</center>
-| width="75%" | May include dates of birth for family members.
+| width="75%" | Family Bibles may include dates and places of birth for family members, however the accuracy of this information is contingent upon when the information was recorded.
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 67: / Line 69: @@
 <br><br>
 {{Dropdown|    <!-- Define dropdown-->
-   Dropdown title=Improve searching|
+   Dropdown title=Improve Searching|
    Dropdown text style=font-size:20px !important; color:#0B0BEC !important; text-decoration:underline !important; display:inline-block; font-weight:bold;|
 }}
 === Tips for finding births ===
-Success with finding birth records in online databases depends on a few key points:
+Successfully finding birth records in online databases depends on a few key points. Try the following search suggestions:
-*Your ancestor's name may misspelled. Try the following search tactics:
+:*'''Spelling variations.''' Your ancestor's name may be misspelled. Search with spelling variations for the first and last name of your ancestor.
-:*Try searching for the parents if known. Sometimes a child's first name is not on the birth record.
+:*'''Search parents.''' Search for the parents, if known, as the child's first name may not be on the birth record.
-:*Try different spelling variations of the first and last name of your ancestor.
+:*'''Search given name.''' Search by given name (leave out the last name) with the approximate date of birth.
-:*Try a given name search (leave out the last names)
+:*'''Add information.''' For common names, add more information to narrow the search such as approximate birth date or parent's names if known.
-*Expand the date range of the search.
+:*'''Date range.''' Expand the date range of the search by 5 years.
-*Try searching with the state name only instead of by county.
+:*'''Search state.''' Search using the state name only instead of by county.
-*If your ancestor's name is common, try adding more information to narrow the search.
 <br>
 {{Dropdown end}}
 <br><br>
 {{Dropdown|    <!-- Define dropdown-->
-   Dropdown title=Why the record may not exist|
+   Dropdown title=Why the Record may not Exist|
    Dropdown text style=font-size:20px !important; color:#0B0BEC !important; text-decoration:underline !important; display:inline-block; font-weight:bold;|
 }}
 === Known Record Gaps ===
 '''Records Start'''<br>
-*Birth records begin in 1852 but registration was inconsistent.
+*Birth records begin in 1852 at the county level but registration was inconsistent.
+*'''1911''' Statewide Registration.
+*'''1917''' Compliance to Statewide Registration.
 <br>
-'''Records Published'''<br>
+'''Records Published by FamilySearch'''<br>
-Collection coverage tables show the places and time periods of original records published. Check the coverage table for the collections you searched which did not include your ancestor. Gaps in the online collection may require searches in other records or original birth records at an archive.
+Collection coverage tables show the places and time periods of original records published by FamilySearch. For any FamilySearch collections you did not find your ancestor in, check the coverage table for gaps in the online collection. If the time period or location your ancestor lived in is missing from the collection, it may require searches in records found at original repository or finding substitute records for the event.
 *[[Kentucky_Births_and_Christenings_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records)#Coverage_Table|Kentucky Births and Christenings (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]
-*[http://user.xmission.com/~jsvare/FR/KY_FRB.html County birth holdings, Kentucky]
 <br>
@@ Line 182: / Line 184: @@
 {{Dropdown end}}
+<br><br><br>
+{{GR Footer}}<br>
-<br><br>
+[[Category:Guided Research]][[Category:Kentucky, United States]][[Category:Guided Research United States]][[Category:Guided Research Kentucky, United States]]
-[[Category:Kentucky Vital Records]][[Category:Guided Research]]

Difference between revisions of "GuidedResearch:Why Can't I Find the Record - Kentucky Births"

Revision as of 15:31, 8 December 2020

Additional Databases and Online Resources

Additional Records with Birth Information

Tips for finding births

Known Record Gaps

Navigation menu

Personal tools

Namespaces

Variants

Views

More

Search Learning & How-To's

Research Wiki

Centers/Libraries

Give Feedback

Edit the Wiki

Tools