Missouri Genealogy Queries

If you are planning or are in the process of working on a family ancestry project, you may already realize the usefulness of Missouri genealogy queries. These types of family history projects can be very rewarding. However, they can also be frustrating if you are unfamiliar with how it all works.

The most important things you can learn is what types of resources are available and what types of data you can expect to find. Putting all the pieces in place for your genealogy records does not have to be difficult, as long as you know a little about how to do the research and what can be of great help to your project efforts.

Missouri Genealogy Queries Where to Begin

Depending on which area you are looking for within the state, is what will determine what records you can find and from what dates. Vital records are important to your genealogy research. These records mark important moments in an individual's life that require documentation. Missouri vital records include things like birth records, marriage records and death certificates.

The dates for what records you can obtain, vary. Through one source, Missouri marriage records could only be found from the year 1948 until present. Yet, through the same resource, birth records from as early as 1910 could be tracked down. For both Missouri birth records and death records, in fact, you can possibly find plenty before 1910, depending on the source you use.

Where Should You Look?

More than likely, you will be conducting research for your Missouri genealogy queries by using both online and offline resources. If you can do the majority of your research and retrieval online, you will save yourself a good deal of time and effort. Online, you can access databases that have vital records, along with census reports, cemetery listings, obituaries, military records and immigration and naturalization, just to name a few. Some are free, while some sites charge a fee.

Offline, for your Missouri genealogy queries, you can use other resources to obtain vital records. For anything prior to 1909, you will, more than likely, need to contact the county clerk's offices. Although, you should be aware of the fact that, there are not many records for the state prior to 1910. For most other records, you can generally locate these from the Health Department.

Other Possible Methods

Of course, while conducting your Missouri genealogy queries, you can use other documents, as well. This can include divorce decrees and marriage records. Missouri divorce records can be found through the Clerk of the Circuit Court, while marriage records can be tracked down from the Recorder of Deeds. You can, as mentioned before, also use the service of an expert in the field to locate certain documents, data or details. Or, try to find connects a person may have had with certain groups or organizations and try searching through those databases. If you are organized and have a good plan in place, in addition to using some of these techniques, you are bound to have good results from your Missouri genealogy queries.