Family Tree Now Public Records: How to Search and Verify Family Information

Public records can place a person in a particular place and time. A birth certificate may identify parents. A marriage application may reveal a mother’s birth surname. A census can show an entire household, while a military file may preserve service dates and next-of-kin information.

These records are valuable, but “public” does not mean every document is instantly available to everyone. Access rules depend on the record, date, jurisdiction and relationship of the requester. Some indexes are free online. Some certified copies require identification, proof of eligibility and a fee. Others remain closed for a defined period.

What Counts as a Public Record?

A public record is generally created, received or maintained by a government body while conducting official business. The precise legal definition and public-access rules vary by jurisdiction.

Genealogists commonly use:

• Birth and death registrations
• Marriage licenses and applications
• Divorce indexes and case files
• Federal and state censuses
• Property deeds and tax lists
• Probate and estate files
• Court records
• Military service and pension files
• Immigration and naturalization records
• Voter registrations
• Coroner or cemetery records
• Government directories and licenses

Not every genealogy source is a public record. An obituary is usually a newspaper publication. A church baptism register is an institutional record. A user-created family tree is a private contribution. Each can be useful, but knowing who created the source helps you judge it correctly.

Start With the Place Where the Event Occurred

Records are normally filed according to jurisdiction. A person who lived in California but married in Nevada may have a Nevada marriage record. A death certificate is generally filed where the death occurred, not necessarily where the person was buried.

Before ordering anything, identify:

1. The type of event
2. The approximate date
3. The city, county, state or country
4. The government level likely responsible
5. Whether you need an informational or certified copy

In the United States, the federal government does not maintain one central file of all birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates. The CDC directs requesters to the state, territory or local office where the event occurred. County responsibilities also differ by state.

Use Indexes Before Ordering Certificates

An index is a finding aid. It may show a name, year, place and record number without displaying the full certificate.

Search indexes to:

• Confirm that a likely record exists
• Identify the correct jurisdiction
• Find a certificate or volume number
• Compare spelling variations
• Avoid ordering an unrelated record

An index can contain transcription errors and normally includes less information than the original. Whenever possible, review the record image or obtain an official copy before relying on a critical relationship.

How to Search Public Records by Name

Build a search profile before opening a database:

• Full name
• Alternate spellings
• Maiden or previous surnames
• Approximate event year
• Place of event
• Names of parents or spouse
• Occupation or military branch
• Addresses before and after the event

Search the narrowest reliable combination first. If nothing appears, widen the date range and remove one filter at a time. Try initials, nicknames and phonetic spellings.

If a search produces too many results, add a relative or county. Do not select a record only because the name matches.

Major Record Types and What They Can Tell You

Birth records

A birth certificate may show the child’s name, date and place of birth, parents’ names, their ages, birthplaces and residence. Later-created or amended certificates require special care because information may have changed.

Death records

A death certificate may include birth information, parents, spouse, occupation, address, cause of death and burial. The informant may not have known the deceased person’s early-life details, so compare them with records created earlier.

Marriage records

The most informative document is not always the decorative certificate. Applications, licenses, returns and church registers may identify parents, witnesses, previous marriages and residences.

Census records

Population censuses can place families together and provide ages, birthplaces, occupations, citizenship information and relationships. U.S. federal population schedules are restricted for 72 years; 1950 is the latest publicly available census.

Military records

Service files, draft cards, pension claims and casualty lists can reveal dates, units, physical descriptions, residences and relatives. Access to recent files may be restricted to the veteran, authorized representative or next of kin.

Probate records

Wills and estate files may list spouses, children, married daughters, grandchildren, creditors and property. A person who died without a will may still have an administration file.

Property records

Deeds establish ownership and transfers, not necessarily residence or kinship. Relationships stated in deeds can be valuable but should be compared with other evidence.

Informational Copies, Certified Copies and Index Entries

Choose the product that fits your purpose.

• Index entry: Useful for locating a record; usually not legal proof.
• Informational or genealogical copy: Often sufficient for family research; may be less expensive or carry a non-legal-use marking.
• Certified copy: Issued by an authorized office and commonly required for legal or administrative purposes.
• Record image: A scan or photograph of the original page; useful for reviewing handwriting and context.
• Transcript: Text copied from the original; easier to search but vulnerable to transcription mistakes.

Do not pay for certification if you only need genealogical information, unless the office offers no alternative. Conversely, a screenshot from an index may not satisfy a legal application.

Are Public Records Free?

Some Family Tree Now public records research can be completed free through national archives, state digital collections, libraries and local indexes. Fees may apply for:

• Certified certificates
• Staff research
• Copies and postage
• Subscription databases
• Court-file retrieval
• Records stored off-site
• Authentication or apostille services

“Free public records search” usually describes access to a search interface or index. It does not guarantee that every underlying document is free.

How to Evaluate a Public Record

Ask five questions:

1. Who created it?

A clerk recording an event has a different role from a descendant submitting an online tree.

2. When was it created?

A birth record created near the birth is generally stronger for birth details than a death certificate completed decades later.

3. Who supplied the information?

The informant may have firsthand knowledge of some facts and little knowledge of others.

4. Is it an original image or a transcript?

Review the image when possible. An indexer may misread handwriting.

5. Does it agree with independent evidence?

One record can be wrong. Look for a pattern across documents.

Record the Source, Not Just the Answer

A useful citation should let another person find the same record. Include:

• Person’s name as written
• Record type and date
• Jurisdiction or institution
• Collection title
• Volume, page, certificate or file number
• Repository or website
• Image number or stable URL when available
• Date accessed

Download only where permitted. Give files descriptive names and keep a backup separate from your main device.

Restrictions and Responsible Use

Access restrictions protect privacy, identity and sensitive circumstances. Recent birth and adoption records are often limited. Recent military and medical records may be protected. Court systems may remove certain personal identifiers from public view.

Do not attempt to bypass a restriction. Follow the office’s application process and provide only truthful information about your identity and relationship.

Do not use genealogy research for employment, credit, insurance or tenant decisions. Those uses can trigger consumer-reporting and anti-discrimination requirements that an ordinary family-history search is not designed to meet.

Fixing Errors in Compiled Public-Record Profiles

A third-party profile can contain correct source data but attach it to the wrong person. If your information is displayed inaccurately:

1. Save the profile URL and screenshots.
2. Identify which details belong to you and which do not.
3. Use the site’s correction, privacy or opt-out procedure.
4. Complete any email verification.
5. Keep confirmation records.
6. Recheck after the stated processing period.

Removing a compiled profile does not amend the original government record. To correct an official certificate, contact the issuing office and follow its amendment rules.

Common Public-Record Research Mistakes

• Searching the place of residence instead of the place of event
• Treating an index as the complete record
• Ignoring county and city offices
• Assuming every record is open to everyone
• Accepting a common-name match without relatives or dates
• Copying an online transcript without checking the image
• Failing to note contradictory evidence
• Purchasing a certified copy when an informational copy would work
• Using a people-search compilation as an official source

Frequently Asked Questions

Reliable Starting Points

For U.S. research, consult the National Archives, the CDC directory for state and territorial vital-record offices, state archives and the relevant county or city office.

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