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Pennsylvania ( PA ) Genealogy Research Guide

1. Begin by recording what you know about your family tree. Start with yourself, and enter as much information as you know. You can build a FREE Family Tree Online You can also find free genealogy software and printable family trees at Genealogy Freebies to help record your information.
   
   
2. Vital records — birth, marriage and divorce, and death — are the foundations of genealogical research. Genealogy records at Ancestry.com will also provide additional clues.
   
   
3. Write to:
   
   Division of Vital Records
   State Department of Health
   Central Building
   101 South Mercer Street
   P.O. Box 1528
   New Castle, PA 16103
   (724) 656-3100
   Birth (since 1906) $4.00; Death (since 1906) $3.00
   Marriage: Marriage License Clerks, County Court House, in county where license was issued. Cost varies
   Divorce: Prothonotary, Court House, in county seat of county where divorce was granted. Cost varies.
   
   
4. Use the Ancestor Search directory of hundreds of searchable genealogy databases that can help fill in the blanks on your family tree. Be aware that not all genealogy information is available online. If your names are not found in an online database, you may have to do some research offline. Try the
   
   Pennsylvania State Archives
   Box 1026
   Attn: ERA
   Harrisburg, PA 17108-1026
   Tel: 717-783-3281
   Pennsylvania Archives
   
   
5. If you do not know much about an ancestor, you may need to do additional research on his or her children first. For example:
   • If you do not know when your ancestor was married, the birth date of the first child may give you the approximate time frame needed to search for the marriage records.
   • If you do not know where your ancestor lived, finding the birthplace of the children may provide a clue.

   
   
   

6. Collaborate with other genealogists researching the same families. You can search for them at the Pennsylvania Surname List database.
   
   
7. Military records are an often overlooked source to obtain vital records. Learn how to send away to the National Archives for military service and pension records at Send to NARA for military records.
   
   
8. For additional help and detailed instructions for tracing ancestors, go to Learning Center