Occupational information may appear in far more records than census schedules alone. The sources below highlight where a person’s trade, profession, or economic activity may be directly stated or strongly implied. Government Records Court and Legal Records Land and Property Records Military Records City and Business Directories Newspapers Church and Community Records Educational and Institutional […]
Draft registrations and military service records can provide valuable personal details even if an ancestor never saw combat. Registration cards, enlistment records, pension files, and discharge papers may contain birth information, residence, occupation, physical description, and next-of-kin details. Draft Registration CardsDraft registrations were required during major conflicts, including the Civil War (in some areas), World […]
Civil and criminal court records contain specialized legal terminology that may appear in case files, minute books, dockets, indictments, and newspaper reports. This glossary defines commonly encountered terms to assist in interpreting court proceedings and identifying additional related records. Term Definition Acquittal Formal finding of not guilty in a criminal case. Affidavit Sworn written statement […]
Background Historical Occupation Profiles explain what ancestors actually did for a living and how those occupations shaped the records genealogists rely on today. Occupation Overview Domestic servants performed household labor within private homes. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, domestic service was one of the most common occupations for women, particularly young, unmarried women […]
Second marriages were common in earlier generations due to shorter life expectancies, disease, childbirth mortality, and legal divorce. However, a second union is not always clearly documented in a single record. Instead, it is often revealed through indirect evidence found across probate files, census schedules, land records, newspapers, military pensions, and blended family patterns. The […]
Guardianship was a legal arrangement appointing an adult to manage the person, property, or both, of a minor child. It most commonly occurred after the death of a father, but could also arise when parents were living but deemed incapable, absent, or financially unstable. Guardianship did not necessarily mean the child was orphaned. When Guardianship […]
Naturalization records contain standard terms for the citizenship process, including “first papers,” petitions, court actions, and certificate information. Use this glossary to decode the wording found in declarations of intention, petitions for naturalization, court orders, indexes, and certificates—so you can recognize what stage of the process your ancestor reached and what record types to seek […]
Divorce records often include specialized legal terms for filings, hearings, rulings, and related support or custody matters. Use this glossary to quickly interpret the language you may encounter in divorce case files, court minute books, docket entries, and newspaper legal notices so you can better understand what occurred and what additional documents may exist. Term […]
Background Historical Occupation Profiles explain what ancestors actually did for a living and how those occupations shaped the records genealogists rely on today. Occupation Overview Iron and steel workers produced the structural materials that fueled industrial expansion in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. From rail lines and bridges to skyscrapers and machinery, iron and […]
Religious affiliation may appear directly in church records or indirectly through rites, institutions, burial practices, community involvement, and associated records. The sources below are grouped by type to help identify where denominational identity may be documented or strongly implied. Direct Church Records Church Governance and Administration Civil Records with Religious Indicators Newspaper Sources Institutional and […]