(This page's most recent update is
July 2024)
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Institutional records are another class of collections that should be part of one’s genealogy research repertoire. Although most of your ancestors may not have spent time in an institution, I’ll bet that almost every family tree has several that have. So they are worth your effort to research.
Here are a few good primers for searching institutional records:
- FamilySearch – Institution and School Records
- Finding Your Ancestors in Poor House or Poor Farm Records
- Researching Ancestors in Asylums
What kind of institutions and types of records can we discover?
- Poorhouse
- Poor Farm
- Orphanage
- Orphan Train
- Mental Hospital
- Workhouse
- Almshouse
- Institutional School
- Sanitarium
- Asylums
- Correctional institutions
Acquiring records from each of these types of institutions may be difficult because of privacy concerns, but they are worth the effort.
Below you will find free online institutional records you can use to help you discover more about your relatives who have spent time in an institution.
Note: Some links listed take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Mississippi Free Online Institutional Records
- Adams County, Orphans’ Court, Court Minutes, 1803-1835
- Adams County, Poorhouse Record, 1821-1823
- Alcorn County, Almshouse (Poorhouse or County Home)
- Alcorn County, County Home Cemetery AKA Alcorn County Poorhouse Cemetery
- Alcorn County, Poorhouse Cemetery Burials
- Alcorn County, Prisoners in 1888 1889 1890 1892
- Alcorn County, Prisoners in the Year 1893
- Amite County, Doctor’s Record of Pauper Visits, 1820-1822
- Amite County, Orphans’ Court, Court Records, 1809-1838
- Claiborne County, Orphans Court Records, 1811-1899
- Coahoma County Chancery Clerk, Index to Estates of Decedents, Minors, Lunatics, and Convicts … (1839 – 1880)
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Index
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 232a through 233b
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 234a through 235b
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 236a through 237b
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 238a through 239b
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 240a through 241b
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 242a through 243b
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 244a through 245b
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 246a through 247b
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 248a through 249b
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 250a through 251b
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 252a through 253b
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 254a through 255b
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 256a through 257b
- Hinds County, 1930 Census, Mississippi State Insane Asylum Pages 258a through 259a
- Hinds County, Asylum Cemetery AKA UMMC Cemetery or Mississippi State Hospital Cemetery
- Hinds County, Orphan’s Court Records, 1832-1848
- Jefferson County, Orphans’ Court Records, 1804-1838
- Jefferson County, Orphans’ Court, Probate Minutes, 1830-1834
- Jones County, 1920 Census — Poor House
- Jones County, 1930 Census — Poor House
- Jones County, Ellisville State School Cemetery
- Lafayette County, Poorhouse Cemetery
- Lauderdale County, Cedar Haven Cemetery AKA East Mississippi State Hospital Cemetery
- Lauderdale County, Confederate Orphans’ Home Burial
- Lincoln County, Chancery Records, 1875-1921
- Marion County, Orphan Court Records (Abstracts of Wills and Estates), 1812-1859
- Marion County, Orphans’ Court, Court Records, 1812-1832
- Mississippi, Orphan Train
- Mississippi, World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, Prisoners, Insane, In Hospitals, 1917-1918
- Monroe County, Orphans’ Court, Inventory Record of Estates, 1821-1830
- Oktibbeha County, Chancery Court Case Records, 1880-1920
- Old Tishomingo County, 1857-1862 Paupers Burial,
- Rankin County, Estate, Lunacy, and Divorce Files, 1855-1950
- Rankin County, Mississippi State Hospital Cemetery AKA Rose Hill Cemetery
- Shelby County, Loose Court Files, Drawer 38, 1822-1937
- Sunflower County, Mississippi State Prison Cemetery
- Tate County, Old County Poor House Cemetery
- Tishomingo County, State Prisoners in 1857
- Tishomingo County, State Prisoners in 1868 – 1869
- United States, Freedmen’s Bureau Hospital and Medical Records, 1865-1872.
- United States, Institutions, 1900 Federal Census, Soundex
- Winston County, Poor House Cemetery
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!