How to Locate Maiden Names for your Genealogy Search
When working on your genealogy,
sometimes the most difficult obstacle to
overcome is that of finding the maiden names
of female ancestors. However, by finding
this information you can be lead to an
entirely new branch of your family tree and
a whole new set of information and history
to explore. To get to that point, though,
you do have to find the maiden names in the
first place. How do you do it? Here are
eight tips on where to look for such
information in your genealogy quest.
First of all, as obvious as it may seem,
check with marriage records. The bride's
maiden name is always listed on her marriage
record. If you can't find a license, look
for marriage certificates, announcements,
bonds, or anything else that may have been
used to mark the occasion at the time. You
will be surprised at what you might find if
you are creative.
Secondly, you can check out cemetery
records. It may seem morbid, but especially
in the past, the only proof you may find
that a female ancestor even had a maiden
name may be on her tombstone. Many of them
will list a woman under her maiden name with
her married name listed in terms of
"married to" inscriptions.
Third, you can check census records. If you
go back far enough you will see the maiden
name of your ancestor shown by looking at
the records of who lived in the household.
You may see that a young couple lived with
the wife's parents, or that other relatives
moved into the home that may give away the
maiden name.
Fourth, check land records. Land records are
a great resource any time you are working in
genealogy, and for seeking a maiden name
they can be as well. Many times in the past,
land was passed from father to daughter. If
you look at your family's deeds you may find
the names of females or of children of
owners that can give away the maiden name to
you as you search. If you see a man or
couple sold land to someone for a dollar or
other small amount, it is often a relative,
so use that as well.
Sixth, try probate records and even the wills themselves. If you find that you may have found a set of parents to go with the mystery relative, check their will or probate. They often listed the surnames of female children separately from those of their spouses. This information can be valuable in tracking down a maiden name.
Seventh, check the newspaper. That's right; the newspaper can be a great resource. If you look in the area where your relative lived or was married, you may be able to find announcements or obituaries, which like the tombstones, will often times include the maiden name of the deceased.
Finally, check out death records. If the ancestor you are searching for died recently enough that there is a death certificate, it may be one of the only places her maiden name will be listed. You should also read the certificate carefully, though, since the information on old death certificates can be inaccurate. If you look you will be able to find out who the informant is. The closer the relationship between the deceased and the informant, the more accurate the information often will be.
There are a number of things you can run into with genealogy that can be frustrating. One of the most common obstacles, though, is maiden names. Often times there just were not kept track of with any sort of regularity so it becomes a real challenge to find out which way that branch of your family tree goes. However, there are some things you can do to track down maiden names. The eight tips above should get you a good start on tracking down who married whom so that you can extend that family tree to include new and exciting branches.
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About the Authors
Paul Duxbury and Kevin Cook own www.amateur-genealogist.com and
www.our-family-trees.co.uk two of the leading Genealogy Websites. In
addition Paul owns a wide range of exciting websites which can be viewed
at www.paulduxbury.com
