Getting Started

New to genealogy research? You can start by collecting information, such as names, birth dates, addresses, and countries of origin.  There are countless sources of information all around you. Sources include conversations with living relatives, family papers like letters, diaries, photographs, address books, and newspaper clippings. Basic information will form the building blocks of your research. You can also turn to online databases & resources, as well church records, cemetery records, and more to fill in the gaps.

Below you’ll find resources to help get you started on your genealogical quest.

Getting Started 

Golden Rules of Genealogical Research 
Here you will find a list of helpful tips when beginning your family history research. Remember, genealogy begins with you!

Downloadable Charts 
Numerous charts are also available through the Library’s subscription to Ancestry Library Edition, which is only available for in Library use and cannot be accessed remotely. The National Archives also has downloadable charts that are instantly available.

FamilySearch has a Getting Started playlist of videos to learn the basics of how to discover your ancestors.

Library Resources

Databases

Ancestry (In Library Use Only)

Genealogical collection of more than 4,000 databases and 1.5 billion names. This resource is generously sponsored by the Frankfort Area Historical Society.

FamilySearch

Frankfort Public Library is now a LDS affiliate library. It's always free to search familysearch.org, but you get access to 30% more content while searching from inside the library.

Frankfort Area Obituary Index

An index maintained by the Library and the Frankfort Area Historical Society. Data entry began in June of 2013. The index is anticipated to hold approximately 7,000 obituaries from various earlier newspaper publications from the surrounding area.
Newspapers

Frankfort News Editions Online 1973 – 1996 The Frankfort News, a community paper, published monthly by volunteers, was delivered to every address in the Frankfort area free of charge from 1973-1996. All 276 issues, 3300 pages total, of community news and information have been digitally reproduced and are available online for convenient viewing. Newspapers Available in the Library on Microfilm

  • Frankfort Leader (Aug 1959 – Aug 1962)
  • Frankfort Phoenix Advertiser (Spotty Issues from 1903-06, 1908-1909, 1911)
  • Frankfort Time (Jun 1953 – Oct 1968)
  • Mokena – New Lenox Star Herald (Jan 1976 – Dec 1981)
  • The New-Bulletin (Mokena publication that includes coverage for Frankfort, New Lenox and Matteson communities from Aug 1919-Jun 1969)
  • The New Lenox Press (Feb 1956 – Dec 1969)
  • The Southwest Graphic (Jan 1970 – Dec 1970)
Statewide Newspapers

IL Newspaper Project 
The Illinois Newspaper Project (INP) identifies, preserves, and digitizes Illinois newspapers. We also help researchers locate the Illinois newspapers they need. The INP is an initiative of the History, Philosophy, and Newspaper Library and the Preservation Services Unit at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. You can browse newspapers by county.

IL Newspaper Project Newspaper Directory
The objective of the INP Database is to make all the information the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has discovered about Illinois newspapers available to you. It contains comprehensive information about the newspapers they’ve identified and cataloged, as well as titles they’ve preserved by microfilming.

National Newspaper Resources

Chronicling America 
Search America’s historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Library of Congress.

National Digital Newspaper Program
The National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP), a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Library of Congress (LC), is a long-term effort to develop an Internet-based, searchable database of U.S. newspapers with descriptive information and select digitization of historic pages.

Local Resources

  • Chicago Street Names and Name Changes – These pages were designed to give you info about Chicago streets, to help you find your Chicago relatives in other sources. This site contains the largest list of Chicago streets and street name changes in the world.
  • Cook County Vital Records – Provides copies of birth, marriage, and death certificates to eligible individuals upon request. Fees & restrictions may apply.
  • DeathIndexes.com – A robust genealogy guide for finding indexes for death certificates, obituaries, & other records for Chicago & Cook County. Includes listings for numerous Cook County cemeteries with burial indexes.
  • Illinois Statewide Death Index, Pre–1916 – When looking for an exact death date occurring for an individual that occurred much earlier in the State of Illinois, this searchable database can be a helpful place to start.
  • Pritzker Military Library (Chicago)– A national public information and research center dedicated to the citizen soldier & military history. Operates with membership dues and donations.
  • Will County Vital Records– Birth, marriage, and death records may be requested for the purpose of genealogical research but are subject to provisions.

Broader Resources (most are free)

  • Census Enumeration District Finder – Can’t find your person in the census but you know they are in there? This resource can help especially if you know where the person lived (street address).
  • City-to-County Finder (StatsAmerica.org) – Records are often kept at the county level. This handy tool helps you determine the name of a particular county when all you may know for certain is the town or city name.
  • Cyndi’s List –  A directory of genealogy sites on the Internet, organized by category. Established more than 25 years ago.
  • Ellis Island Database – Comprising nearly 65 million arrival records and ship manifests to the shores of Ellis Island. Free to search records once you create a free account with a valid email address and a password.
  • FamilySearch Research Wiki – A free, online genealogical guide created and maintained by FamilySearch, a non-profit organization. It contains links to genealogy databases, websites, other resources, research strategies, and genealogical guidance to assist in the search for your ancestors.
  • Genealogy Trails – An all-volunteer resource to help you track your ancestors through time by transcribing genealogical and historical data for the free use of all researchers.
  • Irish Genealogy – Search a wide range of record sources including civil records and church resources. Also home to the historic records of Births, Marriages and Deaths of the General Register Office.
  • Legacy Family Tree – FREE software to build, grow, research, and improve your family tree.
  • National Archives – This page contains articles, finding aids, webinars, and other information about NA records and how to conduct research in our holdings. Records include military records, Dawes Rolls Index and more.
  • National Genealogical Society – Formed to help individuals learn about their family history and build research skills. There are also membership opportunities.
  • Social Security Death Index – A database of people whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) beginning about 1962. This can be helpful when you are trying to determine an exact, or close-to-exact death date of an individual.
    NOTE: May also be accessed through  Ancestry Library Edition or Family Search.
  • USGenWeb Project – Established in 1996 by a group of genealogists who shared a desire to create free online resources for genealogical research. Created and maintained by a community of volunteers. In some cases, a contact name is given for someone who may be willing to do a free lookup for you!
  • Vital Records Information – Birth, marriage, and death records can be obtained at the county and/or state level. Date of records held vary, as well as the fees.
  • WorldGenWeb Project – A non-profit, volunteer-based organization dedicated to providing genealogical and historical records and resources for world-wide access! In some cases, a contact name is given for someone who may be willing to do a free lookup for you!

Adoption Resources

1) Start with the agency the adoption was through if possible.

2) Check mutual consent registries. In Illinois, birth parents and Adult Adopted Persons can register here, Illinois Adoption Registry.  Adoption Registry is another site.

3) Illinois adopted persons might consider contacting the Confidential Intermediary Service of Illinois.

4) Since November 15, 2011, any adult adopted or surrendered person who was born in Illinois in or after 1946 may request a non-certified copy of his or her original birth certificate.

The ability of an adult adopted or surrendered person born after 1945 to obtain the parent information on their original birth certificate may depend on whether his or her birth parents have filed forms with the Illinois Adoption Registry stating a preference regarding the release of such information.

For more information on obtaining an original birth certificate and to access the required forms visit the Illinois Department of Public Health Adoption page.

5) Visit Ancestry’s blog about tips for discovering biological family with AncestryDNA.

7) Once you have names, conduct a genealogical research using the many methods available.