Sources
Sources play a key role in genealogy.
Contents
Definition
Sources are anything (personal testimony, video recording, photograph, newspaper column, gravestone...) from which (genealogical) information can be derived.
Once you add a Source to a Gramps Tree, that Source may be used for simplifying Citations and be organized in Repositories.
It is useful to make the following distinctions between sources:
- Primary source: firsthand evidence of history, made at the time contemporary to the event. For example, diaries, certificates, newspapers, ...
- Secondary source: accounts of history based upon primary and other secondary sources, offering new information such as commentary and analysis. Examples include history books, genealogical publications,...
- Tertiary source: a selection and compilation from primary and secondary sources. Tertiary sources may collate, extract, excerpt, quote or reference other sources. For example, library catalogues, bibliographies, ...
Most important genealogical sources
Official documents
- Birth certificates
- Still births
- Marriage certificates
- Divorces
- Death certificates
- Official name changes
- Naturalization records
Religious documents
- Baptism records
- Marriage records
- Burial records
Legal documents
- Court cases
- Notary documents
- Probate records
Migration
- Passenger lists
- Record of landing
Residences
- Census records
- Property documents
- Phone books
- City directories
Final resting places
- Cemetery list of interments
- War graves
Military
- Enlistment lists
- Draft lottery documents
- Medals
- MIA - Missing in Action
- Deserters
- Pension applications
Personal Documents
- Diaries
- Correspondence
- Household bills
Other Possible Sources
- Bibles
- Stories
- Publications
- Photos
- Employment information
- Medical records
- DNA
- Voter registration records
- Genealogical society records
- Oral recordings
