Researching Maiden Names

Determining and tracking the maiden names of our female ancestors can be one of the most difficult and elusive aspects to working on your genealogy.  The further back you go in time, the harder the search becomes.  Here are some tips to help you track down that important piece of information.

Marriage Records

The most obvious record to seek out is the marriage record since it will always provide the maiden name of the bride to be, either directly or via the names of the bride’s parents in the case of a second marriage.

Birth and Death Records

The next most obvious records to hunt down are death and birth records.  Both types may give the names of the parents of the female child or of the deceased, and when compared against a marriage record can help verify the maiden name or perhaps indicate that a second marriage of the ancestor’s mother may have taken place.  An alternative is to look for a baptismal record.

Social Security Card Applications

An often overlooked record is the social security card application which required birth names for the applicant’s parents.  But these records are time sensitive since they only started in 1936.

Wills and Probate Records

These records date back much further than many of the previous types, but success here can be a bit hit and miss depending on the record found.  Some wills and probate records will contain a wealth of information but many are rather skimpy.

Obituaries

Obituaries often list the names of parents and/or brothers that can lead to discovering a previously unknown maiden name, particularly in those of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s where the text of the obituary was rather detailed.

Other Avenues

Family bibles are another great research when they exist.  Clues can be found within census records as well, particularly after 1850, when relationship to the head of household was noted.  Pension records for surviving spouses are another good thing to look for.   Lastly don’t overlook a possible entry in a local history book.

Sources:

Murray, Donna, “Seeking That Elusive Maiden Name”, Family Chronicle, Nov/Dec 2009, pg 49.