Genealogists's Newspaper Search Search Tips
General search rules/tips:
- Select the type of search that best matches the group of records desired. See the description of each type of search below to determine which search type best matches your search needs.
- Enter the name desired in both upper and lower case letters.
- Select the state or states desired.
You can use the Check Surname page (select Surname Check from the left side of the CompuGen home page) to see how many records are available for a specific surname in each state and the earliest year for the surname. This page also offers alternate spellings for the surname that can be checked. You can click on the number of entries listed to display the individual records on the Genealogist's Newspaper Search online search page.
Please see the Newspaper Search FAQs page for more information on the Genealogist's Newspaper Search.
Search by "Last name or Maiden name" option:
This search option is best for rare or somewhat rare surnames. You can display all the records that have a specific surname as the last name, maiden name or even the surname as a secondary married name. Use the following steps to do this type of search:
- Select the "Last or Maiden name" search type.
- Enter the surname desired. Use upper and lower case letters.
- Select a specific state or "All" states.
- Click on the "Find Records" button.
The first 10 records which have the surname entered as the surname, maidname or other married name are displayed. You can used the <Next Page> button to display the next 10 records, the <Previous Page> button to go back 10 records or select a page number to go to a specific page of 10 records.
Example: I'm researching the surname Zakrzewski in Indiana.
- Select the "Last or Maiden name" search type.
- Enter "Zakrzewski" for the name.
- Click on the box next to "IN" to select Indiana newspapers.
- Click on the "Find Records" button.
This surname currently (08/22/08) has 130 records which have Zakrzewski as the surname,
maidname or other married name.
The records are listed in alphabetical order by name
so the first entries have a different surname and Zakrzewski as the maiden or other married
name. The first four entries listed are apparently for the same person. It shows Loretta
(Zakrzewski) Bilinski had a 40th wedding anniversary in 1989, 45th anniversary in 1994,
and 50th anniversary in 1999. Then her obituary was in 2001 at age 77. These entries were
all in the South Bend IN newspaper.
You can click on <Next Page> to display the next
10 records for the Zakrzewski surname or click on the page numbers at the bottom of the
list to go to a specific page. For example, click on <6> to display the sixth page of
Zakrzewski records which starts with Irene Zakrzewski.
Search by "Last Name Only" option:
This search is similar to the search by "last or maiden name" option, but only displays the records for the surname when it is at the start of the name field. Records which have the surname as the maiden or other married name are not displayed with this search option.
Search by "Maiden Name Only" option:
This search only displays the records which have the surname in the maiden name field. These are the records which have the surname as the maiden or other married name. For example, this search would find a record if a woman was married twice and her maiden name or married name matches the surname entered.
Search by "Last, First Name" option:
This is the most specific search available. You can use this option to find the records for a specific full name or group of similar names. Use the following steps to do this type of search:
- Select "Last, First Name" search type.
- Enter the full name desired in Last, First order. Use upper and lower case letters.
- Select a specific state or "All" states.
- Click on the "Find Records" button.
This search does an exact match on the letters entered starting from the left of the name field. You must enter a last name followed by a comma and a space followed by any number of letters to match on.
Example: I'm looking for information on a Samuel Boggs.
- Select "Last, First Name" search type.
- Enter "Boggs, Sam" for the name.
- Click on "All States" to select any state.
- Click on the "Find Records" button.
These include a 50th and 60th anniversary for Sam Boggs of Warsaw IN and then a death for Sam Boggs of Warsaw. His obituary was in three different newspapers, the Warsaw, Fort Wayne and South Bend papers.
A second Sam Boggs (listed as "Boggs, Samuel") had a death notice in 1889 in a Cincinnati newspaper.
A third Sam Boggs has a marriage notice in the Mishawaka IN newspaper in 1915 (listed as Samuel Davis Boggs) and a death notice in the Mishawaka newpaper in 1976 (listed as Samuel D. Boggs).
A fourth Sam Boggs (actually it's listed as Mrs. Samuel Boggs) had an obituary in 1938 in the Columbus OH Dispatch newspaper.
A fifth Sam Boggs has a wedding notice in the Churubusco IN newspaper in 1980 (listed as Samuel T. Boggs). This Sam Boggs is probably still living.
You can use the "Last, First Name" option to search for births where the child's name is not given, but the parent's names may match your search.
Example: Still looking for any information on a Samuel Boggs. Let's see if there are any births for children of a Sam Boggs.
- Select "Last, First Name" search type.
- Enter "Boggs, d/o Sam" for the name.
- Click on "all states" to select any state.
- Click on the "search" button.
This search finds two matching records. The first record shows a birth for a daughter of Sam & Tamara (Gross) Boggs that was born in 1984. This ran in the Churubusco IN newspaper in 1994 (probably in a "10 years ago column"). This was probably the fifth Sam Boggs found above. The second record shows a birth for a daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Boggs in 1917. This was in the Mishawaka IN newspaper and probably is a child of the third Sam Boggs found above.
Now let's see if there any births for sons of a Sam Boggs.
- Select "Last, First Name" search type
- Enter "Boggs, s/o Sam" for the name.
- Click on "all states" to select any state.
- Click on the "search" button.
This search finds three matching records.
The first record shows a birth for a son of Sam & Tammy (Gross) Boggs of Fremont in 1990 that ran in the Churubusco IN newspaper.
The third record looks like a notice of the same birth ran in the Fort Wayne IN newspaper 4 weeks later.
The second record lists a birth for a son of Mr. & Mrs. Samuel D. Boggs of Mishawaka in 1919. So now it looks like the Sam Boggs in Mishawaka IN had a girl in 1917 and a boy in 1919.
These are just a few examples of the type of information that is available in the Genealogist's Newspaper Search.
Please see the Newspaper Search FAQs page for more information on the Genealogist's Newspaper Search.