The state motto of Idaho is “Esto perpetua”, which is in Latin. In English, it translates to “Let it be perpetual”. It is a fitting motto for genealogists, as well. Researching your family tree can seem like a never ending, perpetual, project! Here are some resources that will help you find out more about your ancestors who lived in Idaho.
Ancestry.com has a page that is filled with links to all of their Idaho Historical Records. To access these records, you must have an Ancestry.com membership. Some collections will be offered for free, from time to time. Check back on this list often. Ancestry.com will make it clear when a collection is new or updated. They also point out the ones that are being offered for free.
Cyndi’s List is probably the most comprehensive sent of links to online genealogy resources. They have a page called “United States – Idaho”. There are tons of categories that you can choose from, and all of them connect to resources for Idaho genealogy. Some categories include: “Birth, Marriage, Death”, “Census”, “Military”, “Newspapers”, “Obituaries” and more!
FamilySearch has a Wiki page about Idaho Genealogy. This is a good place to find out more about where to locate records and archives that will help you to learn more about your ancestors from Idaho. The FamilySearch page also has some information about Lineage Societies for Idaho.
Census Finder has an Idaho Genealogy Society Directory. Scroll down the the one(s) that interest you, and the link will take you directly to their website. This is a great resource for genealogists who live in Idaho and who want to connect with a genealogy society.
GeneaLinks has a search engine you can use to find records about your ancestors who came from Idaho. Put in their first and last name, and select from: Vital, Birth, Death, Marriage, Divorce, or “Genealogy”. This website has helpful information for genealogists that are new to Idaho genealogy. Did you know that Idaho keeps all birth records confidential for 100 years? This means that nearly all the records they have on file are confidential.
Idaho History and Genealogy has genealogical and historical data concerning Idaho. If you have already discovered where your Idaho ancestors lived, and the route they traveled to get there, you might want to see a map of what the area looked like at the time.
The Idaho Genealogical Society is excited that you found them! They meet 11 months out of the year, on the third Saturday of the month. December is their “holiday month”. All members of the Idaho Genealogical Society and persons interested in their family history are welcome to attend.
Image by Beatrice Murch on Flickr