The state of Iowa has a nickname. It is “The Hawkeye State”. Do you have ancestors who were “Hawkeyes” that you have been trying to learn more about? Try out some of these Iowa genealogy resources. They should help you to get started.
FamilySearch has a Wiki that has lots of information about Iowa genealogy. There are links to FamilySearch Wiki pages about every county in Iowa. The Wiki itself has some brief information about the history of the state. It also has links to other FamilySearch Wiki articles that talk about records from Iowa.
Ancestry.com has a page filled with links that will take you directly to individual collections of records for Iowa genealogy. To access these records, you will need to have an Ancestry.com membership. Sometimes, there will be some records that are offered for free. Return to this page frequently. Ancestry.com makes it clear when a collection is new, has been updated, or is currently offered for free.
Interment.net has a collection of online cemetery records. They have a list of links to the different counties in Iowa that they have records for. Or, you can start by putting your ancestor’s name into the search engine on their website.
GeneaLinks is an easy to use genealogy website. They have a page that is dedicated to Iowa Genealogy records. Put in the first name and last name of your ancestor. Select the record type you want to search through. Choose from: vital, birth, death, marriage, divorce, or “genealogy”. GeneaLinks has helpful information for genealogists new to Iowa genealogy. Did you know that you have to be a direct relative of the person on record in order to see the record?
The Iowa Genealogical Society has a lot to offer. They have their own extensive library facility that integrates technology with traditional research. The library has knowledgable staff that can help you conquer the “brick walls” that block your progress in your genealogy research. Their website has information about upcoming classes and programs that the IGS will be involved in.
Cyndi’s List is the most comprehensive collection of links to online genealogy resources. If it is on the internet, Cyndi’s List probably has a link to it! They have a page called “United States – Iowa”. There are many categories to Iowa genealogy resources that you can browse through. Some include: “Birth, Marriage, Death”, “Census”, “Counties”, “Military”, and many more.
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