The building blocks of Kansas genealogy records include vital records which are births, marriages, deaths and often times divorce and adoption certificates. Throughout a genealogy process, most people will look up vital records to aid in their research on particular family members or to find more information about a family tree. Genealogy records from Kansas can be easily done online and throughout archives and genealogical societies. Since there is a plethora of information to dig through, most people will spend a lot of time researching. Whether you are a beginner or skilled in genealogy research, finding records can be beneficial in your family history journey.
The Kansas state Genealogical Society has a digital library available on the internet. There are statewide files as well as projects to help assist in getting Kansas genealogy records. The digital library provided by the web site is dedicated to giving people a free access to records to aid in genealogy. What is great about searching for records throughout the site is that the genealogical society gives you permission to print or copy any and all documents contained on the site.
Other genealogy web sites available for the public include the Kansas Interactive Genealogy and Kansas Historical Society. The Kansas Interactive Genealogy web site, by Kansas heritage, gives plenty of free links and quick searches for records. People can choose to search through the Kansas surname list, which is both alphabetical and easy to navigate through. This list helps people to connect to their relatives in Kansas by searching through the surname. There is also a way to contact other people who are looking for information about the same person by email. Other links provided can direct you to another area to research genealogy records in Kansas.
The Kansas Historical Society provides a way to track down earlier Kansas genealogy records for genealogy purposes. Any records after the date of 1911 are kept with the state of Kansas. Any records, birth, death, marriage and other important records between 1885 and 1911 can be found through most Kansas County or city clerk office. They even have one of the largest databases of newspapers to search for announcements concerning death, birth and marriage. Searching through the newspapers in Kansas allows you to look through digital microfilms and can be searched by words and names. It is helpful to know which county in Kansas you which to search through.
Family Search has a large database of records in Kansas. Due to the recent amount of records being digitalized online, the Family Search website can assess death, birth and marriage records by just entering in names and dates. Another place to look for vital records is the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. This department has over 10 million records and over 360,000 can be requested. Since Kansas vital records are not public, an authorization of records has to be requested. Kansas genealogy records will typically cost around $15 for the first copy and $15 for additional copies of the same record.
In a world that prizes globalization, it is easy to feel quite distant from our past, especially since families often move several times. Genealogical research can help rekindle that feeling of connectivity and provide an important link.
Kansas was first settled by European Americans in the 1830s. Its convoluted and ethically charged history can make searching for genealogy records in Kansas difficult.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment oversees the Office of Vital Statistics. The Office of Vital Statistics receives and preserves the records for births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. In order to help limit the threat of identity theft, vital records in Kansas are not public records. Birth and death certificates from 1911 are on file in the main office, as are marriage certificates from 1913, and divorce certificates from 1951. Some county clerk's offices have written ledgers that contain records of events that occurred before those dates. Documents can be requested via the website, via the mail, via fax, or by walking in and requesting.
Moreover, for Kansas genealogy records prior to the dates listed above, you can visit the Kansas State Historical Society.