Genealogy, or the study of one’s own family history, is an important part of who we are as kentuckians. We all would like to know exactly what are origins are. Unfortunately, that is far easier for some people than for others. If you are one of those others, you may need to do some serious genealogy research. If that research point you to Kentucky, here are some things that could help you along the way. Chances are that you have some clue about your family history. It might be a picture, a date, a last name, or even a love letter. Whatever it is, use it to your advantage. Take whatever material you have and share it with others. There are many online forums devoted to Kentucky genealogical research. The people in those forums will be glad to help you with your Kentucky ancestry research.
Understanding The Origins Of Kentucky
Kentucky was the first region west of the Allegheny Mountains to be settled by American pioneers. Kentucky first started out as a territory, not a state. It was considered to be a portion of Virginia, even after its first counties, Harrodsburg and Boonesboro, were founded in 1774 and 1775. When you are looking to find old records in Kentucky, you need to keep that in mind. Further county additions and then statehood came later. As settlements in Kentucky County of Virginia became increasingly numerous during the late 1770s, the need for seats of government within the vast territory led to the formation of Jefferson, Lincoln, and Fayette counties to replace Kentucky County. The law creating these counties was enacted by the Virginia General Assembly on June 30, 1780.
Kentucky State Facts
- Kentucky was organized as territory on May 7, 1800
- Kentucky entered the union as the 15th state on June 1, 1792.
- Kentucky has 120 Counties.
- Kentucky’s capital is Frankfort.
- Kentucky is bordered by Illinois (northwest), Indiana (north), Missouri (west), Ohio (northeast), Tennessee (south), Virginia (east), and West Virginia (east)
- Kentucky has a land area of 40,411 square miles making it the 37th largest state.
- Kentucky’s 2010 population was 4,339,367 .
- Kentucky largest cities (2010) are Louisville, 1 566,503; Lexington-Fayette,2 295,803; Bowling Green, 58,067; Owensboro, 57,265; Covington, 40,640; Hopkinsville, 31,577; Richmond, 31,364; Florence, 29,951; Georgetown, 29,098 Henderson, 28,757.
- Kentucky meaning is disputed, its from the Iroquois Indian word “Ken-tah-ten,” which means “land of tomorrow”, but some historians believe it means “meadowland.
- Kentucky State Nickname is “The Bluegrass State”, which is derived from the famed bluegrass grown in pastures in central Kentucky.
- Kentucky State Motto is “United we stand, divided we fall”.
Kentucky County Genealogy Research
Kentucky genealogy can be traced through cemetery records, court filings such as marriage certificates and even archived newspapers. Browsing through Kentucky records like bibles, birth certificates and letters, if available, is another way to glean missing information. Libraries are a good source to find books, periodicals, magazines and other printed material full of helpful information to help trace genealogy. Unfortunately, some Kentucky counties have kept better records than others. So, you may hit a few roadblocks along the way. However, you shouldn’t let that deter you, especially in this digital era.
Kentucky County records vary widely from county to county in both quality and quantity. Some have been carefully preserved while others have been much abused and neglected. Some Kentucky records have simply disappeared.
Select a County Below
Adair, Allen, Anderson, Ballard, Barren, Bath, Bell, Boone, Bourbon, Boyd, Boyle, Bracken, Breathitt, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Campbell, Carlisle, Carroll, Carter, Casey, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Crittenden, Cumberland, Daviess, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Floyd, Franklin, Fulton, Gallatin, Garrard, Grant, Graves, Grayson, Green, Greenup, Hancock, Hardin, Harlan, Harrison, Hart, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Hopkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Jessamine, Johnson, Kenton, Knott, Knox, Larue, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, Livingston, Logan, Lyon, Madison, Magoffin, Marion, Marshall, Martin, Mason, McCracken, McCreary, McLean, Meade, Menifee, Mercer, Metcalfe, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Nicholas, Ohio, Oldham, Owen, Owsley, Pendleton, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Scott, Shelby, Simpson, Spencer, Taylor, Todd, Trigg, Trimble, Union, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Whitley, Wolfe, Woodford
Finding The Lost Counties
It is also important for you to know that there are two “lost counties” in Kentucky. As the state changed, two counties were eventually done away with entirely. Beckham County was dissolved on 29 Apr 1904, but the state still has some postal records and marriage records on file from that county.
The other “lost county” isn’t really lost at all. The name was simply shortened. It went from being called Josh Bell County to simply being called Bell County beginning on January 31, 1873. The county was originally formed just after the Civil War, on February 5, 1867, from portions of Harlan and Knox Counties. So, if you are looking for records from its first 6 years, you should look under the full original name of Josh Bell County.
Paper Trails
It would be fair to say that Kentucky is, in general, a little behind the times when it comes to genealogy. A lot of the Kentucky public records have not been digitized. However, that doesn’t mean that they don’t exist. You just have to follow the paper trails. Visit Kentucky libraries and historical societies and look for Bibles, Books, Newspaper Articles, Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, Death Certificates, Court Documents or Land Deeds.
The DAR (Daughters Of The American Revolution) and the SAR (Sons Of The American Revolution) are huge organizations. They are devoted to helping descendants of those who helped to fight for freedom in America during and around the time of the Revolutionary War. There are both DAR and SAR chapters in Kentucky. So, if your ancestor may have had any connection to our founding fathers or to the military, you should definitely start there.
