Searching Archives Using Filters

Learn More About Search on Archives 

Archives.com has billions of family history and vital records. Use the strategies below to improve your search and help you find your family. 

Can't Find What You're Looking for? 

Solution: Look for information about the person in a different record type. 

We may not have a specific record you are searching for, but we may have another record with information about the person you are looking for.

1. Change your search's record type by changing or removing the filtering options on the left. 

2. Remove the filters all together to see the results from all record types. 

Are you looking for a specific piece of information about a person? Here are just a few examples of the information you can find in different record types on Archives:

Census Records: Birth Date and Location; Family Members; Residence Location; Date of Marriage; Occupation; Wage 

Birth Records: Birth Date and Location; Parents' Names and Birth Dates 

Death Records: Birth Date; Death Date; Family Members; Cause of Death 

Cemetery Listing: Birth Date; Death Date and Location; Burial Information; Family Members; Obituaries (occaisionally) 

Family Tree Record: Birth Date and Location; Death Date and Location; Family Member

Solution: Broaden your search.

1. Remove "Exact" criteria from your search.

Names in historical records are sometimes misspelled or a nickname may have been used. By removing exact in your search, you will include those misspellings or nicknames in your search results. You might be surprised by what you find! 

Too Many Results to Look Through? 

Solution: Narrow Your Results 

1. Use the filters to narrow results by location, date, or record type.

2. Limit searches to exact name results only.

Please note that you will not receive results that contain misspellings or nicknames.