Research Services

KDLA has several research services available for those doing general research, family history research, judicial/governmental research or property research. These services are available to citizens within Kentucky, as well as to those residing outside the Commonwealth.

Visitors to the Archives Research Room should allow time to register before beginning research. Each visitor is required to complete the Archives Research Room Registration Form. For more information about records use procedures, see "Handling Historic Records Policy" and "Duplication Policy."

General Research/Reference Look-Up

Ask a Librarian is for use by Kentucky State Government employees and staff of Kentucky Public Libraries needing assistance with in-depth research, quick reference, look-ups, lists of sources and information on Kentucky-related topics. All others should contact their local public library.

KDLA's Interlibrary Loan Section allows you, through your public library, to request materials from the State Library's collections, which can be accessed by using the online catalog.

 

Family History/Records Research

Kentucky did not keep comprehensive, official birth and death records until 1911, but did maintain lists of births, deaths, and marriages, filed by county, from 1852-1862, 1874-1879, 1891-1910 in the State Auditor's Office, which are available at KDLA. Kentucky passed a comprehensive vital statistics law in 1911 to issue official certificates of birth and death. The birth records after 1911 are available from the KY Office of Vital Statistics. Death certificates from 1911-1955 are available at KDLA. Death certificates issued after 1955 are available from the KY Office of Vital Statistics.

Marriage records are created by County Clerks in Kentucky's 120 counties. Many of these marriage records are available at KDLA, or at the offices of individual county clerks. The State Auditor also maintained lists of marriages, filed by county, from 1852-1910, and the KY Office of Vital Statistics began recording marriages in 1958.

**To receive extensive help with your family history research, contact a professional researcher listed in KDLA's Professional Researcher Directory.

Requesting a Kentucky Birth Record, you can find out the person's date of birth, his/her full name, sex, race, condition (born dead or alive), place of birth, name of father or owner (in case of slave), mother's maiden name, parents' residence, birthplace of parents and any other remarks.

Requesting a Kentucky Death Record, you can find out the deceased's name; age; sex; marital status; race; occupation; residence; birthplace; parents' names or owner (in case of slave); the place, time, and cause of death; and any other remarks.

Requesting a Kentucky Marriage Record, you can find out the date of marriage, the groom's name, residence, age, race, condition (single, widowed, divorced), and birthplace; and the bride's name, residence, age, race, condition (single, widowed, divorced), and birthplace.

Requesting a Kentucky Divorce Record, you can find out either a final judgment or an entire case file of a Kentucky divorce court proceeding.

Requesting Kentucky Census Records, you can access a wealth of information about several members of a family at once. The types of Kentucky census records available are:

• Federal Census (1810-1880, 1900-1930) Information contained in census records depends on the year the census was taken.
• Slave Census (1850, 1860) Organized by county and enumerated under the owner's name, slave census entries provide only the age and sex of the slaves themselves.
  (First and last names are not included.)
• Mortality Census (1850-1880) Designed as a supplement to the Federal Census, the Mortality Censuses provide further details regarding those who died between federal census enumerations, including deceased's name, sex, age, color, marital status, place of birth, month death occurred, profession/occupation/trade, disease or cause of death, and number of days ill.
• Supplemental Schedule (1880) of Defective, Dependent and Delinquent ClassesThis special census was designed to collect social statistics on "Insane Inhabitants," "Idiots," "Deaf Mutes," "Blind," "Homeless Children," "Inhabitants in Prison," "Paupers and Indigent Inhabitants in Institutions, Poor-Houses or Asylums, or boarded at public expense in private houses" for each enumerator's district within the county. Information primarily consists of individual's name, city/county/state or residence "when residing at home," basic details about treatment and basic details about their condition. The age of the individual is not included.

Requesting Kentucky Military Records, you can trace an ancestor's military service from enlistment to his/her end of service term.

• Union Service Records These records contain the name, rank, and unit of each Union soldier, as well as information abstracted from original muster rolls, regimental returns, hospital rolls, descriptive book, lists of deserters, and any other papers related to a soldier.
  (Note - These records do not contain information on Kentuckians who served in the U.S. Regulars, the U.S. Colored Troops, the Navy, or the Marines.)
• Confederate Service Records These records contain the name, rank, and unit of each soldier, as well as abstracts from entries found in muster rolls, returns, rosters, payrolls, appointment books, hospital registers, Union prison registers, parole records, and inspection reports.
  (Note - these records do not contain information on staff officers, or pro-Confederate citizens.)
• Confederate Pension Applications Generally, each application contains the veteran's date and place of birth, his unit designation, and term of service.
• 1890 Census of Union Veterans and Widows These records include name, rank, unit, length of service and the nature of any service-related disability, as well as information about surviving spouses.
  (Note - Congress authorized this special census in an effort to locate individuals entitled to pensions or disability benefits; many ex-Confederates were accidentally included in this census, also.)
• Adjutant General's Roster of the War of 1812 These records show the soldier's name, rank, regimental unit (usually showing the last name of the regimental commander), the company commander's name, dates of service and pay, whether the soldier was a substitute, date of discharge, and sometimes, distance to the soldier's home from place of discharge. Other information such as date of death, if applicable, and periods of sickness, if recorded on the muster rolls, is noted.
• Adjutant General's Roster of the Mexican War These records provides the name, rank, unit and length of service for all volunteers who served in Kentucky units during the conflict. The "remarks" column may contain additional data on military service, including, but not limited to: wounds, capture or death.
• Adjutant General's Roster of the Civil War These records mostly contain Kentucky units mustered into the Federal service, U.S. Colored Troops, Kentucky State Troops, and Enrolled Militia. The brief Confederate report contains many errors and omissions, but can be used for basic research.
• Adjutant General's Roster of the Spanish-American War These records provide the name, rank, unit and legth of service for all men who served in Kentucky volunteer units during the conflict. In addition to other service-related data, this source includes: age, birthplace, occupation, residence, and next of kin.
  (Note: The military records for those Kentuckians who served in the regular U.S. Army or Navy are available at the National Archives.)
• World War I Draft Registration Cards This series includes the records of those Kentuckians registered for the three draft calls held in 1917 and 1918. It is important to note that not all men who registered for the draft saw military duty. Each card contains the following general information: date and place of birth, race, citizenship, occupation, and physical description.
• World War I Record of Service Cards Used by the federal government to track soldiers, these cards contain name, serial number, race, residence, place of birth, and age or date of birth, organizations served in (with dates of assignments and transfers), grades (with date of appointment), engagements, wounds or other injuries received in action, service overseas, discharge notations, and general remarks.
• World War I Casualty Cards This list alphabetized by county contains a service member's name, next of kin, address of next of kin, branch of service (if other than army), race (if other than white), nature of casualty; some cards show date of casualty and home county.
  (Note: POW, MIA, and KIA records are available for only Meade - Woodford counties.)
• Word War I Casualty ListingThis record series contains two groups of index cards listing Kentucky Casualties 1915-1919, arranged alphabetically by service members last name. Each card contains the following general information: home ofrecord both city and county, Branch of service if other than army, next of kin, nature of casualty, and in cases unit designation and date of casualty.

 

Court/Government Records Research

Circuit Court Records, pre-1977

      The State Archives maintains Circuit Court records from most Kentucky counties.  These collections usually, but not always, date back to the formation of the county.  The ending date varies from county to county, but with a few exceptions we have no Circuit Court records later than 1977.  (click here for a list of dates of civil and criminal case files available at the Archives, by county.)  Please be aware that in some counties the criminal case files were not filed separately from the civil cases, especially in the early years of the county. 
      In order to access Circuit Court records, the State Archives Center staff needs certain specific information, including the names of the parties involved in the court action, the county, and an approximate date.  

Click here to Request:

• Kentucky Civil Case Records
• Kentucky Criminal Case Records.
• Kentucky Divorce Records

      We currently have no judicial records from Bracken, Caldwell, Edmonson, Logan, Marshall, and McCreary counties.  For a few other counties we have Order Books, but no case files.  Please check the list of available records before submitting your request.  If you have any questions concerning the availability of records, please call us at 502-564-8300, ext 207 or ext 210 before submitting your request, because pre-paid fees are non-refundable. 

 

Circuit Court Records, post-1977

      Only a few post-1977 Circuit Court records are available at the State Archives.  For many counties, Circuit Court records created after 1977 will still be in the Circuit Clerk’s Office in the county, or in cost efficient storage at the State Records Center in Frankfort. 
      To obtain a judicial record dated after 1977, first check the list of dates of civil and criminal case files available at the Archives (click here for the list).  If the record is in the Archives, please submit the request form. Click here to Request Kentucky Civil Case Records or to request Kentucky Criminal Case Records.  If the record is not in the Archives, you will need to contact the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office in the pertinent county: http://courts.ky.gov/counties/.  The Clerk’s Office will be able to provide information about accessing the records.
      Do not submit the request form if you need a record dated after 1977, unless you are certain it is from one of the few counties for which these records are available at the State Archives.  If you have any questions concerning the availability of records, please call us at 502-564-8300, ext 207 or ext 210 before submitting your request, because pre-paid fees are non-refundable. 

 

Appellate Case Files

      The Archives has case files from the Kentucky Court of Appeals (1864-2003, with some gaps).  We have indexes for the years 1864-1952 only.  If you are interested in a case from 1864-1952, please submit the Records Request Form (click here for form).  If you are interested in a case from 1952 or later, please contact the Clerk of the Court of Appeals and obtain a case number, and then submit the Request Form to us.  Here is the contact information for the Court of Appeals:  http://courts.ky.gov/courts/courtofappeals/ 
      We have case files from the Kentucky Supreme Court for 1977-2004, but we do not have an index to any of these records.  Please contact the Supreme Court Clerk’s Office to obtain a case number, and then submit the Request Form to us:  http://courts.ky.gov/courts/supreme/

 

NOTES:

• We have criminal case files for Jefferson County Circuit Court for the years 1967-1985 on microfilm at the Archives, but we do not have an index to those records.  Please contact the Jefferson Circuit Clerk’s Office to obtain a case number before submitting a request to us.
• We do not have misdemeanor criminal cases (including traffic citations) here at the Archives.  Please contact the District Court Clerk’s Office in the pertinent county to check on the availability of those records.  http://courts.ky.gov/counties/.

Requesting a Kentucky Gubernatorial Records Search, you can learn about the official activities of the governors of Kentucky, back to 1792. The types of records available include Executive Journals, constituent correspondence, speeches, pardons, appointments, proclamations and executive orders.

Kentucky State Government Publications

 

Why Are Some Records Not Available?

Often, early records were destroyed when county courthouses were flooded or caught fire. Because these records were handwritten, many times back-up copies did not exist.

Not until the 1930's, under the guidance of Dr. Thomas D. Clark, did a concerted effort begin in the archiving, indexing, and microfilming of the Commonwealth's precious archival documents.

Property Records Research

Requesting a Deed Record, you can track land ownership back to the original deed using prior reference numbers. A deed was made when land was sold, unless the land was given, sold or devised to a son, daughter or spouse. Deeds were administrated by the Supreme Court of the District of Kentucky (before 1792), Court of Appeals, Court of Quarter Sessions, District Court, Circuit Court, or the County Court. Most deeds were filed in the County Court.

Requesting a Tax Record, you can find the name of the property owner, quantity of land owned, location of land, amount of tax imposed, or changes in ownership. Tax records can also give you an indication of the financial status of certain individuals or groups of landowners within a locality.

Requesting a Will/Estate Record, you can find the deceased's name, marital status, family relations, address, financial status at time of death, and how personal/real property was disbursed.

 

Couldn't find it here?

Use KDLA's list of outside links for further research.