Many people don’t know their grandparents’ names. Sometimes, that is because they never met them at all. Or perhaps they knew their grandparents but never got to know their real names, for whatever reason. If that’s your case as well, you can get your grandparents’ names by simply checking Vital Records Online. You can then order records such as a copy of the death certificate. You will need proof of your own identity and often of your relationship with the deceased. However, you can easily acquire the vital records needed to order birth certificates and death certificates online. Then, you can move on with your search and learn more about your family history.
What Documents Do I Need to Find My Grandparents’ Names?
Ordering birth records or death records will normally mean establishing your identity and relationship with the deceased. You can achieve this by first establishing your relationship with your parents and then establishing theirs with their parents. The easiest way to do this is with a birth certificate.
If you are over the age of 21, you can order your parents’ birth certificate online at Vital Records Online. You will have to provide your photo ID and, sometimes, proof of relationship, such as your own birth certificate. You can also choose to visit the Health Records office in your parents’ state of birth to request these records.
Your parents’ birth certificates will contain your paternal grandparents’ names on the side of that parent.
Learn More About Your Family By Finding Your Grandparents’ Names
Once you have your parents’ birth certificates, you can use your grandparents’ names to learn more about them. For example, you can attempt to request their birth certificates and death certificates. In some cases, this means knowing where they were born and when.
You can search for this data in the U.S. Census Records but knowing their approximate birth date and location will help a great deal.
Death Certificates
Ordering death certificates online will give you an easy way to determine when, where, and how your grandparents died. If you are uncertain if they are living, a death certificate will also clear up many questions and help you find your grandparents’ names. You can complete a death record search by name at Vital Records Online. If you’re wondering how to obtain a death certificate online, you can typically simply order it, prove your identity, and receive it in the mail. Some states require that you establish your relationship with the deceased or have proof of legal representation. Many others maintain death records as public domain content and as part of the public death indexes used to maintain records of public health and longevity. However, public domain records will not specific the in-depth cause of death.
Marriage Records
Marriage records can help you to find spouses, proof that your grandparents were together, and non-paternal grandparents. For example, if your paternal grandparents divorced after your birth and one remarried, a grandparent you knew and loved might not be on your parents’ birth certificate. Finding marriage records will help you to fill in the blanks and learn your grandparents’ names.
Immigration Data
Many people do not have birth certificates in the United States simply because they emigrated to the United States. You can search for this data through census records or contact the local courthouse where they previously lived.
In most cases, you can easily learn your grandparents’ names through your parents’ birth and death certificates. You can order these online at Vital Records Online. Once you have their full names, you can follow up by ordering birth records and a certified death certificate to complete the story.