Kentucky Genealogy

Kentucky Genealogy is being developed as a genealogical and historical resource for your personal use. It contains information and records for Kentucky ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Specifically, it provides sources for birth records, death records, marriage records, census records, tax records, court records, and military records. It also provides some historical details about different times and people in Kentucky history.

The search on the right side will search all of the Kentucky Genealogy website, but will not search the data linked to from our offsite data pages.

The State of Kentucky is situated between 36 degrees 30 minutes, and 39 degrees 10 minutes, north latitude; and between 81 degrees 50 minutes, and 89 degrees 26 minutes, west longitude — and includes all that portion of territory which lies south and westward of a line, beginning on the Ohio river, at the mouth of the Great Sandy river, and running up the same, and the main and north-easterly branch thereof, to the great Laurel ridge or Cumberland mountains; thence south-west along said mountains, to a line of North Carolina. It is bounded north by Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio; east by Virginia; south by Tennessee; and west by the Mississippi river and State of Missouri. It is three hundred miles in length from east to west, and one hundred and fifty miles in mean breadth; and contains 42,600 square miles, or about twenty-seven million acres.

Kentucky County Genealogy

Neighboring States

New Kentucky Genealogy

Stations and Early Settlements in Kentucky

In a meticulous endeavor to enrich the historical narrative of early Kentucky, the authors, father and son, embarked on a thorough journey of discovery. Lewis Collins, the father, devoted two years to an exhaustive study, anchored in the belief that an intimate knowledge of the topography of early Kentucky is indispensable for understanding its history. His efforts resulted in a compilation that surpassed even his own optimistic expectations in both completeness and accuracy. This remarkable feat is especially noteworthy considering it was largely informed by the contributions of Dr. Christopher C. Graham of Louisville, who, at the ripe age of…

Vital Records Legislation by the Commonwealth of Kentucky up to 1942

Since 1851, laws mandating the recording of births and deaths in Kentucky have evolved considerably. Prior to 1911, however, these records were not systematically maintained. The current statewide system, overseen by the State Bureau of Vital Statistics within the State Board of Health, was established that year, significantly improving record-keeping. Earlier laws required health professionals and county officials to register these events annually, with varying levels of detail and enforcement. Key legislative changes over the years included establishing and then abolishing the role of State Registrar, appointment of local registrars, and standardized forms for certificates. Failure to comply with these…

Origin and Early History of Record Keeping in the State

Kentucky, mirroring parent state Virginia, adhered to Anglican Church practices for vital statistics record-keeping until independence, when the county clerk assumed this role with minimal attention to detail. The pursuit of scientific vital statistics began earnestly with the Seventh Decennial Census in 1850, but faced underfunding and public apathy. Kentucky responded with the Sutton Law in 1852, mandating local record-keeping, but with limited success. Only in 1910 did genuine reform occur with a new registration law and the foundation of the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Despite earlier neglect, some records persevered, aiding future genealogical and public health research. Today, Kentucky’s…

History of Frankfort Kentucky

This article provides a brief history of Frankfort, Kentucky, including its exploration and settlement by various individuals, the acquisition of land grants, the establishment of the town by General James Wilkinson, and the construction of notable residences such as the John Bibb House, the Vreeland House, the Crittenden House, Liberty Hall, the Orlando Brown House, and the Sigmund Luscher House.

History of the Forks of Elkhorn Kentucky

This article provides information about the Forks of Elkhorn area in Franklin County, Kentucky. It discusses early settlers, churches in the area, and various burying grounds and graveyards, including their locations and notable features. It also contains a table of the 1870 landowners of the Forks of Elkhorn Precinct, Including Duckers, Switzer, Woodlake and Jett.

The Kentucky Military Institute

The Kentucky Military Institute, established in 1845, was a renowned private military school known for its rigorous curriculum and strict discipline. After the Civil War, it transitioned to prepare students for professional careers. The school faced financial troubles and closed in 1887 but reopened the following year. It later moved from Frankfort to Mt. Sterling and then to Jefferson County. Dissatisfaction with the military and financial difficulties led to its final closure in 1971.

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Kentucky County Genealogy