R E S E A R C H   G U I D A N C E

Florida
Research Outline
   

Table of Contents
Records Of The Family History Library
Family History Library Catalog
Archives And Libraries
Bible Records
Biography
Cemeteries
Census
Church Records
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
Gazetteers
Genealogy
History
Land And Property
Maps
Military Records
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers
Periodicals
Probate Records
Taxation
Vital Records
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions

CENSUSLook this term up in the glossary.


FederalLook this term up in the glossary.

Many federal census records are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The United States Research Outline provides more detailed information about these records.

The Family History Library has microfilms of the federal censuses of Florida from 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920. The 1890 census and veterans schedulesLook this term up in the glossary. were destroyed.

Statewide indexesLook this term up in the glossary. are available for the 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses. SoundexLook this term up in the glossary. (phonetic) indexes on microfilm exist for part of the 1880 and all of the 1900, 1910 and 1920 censuses.

The Florida State Archives has the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 mortality schedules. The Family History Library has the published indexes for each of these schedules.


ColonialLook this term up in the glossary., TerritorialLook this term up in the glossary., and StateLook this term up in the glossary.

Colonial, territorial, and state censuses exist for 1783, 1786, 1790, 1793, 1814, 1825, 1837, 1845, 1855, 1865, 1868, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1935, and 1945. (Censuses taken in later years were destroyed.) Beginning with 1855, specific information is given for each individual. Only scattered fragments are available for the 1855 through 1895 censuses.

The censuses listed above are at the Florida State Archives. The Family History Library has returns for a few counties for various years on microfilm. The 1885 enumerations for 35 counties are on FHL films 888962-74.


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CHURCH RECORDSLook this term up in the glossary.

Before 1900 the largest religious groups in Florida were the Baptist, Methodist-Episcopal (now United Methodist) and Roman Catholic. The Family History Library has a few original records of Florida churches and some materials that have been published by the DAR and others.

For more information about churches in Florida, see:

A Preliminary List of Religious Bodies in Florida. Jacksonville: Historical Records Survey, 1939. (FHL book 975.9 K2ha; film 1036590 item 6; fiche 6019561.)

Guide to the Supplementary Vital Statistics from Church Records in Florida. 3 vols. Jacksonville: Historical Records Survey, 1942. (FHL book 975.9 V2h; FHL film 1425703 item 6.)

Some denominations have collected their records into central repositories. You can write to the following addresses to learn where their records are located:


BaptistLook this term up in the glossary.

Florida Baptist Historical Society
Stetson University
P.O. Box 8353
Deland, FL 32720
Telephone: 904-822-7175
Fax: 904-822-7199
Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives
901 Commerce St., Suite 400
Nashville, TN 37203-3630
Telephone: 615-244-0344
Fax: 615-782-4821
The Family History Library has microfilms of some of the minutes and membership lists from the Southern Baptist Historical Commission.
Many of the Baptist associations and their records are described in Inventory of the Church Archives of Florida: Baptist Bodies (Jacksonville: Historical Records Survey, 1939-1940; FHL books 975.9 K2h; film 1036585 item 4).

MethodistLook this term up in the glossary.

Florida United Methodist History Collection
E. T. Roux Library
Florida Southern College
Lakeland, FL 33811
Telephone: 941-680-4164
Fax: 941-680-4126
United Methodist Archives Center
Drew University Library
P.O. Box 127
Madison, NJ 07940
Telephone: 201-408-3189
Fax: 201-408-3909
A history of churches and congregations is in George G. Smith, The History of Methodism in Georgia and Florida: From 1785 to 1865 (Macon, Ga.: Jno. W. Burke and Co., 1877; FHL book 975 K2s; fiche 6048432).

Roman CatholicLook this term up in the glossary.

Archdiocese of Miami
9401 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami Shores, FL 33138
Telephone: 305-757-6241
Fax: 305-754-1897
The Family History Library has 14 microfilms of records for the years 1594 to 1924 from the main cathedral in St. Augustine. Other early records are described in Thomas T. McAvoy, Guide to the Microfilm Edition of the Records of the Diocese of Louisiana and the Floridas, 1576-1803 (Notre Dame, Ind.: University of Notre Dame Archives, 1976; FHL book 976.3 A1 No. 15).

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