R E S E A R C H   G U I D A N C E

Hawaii
Research Outline
   

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

PROBATE RECORDSLook this term up in the glossary.

The circuit courts, from the time they were established, have kept probate records of Hawaii. Some records date from as early as the 1840s. No probate records exist for earlier eras, except for a few of the royal families. The Hawaii State Archives and the Family History Library have 141 microfilms of probate records from 1845 to 1900 and indexes from 1814 to 1917 (beginning on FHL film 1010689). Additional records are at the various county courthouses.


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VITAL RECORDSLook this term up in the glossary.


Early Birth Look this term up in the glossary.and Death Look this term up in the glossary.Records

Local government authorities and clergymen recorded some pre-1860 birth and death records. You will find these at the Hawaii State Archives, the Department of Health, and the Daughters of the American Revolution Library in Honolulu. The Family History Library has about 20 sets of these on 100 microfilms. Existing records for the city of Honolulu, for instance, date from 1841 to 1896. The name indexes of these may be in English, but the records are usually in Hawaiian.


Delayed Birth RegistrationLook this term up in the glossary.

Since 1911, a person born in Hawaii, whose birth was not registered, could apply for a delayed certificate of birth. The Family History Library has microfilms of delayed birth records dating from 1859 to 1903, with indexes from 1859 to 1938, (FHL films beginning with film 1205949) and microfilms for 1904-1920 (FHL films beginning with film 1853012).


Early Marriage RecordsLook this term up in the glossary.

Early collections of marriage records are at the Hawaii State Archives, the State Department of Health, and the Daughters of the American Revolution Library in Honolulu. The Hawaii State Archives collection extends from 1826 to 1929, with an index from 1826 to 1910 (FHL film 1031145). The Family History Library has microfilms of many of these valuable records.


DivorcesLook this term up in the glossary.

Divorce proceedings are usually recorded in the circuit court records. The Family History Library has microfilms of numerous circuit court divorce records from 1849 to 1915 (FHL films 1015620-52). A collection of additional pre-1900 divorce records is also at the Hawaii State Archives.

State registration of divorces did not begin until 1950. The Family History Library does not have these records.


State RecordsLook this term up in the glossary.

Statewide registration of births and marriages began in 1842. Registration of deaths began in 1859. Few records exist until 1896, however, and registration was not generally complied with until 1929. The Family History Library has microfilms of:

  • Births, 1896-1919 and indexes 1896-1949
  • Marriages, 1884-1919 and indexes 1909-1949
  • Deaths, 1896-1919 and indexes 1896-1949
  • Burials, 1861-1892

You can obtain copies of state records from the 1860s to the present by writing to:

Research and Statistics Office
State Department of Health
P.O. Box 3378
1250 Punchbowl Street
Honolulu, HI 96801
Telephone: 808-586-4533
The current fees for obtaining copies of the state's records are listed in Where to Write for vital Records: Births, Deaths, Marriages, and Divorces (Hyattsville, Md.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, March 1993 (FHL book 973 V24wv). Copies of this booklet are at the Family History Library and the Family History Centers.


Additional Sources

Important vital record indexes have been compiled from names found in several Hawaii newspapers. See the section on “Newspapers” for further information.


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FOR FURTHER READING

More detailed information about records and research in Hawaii is in the following:

Conrad, Agnes C. “Family History Sources in Hawaii,” Hawaii Library Association Journal, 33 June 1974, p. 3-10, Honolulu: Hawaii Library Association. (FHL book 996.9 A1 no.21.) A 1980 version of this information is on microfiche 6085832.

Eichholz, Alice, ed. Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources. Rev. ed. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1992. (FHL book 973 D27rb 1992; computer number 594021.) Contains bibliographies and background information on history and ethnic groups. Also contains maps and tables showing when each county was created.


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COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS

The Family History Library welcomes additions and corrections that will improve future editions of this outline. Please send your suggestions to:

Publications Coordination
Family History Library
35 N. West Temple Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3400
USA
We appreciate the archivists, librarians, and others who have reviewed this outline and shared helpful information.

Paper publication: Second edition July 1997. English approval: 7/97.

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