Search Tips: Books


Books specific to individual family lines and locations where multi-generational families lived can be filled with vital information to aid budding genealogists.

Take, for example, this book I found online, History of Bedford, Somerset, and Fulton Counties Pennsylvania, which contained multiple entries referencing my 2nd and 3rd g-grandfathers.



Try these three online sources for locating books (which can often be read online for free):

  1. archive.org
    • Search for a last name + genealogy (example: "Ickes" genealogy)
    • Search for a history book relating to a specific geographical area (example: "Bedford County Pennsylvania" history)
    • Use the filters on the left side of your screen to narrow down your results
    • Once a book has been located, use the "search inside" tool to find references and page numbers of individual names, etc.
  2. Google books
    • Try the same type of searches as above
    • If an online book is located, use the small search bar on the left-hand side of the screen to search for a specific name
  3. familysearch.org
    • The digital books collection on familysearch offers you access to collections from libraries all over the world (not all are going to be accessible online)
    • You'll get more hits if you're logged in to familysearch
    • Try the same type of searches as above
    • Due to copyright restrictions, online access to some books may only be available at your local Family History Center. Click here to find one near you.

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