Online Search Tips for Researching Your Past Double Check Your
Work It's a common mistake to enter incorrect or misspelled
search terms. If you're having trouble finding a particular
record, go back to the Search area being sure to enter the
correct name, location, and record type. Use Precise Match Use
Precise Match to narrow your search and get more accurate
results. This is especially helpful if you are searching for
common names that return more than 10 records. To use Precise
Match: go to the Search area, enter a first name and last name,
then check the Precise Match box. Widen Your Search If your
search returns no results, try widening your search criteria.
Delete some of the non-required information you entered, or
select a more general category like "United States" for location
or "All Vital Records" for Record Type. Advanced Search Options
The Advanced Search option allows you to specify additional
search criteria which will help the database pinpoint your
ancestor. Fields in Advanced Search include: