Background Sources for Kentucky

This entry was originally written by Wendy Bebout Elliott, Ph.D., FUGA, for Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.

This article is part of the Kentucky Family History Research series.

History of Kentucky

Kentucky Vital Records

Census Records for Kentucky

Background Sources for Kentucky

Kentucky Maps

Kentucky Land Records

Kentucky Probate Records

Kentucky Court Records

Kentucky Tax Records

Kentucky Cemetery Records

Kentucky Church Records

Kentucky Military Records

Kentucky Periodicals, Newspapers, and Manuscript Collections

Kentucky Archives, Libraries, and Societies

African Americans of Kentucky

Kentucky County Resources

Map of Kentucky

Many county and state histories are available for Kentucky. Because Virginia was its parent state, some early Kentucky history through 1792 is recorded in Virginia documents. Everton's 'Sources of Genealogical Information in Kentucky' can be accessed at www.everton.com/usa/ky.htm. For other genealogical resources on the Internet for Kentucky, see www.personal.umich.edu/~cgaunt/kentucky.html.

Historical material pertaining to Kentucky can be found in many excellent publications. A few include these:

• Allen, William B. A History of Kentucky. 1872. Reprint. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms, 1973.

• Bryant, Ron D. Kentucky History: An Annotated Bibliography. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2000.

• Chinn, George Morgan. Kentucky, Settlement and Statehood, 1750'1800. Frankfort, Ky.: Kentucky Historical Society, 1975.

• Clark, Thomas D. Kentucky: Land of Contrast. New York: Harper & Row, 1968.

• Coleman, John Winston. A Bibliography of Kentucky History. Lexington: University of Kentucky Press, 1949. Kentucky histories written prior to 1949 are listed in this bibliography.

• Collins, Lewis, and Richard H. Collins. History of Kentucky. 2 vols. 1874. Reprint. Frankfort, Ky.: Kentucky Historical Society, 1979.

• Filson, John. The Discovery, Settlement, and Present State of Kentucky. Wilmington, Del.: James Adams, 1784.

• Harrison, Lowell, and Klotter, James. A New History of Kentucky. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1997. Includes an extensive bibliography. Replaces Dr. Clark's classic work cited above.

• Hogan, Roseann Reinemuth. Kentucky Ancestry: A Guide to Genealogical and Historical Research. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1992. A good reference book.

• Kincaid, Robert Lee. The Wilderness Road. Harrogate, Tenn.: Lincoln Memorial University Press, 1955.

• Kleber, John, Harrison, Lowell, and Klotter, James, eds. The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1992.

• Littell, William. The Statute Laws of Kentucky to 1816. 5 vols. Frankfort, Ky.: William Hunter, 1809'19. Most important work concerning Kentucky laws.

• Van Every, Dale. Forth to the Wilderness, 1754'1774. New York: Mentor Books, American Library, 1962. A good brief history of the struggle to conquer the Appalachians and settle the western frontier. Available in paperback.