Genealogy Basics

Hit a Brick Wall? Ten Places to Look Next

By Monte Horton · October 29, 2026

Every family historian hits a brick wall: an ancestor who seems to appear out of nowhere, with no parents, no birthplace and no records before a certain year. Most brick walls aren't really walls. They're places where the obvious records ran out and the less obvious ones haven't been searched yet.

First, go back over what you have

Before searching anywhere new, make a timeline of everything you know about the person: every record, every date, every place. Brick walls often break when you notice a detail you skimmed past: a witness's name, a neighbor, a birthplace that changes between censuses.

Ten places to look next

1. Siblings. Your ancestor may have left few records, but a brother or sister may have an obituary, death certificate or Bible that names the parents. Research the whole family, not just the direct line.

2. Neighbors and associates. Families moved, married and settled together. Genealogists call this the FAN club: friends, associates and neighbors. Look at the families on the same census page in each place your ancestor lived. When the same neighbors keep appearing, they're probably relatives.

3. Land and deed records. Held by the county, these often go back further than vital records. Deeds can name heirs, spouses, previous residences and relatives selling land to each other.

4. Wills and probate files. A will can name every child and grandchild. Even without a will, probate files list heirs, debts and property. Check the county where the person died and where they owned land.

5. Church records. Baptisms, marriages, burials and membership transfers. A transfer letter can say exactly where a family came from.

6. Local newspapers. Obituaries, but also visits from out-of-town relatives, anniversaries, legal notices and local gossip. Chronicling America is free; many libraries offer others.

7. Tax lists. Often taken every year, so they track men year to year, sometimes before the first census that names them. They show when someone arrived in or left a county.

8. Military records. Service records, draft registrations and especially pension files, which can include marriage proof, children's names and affidavits from people who knew the family.

9. City directories. Yearly listings of residents, often with occupation and address. They fill the gaps between censuses and can show when someone died or moved away.

10. Cemetery records. Not just the stone. Look at who's buried nearby, and ask the cemetery office or sexton for the plot records, which can name who bought the plot and who else is in it.

And then: DNA

When records truly run out, DNA can point you to the family on the other side of the wall. Look for matches who share DNA with you and have trees with the same surnames or places. Records then tell you exactly how you connect.

Check the obvious mistakes

• Spelling. Try every variation, and search by first name and location only.
• Boundaries. The county may have been split or renamed; the records may be in the parent county.
• Wrong person. Sometimes the wall exists because an earlier generation in your tree is wrong. Recheck the evidence for the last link.

Keep notes on where you've looked

Write down every place you searched, including the ones that turned up nothing. "Not found in the 1850 census of Pike County" is useful information. It saves you from searching the same place twice and shows the next person where to try.