Alaska State Archives > Genealogy

Records in the Alaska State Archives document the functions and activities of the State and Territorial government. None of the records kept at the Archives were created for the purpose of genealogical research. However the Archives does hold many records that contain information on individuals such as:

Naturalization records (1888-1972)
Pioneer Home Residents (1913-1980)
Probate Index (1883-1960)
Teacher records (1917-1959)
World War I Veterans (1913-1923)
Vital Statistics (1816-1998)
- Note: adoption, sanity, guardianship, birth, death, marriage are confidential records and require a Probate Master written permission to disclose them. In Alaska marriage and death certificates are closed to the general public for 50 years and birth certificates are closed for 100 years. However marriage license applications are open to the public with the exception of the results of blood tests, when included.

How to Request information from the Archives

To respond promptly to your request for a person you are looking for, we need some of the following information:

His/her full name (maiden name)
Time and place of birth in Alaska
Time and place of death
The school he/she attended
Marriage/divorce in Alaska
Land ownership status, mining.
Business ownership
Involvement in a lawsuit
Alaska naturalization status
Possible military service
Individual researchers may provide you with their help. Click here for a current list of independent researchers.

Web Resources

Adoption
Alaska Court System, Probate Master.

Alaska Native
Alaska Native Regional Corporations

Birth, death, marriage, divorce
Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics

Burial place
Alaska State Library, Tombstone Transcription Project

Census records
National Archives & Records Administration

Civil/criminal cases after 1959
Alaska Court System, National Archives

Historical photos
Alaska Historical Collections

Land ownership
Bureau of Land Management

Obituary
Alaska State Library newspaper collection

School certificates, diploma, transcripts, and GED records
appropriate school district or state department. Also see How to Find School Records

State Trooper
National Archives & Records Administration

Last updated April 24, 2009