Welcome to the Alexander Family page at Surname Finder, a service of Genealogy Today. Our editors have compiled this checklist of genealogical resources, combining links to commercial databases along with user-contributed information and web sites for the Alexander surname. As additional sources for vital records, original documents, vintage photographs and surname-based DNA projects are discovered, this page is updated to offer the best list for researching Alexander ancestry. Share this page on Twitter!
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The Alexander Family Tree
It is important to remember that there is no single Alexander family tree, as last names were assigned to people for various reasons. We are often asked, How can I distinguish my Alexander ancestor from others of the same name? and you might be surprised at the answer.
Best Tree Collections for Discovering Alexander Ancestors
Alexander Genealogy
Many things can go wrong when a record collection is indexed. If you're having diffculty finding Alexander ancestors in a particular database at one site, try finding it on another and compare the results. If you want to know What information is given in U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules about Alexander citizens from the past?, then read this frequently asked question.
Top Five Genealogy Databases to Search for Alexander
Vital records are essential for family history research because they were typically created at or near the time of the event, making the record more reliable.
There are currently matching Alexander records at Ancestry.com!
Start exploring this online Alexander family history resource today.
Death Records
Military Records
Origins of the Alexander Surname
There are no clear, concise answers to why or how one of your Alexander ancestors took on the surname. It may have been based on their occupation or a distinguising physical trait. Were you aware that Alexander is considered a very common surname, which offers its own set of challenges? The article "Researching Common Names" may be helpful for your research. Keep in mind that it was not unusual for a last name to be altered as an ancestor entered a new country.
According to An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names [page 51], the surname ALEXANDER is defined as An aider or benefactor of men. From the Greek words meaning to aid or help, and man. A powerful auxiliary.
Alexander DNA Projects
Don't believe the hype! When DNA testing was first made available for genealogical purposes, some companies boasted how it could solve all your Alexander family tree mysteries. DNA testing can be a useful tool, when applied properly to a given research issue. If you're not sure how DNA testing could aid your Alexander research, read "When do you use DNA?".
Alexander Family History
There is more to exploring your Alexander ancestry than just gathering a bunch of names and dates. Understanding where your ancestors lived, how they were employed, and what they did for fun, may give you a better appreciation of your heritage. Whether you are a beginner or expert genealogists, knowing How can I decipher the handwriting in old Alexander documents? is always useful.
Photo Collections
Networking with Alexander Researchers
One of the best ways to solve a genealogy problem is by enlisting the help of others through a message board query that is open to the public, allowing you to cast a wide net that can be accessed by anyone, around the world and around the clock --- at the same time, because it is a public forum, you will want to exercise caution in posting personal information or information about living persons. The article "The Art of Posting Queries" provides some valuable tips for posting successful Alexander queries.
You may also want to consider posting a query to the Community Message Boards at Genealogy Today to get assistance from other researchers on your most elusive Alexander ancestors.
Alexander Achievements & Celebrities
Did you know that Alexander was the 96th most popular surname in the 1990 census of the United States?
Web Sites & Blogs with Alexander Research
If you are having difficulty locating records for the last name of Alexander, contact the folks at ProGenealogists for a free research estimate. You may also find it helpful to read, "When, Why and How to Hire a Professional Genealogist."
RootsWeb search of US Naturalization Records
RootsWeb search of Obituary Daily Times
RootsWeb search of Social Security Death Index
To recommend your web site/blog for inclusion on this page, please submit a link to the user-contributed directory at Genealogy Today. Your web page may appear once its content has been reviewed by our editors.
Upcoming Alexander Family Reunions
Family reunions are an ideal time interview older relatives and other Alexander family members; you may want to consider a roundtable where you can gather different groups together at different times such as siblings to discuss their parents and childhood memories, cousins, aunts and uncles to discuss the grandparent generation, etc. - the collective memory and stimulus of shared experience can yield considerable information. The article "A Great Way to Unite a Newly-Found Family" may provide you with tips for hosting a successful Alexander reunion.
See Also
Surname Finder, The Alexander Genealogy and Family Tree Page [on-line resource], New Providence, NJ, USA: Genealogy Today LLC, 2023.
