Eighty Books about Kentucky Family Genealogies by Surname

A blank pedigree chart may be scary for new researchers. Many beginning genealogists find it easier to present their Kentucky family history when there is an example available. Some may not consider that a Kentucky ancestor might have already written the family history and presented it in a nicely bound book.

Where do you find these genealogies by surname? Google it, of course!

All kidding aside, Google Books contains the world's most comprehensive index of full-text books. You can search their collection for your surname or your Kentucky ancestor. You might be surprised when your Kentucky family member appears in a book, magazine, or pamphlet. Many of us have found ancestors within these pages, perhaps in an organization list, advertising their business, or as a defendant in a court case.

Finding the Early Families of Kentucky

We did a larger search to find any genealogy books where a Kentuckian or Kentucky was cited. Google did not disappoint. Over eighty books were returned when we did the search in the summer of 2021. [The list is organized by surname below.] These books contain useful information on researching Kentucky's past through family history records, such as census data, birth/death certificates and military service records among others.

In the Genealogy of the Eliot Family book, which was published around 1854, Benjamin Eliot’s daughter, Mary, married the Honorable John J. Crittenden of Kentucky. He later became one of Kentucky’s governors.

Extracted from the Eliot Family book.

Another book, The Seldens of Virginia and Allied Families, provides an entire chapter about the Breckenridge family. Robert Breckenridge had two sons who served in the Revolutionary War and later settled in Louisville, KY. Other family members settled in Bath and Bourbon Counties.

No genealogy listing from Kentucky would be complete without adding a book about The Boone Family. Many Kentuckians claim a blood line to Daniel Boone, who is considered a father of the Kentucky wilderness. Hazel Atterbury Spraker compiled this book in 1922.

In the Preface, she notes that the family line had not been documented prior to her book. She has a long thank you list, which is always nice to see from a researcher. She covers the family through the Civil War and beyond. It is an excellent example of family history.

Reviewing the Family History Examples

Considering many of these books were written before Ancestry or the like was available, these books are rich with information and Kentucky ancestor life stories.

Many of the genealogist explain how they collected the information, the sources, and some include pictures or documents. Many relied on interviews with family members as a source.

Each of us know the considerable work that goes into this research! If you are writing your family history, then you should review several of the books to understand what information was suggested. Plus it is fun to see how proud these authors are!

Listing Genealogies with Kentucky Last Names

The following list contains the surname that is the subject of the book, the year published, and a link to the book title. As far as we know, the books are in the public domain and free to use.

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