Edwards Family History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The Edwards Family

26,447 Edwards records from public death, burial and census records and the old county histories, in all 12 Midwestern states we cover. Every name is a real person in the public record, and we follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

26,447Records in our database

1775Earliest birth

3Documented families

6Biographies

See the Edwards family trees →1,111 Edwards families pieced together from public birth and death records, county histories and old newspapers

At a glance

26,447 Edwards records in our database

From public death, burial and census records across 12 Midwestern states. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how). Tap a state or a decade to narrow the list of ancestors below.

Where

fewer more

When they were born

Most records: Missouri (7,024 of 26,447)
Most common birth decade: the 1910s
Earliest birth in the database: Ninian Edwards, born 1775, Illinois

Most common first names

William716 John639 Mary583 James558 Robert537 Charles465 George336 Helen256 Richard253 Thomas250 Dorothy239 Ruth230

Documented families

Edwards families we have traced

Written from county histories and public records, every fact cited. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

Family histories, generation by generation (2)

The Edwards family of Adair CountyIowaStarts: David Edwards and Melinda (Heddy) EdwardsMost recent: Frank H. Edwards (b. 1871)The Edwards family of Lyon CountyMinnesotaStarts: William R. Edwards (b. 1840)Most recent: Hugh L. Edwards (b. 1875)

Family records from county histories (1)

William Edwards d. 1885Appanoose County, IowaStarts: William Edwards, from TennesseeMost recent: William Edwards, Matison S. Edwards

The earliest Edwardss in the county histories

John M. EdwardsBorn 1805Child of Henry W. Edwards and Lydia (Miller) EdwardsMahoning County, Ohio Eli EdwardsBorn 1808Child of Jonathsn EdwardsRandolph County, Indiana David EdwardsBorn 1818, Warren CountyChild of John D. Edwards and Eliza EdwardsClinton County, Ohio N. B. EdwardsBorn 1822, Knox CountyDaviess County, Indiana George W. EdwardsBorn 1828Perry County, Indiana Daniel EdwardsBorn 1829, Armstrong CountyCarroll County, Iowa

Family trees from the public record

1,111 Edwards families: parents, brothers and sistersFrom state birth and death indexes, county histories and old newspapers, most recent deaths first

In old newspapers

67 Edwards death notices, 1837 to 1925Obituaries and funeral notices from Midwest papers scanned by the Library of Congress, with the original pages

In the county history family index

94 Edwards people in 52 countiesBirth years, birthplaces, parents and spouses, from the old county histories

Biographies from the county histories (6)

James T. EdwardsBorn 1830 · Coshocton County, Ohio George W. EdwardsBorn 1843 · Randolph County, Indiana Edward EdwardsBorn 1860 · Lyon County, Minnesota William H. EdwardsBorn 1867 · Lyon County, Minnesota Frank H. EdwardsBorn 1871 · Adair County, Iowa Hugh L. EdwardsBorn 1875 · Lyon County, Minnesota

Done-for-you research

Trace your documented Edwards family

Found your Edwards? We trace your family back as far as the records go and write it up as a family history book, every source cited. No DNA test and no sales call: we take a free first look, then email you a plan and a flat price before you spend a dollar.

Common questions

Edwards genealogy: FAQ

Where were Edwards ancestors recorded?

Our database holds 26,447 Edwards records from all 12 Midwestern states. The most are in Missouri (7,024), then Ohio (4,347) and Illinois (3,881).

How far back does the Edwards family tree go?

The earliest Edwards birth in our database is 1775: Ninian Edwards, Illinois. We have pieced together 1,111 Edwards family trees from public birth and death records.

Are living Edwards family members listed here?

Not knowingly. We follow set rules to leave living people out of our public pages. If you find a living relative listed here, email us and we will take the record down.

Is this my Edwards family?

Maybe. Many people share a name, so treat any match as a possible match until the dates and places line up with what you know about your family. Every person here links to their own page with the details, and we can trace your line for you.