Richardson Family History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The Richardson Family

21,311 Richardson 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).

21,311Records in our database

1762Earliest birth

3Documented families

6Biographies

See the Richardson family trees →1,053 Richardson families pieced together from public birth and death records, county histories and old newspapers

At a glance

21,311 Richardson 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 (6,086 of 21,311)
Most common birth decade: the 1910s
Earliest birth in the database: Joshua Richardson, born 1762, Illinois

Most common first names

William547 James526 John480 Robert457 Mary455 Charles346 George312 Helen201 Margaret187 Donald186 Dorothy178 Thomas167

Documented families

Richardson 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 Richardson family of Keokuk CountyIowaStarts: Thomas Richardson and Eliza Ann (Weller) Richardson (b. 1809)Most recent: Gilbert Beebe Richardson (b. 1858)The Richardson family of Story CountyIowaStarts: David Richardson and Chloe (Wilbur) Richardson (b. 1780)Most recent: Edward G. Richardson (b. 1849)

Family records from county histories (1)

Bertha Ellen Richardson 1886 to 1917Sherman County, NebraskaStarts: Bertha Ellen Richardson (b. 1886)Most recent: Florence Shipley, Loretta Shipley

The earliest Richardsons in the county histories

Matthew RichardsonBorn 1758Butler County, Ohio Nathan RichardsonBorn 1790Warren County, Ohio William C. RichardsonBorn 1807Child of Edward P. Richardson and Eliza (Fleener) RichardsonDubois County, Indiana A. RichardsonBorn 1810Child of Amos Richardson and Betsy (Barber) RichardsonSummit County, Ohio Richard D. RichardsonBorn 1812, Albemarle countySaline County, Missouri William RichardsonBorn 1814Summit County, Ohio

Family trees from the public record

1,053 Richardson families: parents, brothers and sistersFrom state birth and death indexes, county histories and old newspapers, most recent deaths first

In old newspapers

59 Richardson 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

67 Richardson people in 47 countiesBirth years, birthplaces, parents and spouses, from the old county histories

Biographies from the county histories (6)

Joseph M. RichardsonBorn 1809 · Keokuk County, Iowa Jonathan Franklin RichardsonBorn 1836 · Keokuk County, Iowa Robert RichardsonBorn 1836 · Story County, Iowa Joel RichardsonBorn 1839 · Keokuk County, Iowa George RichardsonBorn 1848 · Keokuk County, Iowa Edward G. RichardsonBorn 1849 · Story County, Iowa

Done-for-you research

Trace your documented Richardson family

Found your Richardson? 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

Richardson genealogy: FAQ

Where were Richardson ancestors recorded?

Our database holds 21,311 Richardson records from all 12 Midwestern states. The most are in Missouri (6,086), then Ohio (2,942) and Illinois (2,523).

How far back does the Richardson family tree go?

The earliest Richardson birth in our database is 1762: Joshua Richardson, Illinois. We have pieced together 1,053 Richardson family trees from public birth and death records.

Are living Richardson 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 Richardson 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.