Genealogists/Family Historians

What You Can Do On This Web Site

What You Can Find Online


What You Can Do Here

We have arranged the Genealogy section of the web site by research topics, or types of records available to search. From the Research Topics pages, you will find links to pages throughout the web site with articles, finding aids, and other helpful information to help you prepare for your genealogical research at the National Archives.

The records in our holdings that are most commonly used by genealogists include:

While you will not find the actual records online, you will find finding aids online, such as microfilm indexes, and information on how to conduct research in the different types of records.


What genealogical records are online?

Please visit "What You Can Find Online" to get an overview of research that can be done on this web site.

Note: The National Archives has a subscription to Ancestry and Heritage Quest, which have digitized many of NARA's holdings with genealogical interest, and made them available online. There is unlimited access to these services, free-of-charge, from any NARA facility nationwide.

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What records does the National Archives have that can help me with my family history research?

Some of the most useful records in NARA's holdings for genealogical research are:

Census Records, (from 1790-1930):
The Federal Population Census has been taken every 10 years, beginning in 1790. The National Archives has the census schedules on microfilm available from 1790 to 1930. (Note: Most of the 1890 Census was destroyed in a Department of Commerce fire, though partial records are available for some states.) There is a 72-year restriction on access to population census schedules, which is why 1930 is the latest year currently available.

Census records can provide the building blocks of your research, allowing you to both confirm information, and to learn a lot more. From 1790-1840 only the head of household is listed, (along with the number of household members in different age groups). However, beginning with 1850, details are provided for all individuals in households.

Depending upon the census year, some of the information that the records may provide includes:

  • the names of family members
    • ,
  • their ages at a certain point in time
  • their state or country of birth
  • their parent's birthplaces
  • year of immigration
  • their street address
  • marriage status and years of marriage
  • occupation(s)
  • value of their home and personal belongings
  • the crops that they grew (in agricultural schedules), etc.

Read more about Census Records

 

Immigration (Ship Passenger Lists):
The National Archives has immigration records, also known as "ship passenger arrival records," for arrivals to the United States between 1820 and 1982. Records are arranged by Port of Arrival. (Pre-1820 records may be on file at the port of entry or at the state archives in the state where the port is located.)

Immigration records may provide genealogists with information such as:

  • one's nationality, place of birth
  • ship name and date of entry to the United States
  • age, height, eye and hair color
  • profession
  • place of last residence
  • name and address of relatives they are joining in the U.S.
  • amount of money they are carrying, etc.
Read more about Immigration Records

 

Land Records:
The land records that are generally of most interest to genealogists are the land entry case files. These are records that document the transfer of public lands from the U.S. Government to private ownership. There are over ten million such individual land transactions in the custody of the National Archives. These case files cover land entries in all 30 public land states.

Land case entry files can contain a wealth of genealogical and legal information. Depending upon the type and time period of the land entry, the case file may yield only a few facts already known to the researcher or it may present new insights about ancestors, family history, title, and land use issues. For example, the records may attest to the one's age, place of birth, citizenship, military service, literacy, and economic status, and may even include similar information about family members. But even the smallest case files can establish locations of land ownership or settlement and dates essential to utilize other resources at NARA, such as census, court, and military service and pension records.

Read more about Land Records

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Military Service and Pension, 1775-1902:
The National Archives holds Federal military service records from the Revolutionary War to 1912 in the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. Military records from WWI - present are held in the National Military Personnel Records Center (NPRC), in St. Louis, Missouri.

The most commonly requested military-related records used by genealogists are: Compiled Military Service Records for Volunteers, Pension Applications and Pension Payment Records, and Bounty Land Records. These records can often provide valuable information on the veteran, as well as on all members of the family. For example:

  • Compiled service records will provide you with your ancestor's rank, unit, date mustered in and mustered out, basic biographical information, medical information, and military information.

  • Pension application files usually provide the most genealogical information. These files often contain supporting documents such as: narratives of events during service, marriage certificates, birth records, death certificates, pages from family Bibles, letters received from the veteran while in service, depositions of witnesses, affidavits, discharge papers and other supporting papers.

  • Bounty land records, from claims based on wartime service between 1775 and March 3, 1855, often contain documents similar to those in pension files, with lots of genealogical information. Many of the bounty land application files relating to Revolutionary War and War of 1812 service have been combined with the pension files.

There is no simple explanation for how to begin research in military records. Your research path will depend on aspects such as: what branch of service your ancestor was in, which conflict, what dates, whether Regular Army or a volunteer unit, whether your ancestor was an officer or enlisted personnel, and whether there was a pension application.

Read more about Military Records

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Naturalization Records:
The National Archives in Washington, D.C. holds naturalization records for Federal Courts. Prior to 1906, any municipal, county, state, or Federal court could grant U.S. citizenship, so you may need to contact the relevant State Archives to search in these records as well.

Naturalization records can provide a researcher with information such as a person's birth date and location, occupation, immigration year, marital status and spouse information, witnesses' names and addresses, and more.

Read more about Naturalization Records

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For the entire list of frequently-used records in family history research please see the Research Topics page.


How can I access these records?

It is often best to visit the National Archives in person to conduct your research. Archival research sometimes is difficult and can take many hours to complete. However, if you can not visit us at one of our research facilities nationwide, you can:



How can I obtain copies of records?

There are different procedures for ordering, depending on what type of records you are ordering. The Obtain Reproductions page has links to information on how to order various types of military service and family history records.

For some records, such as Federal military pension application files, individual census pages, and land files, you can now order online.

For other records, you can request an order form to be mailed to you.

Starting Genealogy Research


Begin your family history research by finding out as much information as you can from living family members:
  • Names of ancestors, their spouses, and their siblings
  • Dates of birth, marriage, death, and divorce
  • The places (town, county, state or province, and country) where these events occurred
Borrow books from your public library on genealogical research. These will tell you what records are available, where they can be found, and describe the research process. This is an extremely important step in your research! These are a few of the many "how to" books which have been published:
  • Crandall, Ralph J. Shaking Your Family Tree. Dublin, NH: Yankee Publishing, 1986.

  • Croom, Emily A. Unpuzzling Your Past: A Basic Guide to Genealogy. Cincinnati, OH: Betterway Books, 1995.

  • Greenwood, Val D. The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1990.

  • Jacobus, Donald Lines. Genealogy as a Pastime and Profession. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1968. Reprint, 1991.

  • Mills, Elizabeth Shown. Evidence! Citation & Analysis for the Family Historian. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1997.

  • Rubincam, Milton. Pitfalls in Genealogical Research. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry, 1987.

  • Stryker-Rodda, Harriet. How to Climb Your Family Tree. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1977. Reprint, 1993.

  • Szucs, Loretto D., and Sandra H. Luebking. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy. Revised edition. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry, 1997.

Join genealogical societies: The National Genealogical Society, the state genealogical society in the state where you live and the state(s) where your ancestors lived, and the county genealogical society in the county where you live and the counties where your ancestors lived. Membership usually costs relatively little ($5-$50) but you get a lot in return. Most societies publish newsletters and other publications that will provide you with information about genealogical research in the area, often including transcripts of actual records. You can find the names and addresses of genealogical societies in Elizabeth Petty Bentley, The Genealogist's Address Book, 4th edition (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999) as well as on the internet. Bentley's book can be found in many public libraries.

 

Solving Difficult Research Problems

 

Eventually, every genealogical researcher will "hit a brick wall" or have a knotty problem to solve. You can learn much by reading how other people have solved such problems. The articles listed below show you how others solved their research problems.

From the National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 83, No. 1 (March 1995), see:
  • Thomas W. Jones, "The Children of Calvin Snell: Primary versus Secondary Evidence."

  • Joy Reisinger, "Is Mother Genevieve a Greslon or a Fontaine?"

From the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, Vol. 151, Whole No. 603 (July 1997), see:
  • Vernon D. Turner, "Lydia Gaymer, the Wife of Humphrey Turner of Scituate."

  • Steven E. Sullivan, "Joanna (Adams) Lunt Identified."

From the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 128, No. 2 (April 1997), see:
  • Harry Macy Jr., "The Van Wicklen/Van Wickle Family: Including its Frisian Origin and Connections to Minnerly and Kranckheyt."

  • Cynthia B. Biasca, "Jacques Hertel and the Indian Princesses."

  • Frederick C. Hart Jr., "A Proposed Family for Thomas Jones of Fairfield, Connecticut, and Huntington, Long Island."

The NGS Quarterly, New England Historical and Genealogical Register, and the NYG&B Record can be found in libraries with a large genealogical collection, or you may be able to purchase back issues from the societies that published them.

Records Available from NARA

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has many records that are useful for genealogical research, such as the Federal population censuses, 1790-1930; military service and pension records, ca. 1776-1900; immigration records, 1820-1957; and naturalization records.

Begin with Census Records

You may wish to begin your research in census records, which are available for 1790-1930. Begin with the 1930 census and work your way backwards. Census records are basic building blocks for your genealogical research; they will provide names of family members, ages, state or country of birth, occupation, and other useful information.

Due to staffing limitations, we cannot do census research. However, you can get access to census records:

Other Useful Federal Records

For information on other microfilmed Federal records in the custody of NARA that are useful for genealogical research, consult:
  • Microfilm Resources for Research: A Comprehensive Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 2001. Available for purchase, or search online.

  • American Indians: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995. Available online or for purchase.

  • Black Studies: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1996. Available online.

  • Diplomatic Records: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1986. Available online or for purchase.

  • Genealogical & Biographical Research: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1983). Available online.

  • Federal Court Records: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1987. Available online.

  • Immigrant & Passenger Arrivals: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1991. Available online or for purchase.

  • Military Service Records: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1985. Available online or for purchase.
For information on other Federal records, both microfilmed and unfilmed, in the custody of NARA that are useful for genealogical research, consult:
  • Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 3d edition, 2001. Available for purchase.

The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001
Telephone: 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272