GENEALOGY FAQ

 1.  Where are Census Data for Genealogical and/or Historical 
     Research?

The Census Bureau does not provide genealogical information.

For archival purposes, information collected from individuals
becomes available to the public after 72 years.  For businesses the
information becomes available after 30 years.

Copies of decennial census forms from 1790 through 1930 are
available, usually on microfilm, for research at the United States
National Archives in Washington, DC (http://www.nara.gov/), at Archives
regional centers, and at select depository libraries throughout the United
States, and the Library of Congress. Ask the reference librarian in your
local library about its own holdings and about borrowing film through the
National Archives' census microfilm rental program (301-604-3699). The
records can also be borrowed from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints (LDS) (Mormon) Library in Salt Lake City through any
LDS Family History Center.
(NOTE:  microfilm is analog data, NOT digital ...  it is copies of
the original handwritten records).

The kind of data requested by genealogists about individuals is not 
currently available on the Internet.


 2.  Where Can I Find Information on Immigration or Emigration?

Immigration records for major U.S. ports have been kept on a regular basis 
since 1820. These include: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and 
New Orleans. Others, such as Mobile and Galveston began keeping records 
later in the nineteenth century, while western ports (San Francisco and 
Seattle) began in the last years of the 19th century.

These records have been microfilmed, and are in the custody of the
National Archives and LDS.  These passenger arrival records include the
name of every passenger on the ship, including those who were born or who
died during the voyage.  Generally, the lists include the full name, age,
sex, place of origin, and destination.

Emigration (departure) lists do exist for some European ports, but not all, 
and not even every major one (for example, no comprehensive departure lists 
are known for the British Isles). Among the ports for which emigration 
lists are available are Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, and Hamburg (but NOT 
Bremen).

Microfilm copies of these lists are available at the same places as the
immigration lists.


 3.  What about Naturalization Records?

By law, a person can be naturalized in any "regular" court. The Immigration 
and Naturalization Service does have records for the entire country 
beginning in 1906, but before this time, the procedure will only be located 
in the records of the court where it took place.

Many of these court records are in the custody of the government which 
administrates the court. That is to say, a municipal court's records would 
be in the custody of the city, a county court's records in the custody of 
the county, etc.

Although court records are routinely indexed, these indexes do not always 
include the name of each person naturalized. And in fact, during periods 
of our country's history, only the head of a household would have to be 
naturalized for the whole family to gain citizenship.

A further caveat: Not everyone who immigrated was naturalized. And
although the person being naturalized had to renounce his allegiance to
his former state, the records only rarely give the exact place of his
birth or previous residence.


 4.  What about Vital Records (Birth/Marriage/Divorce/Death)?

Generally the states have all vital records, beginning about 1900 (this
varies in each state). However, counties will usually have marriage
records, beginning at the date the county was organized. The States and
some cities where the event occurred are responsible for these records.
For a list of vital records office addresses go to:
(http://www.cdc.gov/nchswww/), look under "How to...".
Like the court records, many of these have been microfilmed, and are also
available at LDS.


 5.  Censuses Taken by States or Local Governments

Many local and state governments have taken censuses at different times.
Others have not done so.  Again, many are available on microfilm at LDS, 
or in the archives of the city/county/state that took the census.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau