How Do You Search The Social Security Death Index?
The Social Security Death Index is an easy to access source for basic vital statistics for the millions of people whose deaths were reported to the U.S. Social Security Administration. Birth years for the people listed range from 1875 to last year. These records may include name, birth date, death date, and last known residence. Many online genealogy databases offer free access to the SSDI. I have included links to several in the resource section below. Try out each and to pick the one you like best. My favorite is Stephen Morse’s One Step SSDI Search because it allows more flexible searches. Start by inputting the minimum information into the search form to avoid an overly restrictive search the might miss your target person. If the surname is not a very common one, try entering just that. If you get too many results, add more detail like part of the first name or the birth or death year. If you are lucky enough to know the individual’s social security number, search for that. If you
