How Do You Use Online Census Records For Genealogy Research?
The Census Bureau has collected household records since the late eighteenth century. Before America’s independence, the British regularly conducted a census throughout the colonies. The public records online contain valuable information that can help you identify your ancestors and verify births, deaths, marriages and even relocations from one area of the United States to another. Use the census data to discover your ancestors. Collect the names and approximate birth dates (and deaths) of your ancestors from family members. Find out where each person lived. Use family bibles and graduation, funeral, insurance and military service records to verify as much information as possible, including alternate spellings of names that your ancestors might have used. Draft a family tree that shows where your ancestors might have lived during their lifetimes. Since the census data is only gathered every 10 years, list the known places of residence of your key family members (heads of household) from
