This article is part of a series: Finding Your Ancestors: Fundamentals.
When researching our ancestors, one of our most important goals is to determine where they lived. This information is key to finding other aspects of their lives, whether they be local or state vital records, census records, or newspapers where there might be further information about them.
Most folks limit their search to the obvious repositories, whether online or not, focusing primarily on census records and city directories. There are many other ways to determine specifics about ancestor locations, including their specific addresses. Finding this other information also provides clues that help you to find further information about them.
Many of these listed source types should not stand alone as evidence of their residence, so you might want to check many of these sources to provide corroborating evidence.
Documents That Include Addresses and Locations
Alumni Records and Student Directories – these generally include the college student or alumnus’ current address in them.
Birth Certificates – the parents’ address is included and one is not making a rush to judgment that this same address may be the baby’s first residence as well – at least in most cases.
Business Correspondence – letters, receipts, contracts, and even old business cards include addresses.
Cemetery Records – if the ancestor purchased a cemetery plot, it is likely that the cemetery has a record of the person’s address at the time of the purchase.
Census Records – includes addresses; often written vertically on the left side of the page.
Church Records – membership lists, directories or newsletters might have the address.
City Directories – by definition include people’s addresses, (includes telephone books and directories). Don’t forget that they are very useful for businesses, lodges, associations, and church addresses as well.
Coroner Records – if known, te address of the deceased might be included in this record.
Court Records – most kinds of court records would include the address of your ancestor. Likely candidates are divorces and civil judgments, guardianships, and criminal cases.
Criminal Records – court documents will likely contain the address of the accused. Prison and jail records might include a permanent address as well as a contact person, likely from the family.
Death Certificates – the decedent’s address as well as that of the informants are generally included.
Draft Cards – the draftee’s address is included and often when asked for a contact person – that person’s address is included.
Employment and Union Records – although difficult to acquire, these documents like would have the address.
Family and Personal Correspondence – letters and postcards to and from family members typically included their residence addresses. Other personal papers might have addresses as well.
Immigration and Travel Records – post-1900 the address of the traveler is included in travel records and the address of where the immigrant is “going” is included in immigration records.
Institutional Records – if an ancestor has been institutionalized, likely their permanent address of the address of the next of kin might be available.
Land, Deed, and Property Records – After 1860, a physical address may likely be associated with the deed. Later property records include the address.
Maps and Atlases – generally do not have people’s names on them, but they might. A location might be identified as the “Smith Farm” or the “Johnson General Store”. These might help narrow down the location, residence, or business of an ancestor.
Marriage Announcements in Newspapers – marriage license announcements include the bride and groom’s addresses. The society pages include parties and visitors, addresses of the event, and some participants.
Marriage Licenses – include the address of the bride and groom. May be on the marriage certificate as well, but more likely in the ledger or register of marriages or other pertinent log book of the local jurisdiction.
Membership Directories – published by churches, alumni associations, lodges, associations and other institutions are likely to have a directory with names and addresses.
Military Records – if the person was drafted or enlisted, their permanent address and that of the next of kin were likely recorded in their enlistment papers.
Miscellaneous Newspaper Articles – many list the address of the subject(s) of the article. Don’t forget business advertisements and classified ads.
Mortuary Records – the decedent’s address is included in the document.
Naturalization Records – the potential citizen’s address is specified.
Newspaper Legal Notices and Real Estate Transactions – likely would include the address of your ancestor.
Obituaries – some obituaries contain the residence of the deceased.
Passports and Passport Applications – Both of these documents contain the address of the applicant.
Patents and Patent Applications – contain the address of the applicant.
Photographs – most photographs don’t have addresses affixed or handwritten on them, but I have several photos of my ancestors and relatives taken in front of their houses, with the house number prominently displayed. Snapshots were often taken at places that they visited, which were generally handwritten on the back of the photo. Also, sitting for a professional photographer might include the photographer’s name and city, providing more clues.
Probate Records and Wills – generally contain the addresses of the people involved.
School Records – enrollment lists might have the student’s address.
Social Security Application – contains the address of the applicant.
Special Marriage Documents – such as marriage banns, bonds, contracts, consent papers, dowries, etc. are likely to have address information.
SSDI – The Social Security Death Index contains the county and state where the last benefits were distributed.
Tax Records – generally don’t have the person’s address, but they might, especially if the taxation pertains to property holdings of your ancestor.
The U.S. Public Records Index is an online compilation that includes addresses from Public Records from as early as 1950. Although these provide clues, their accuracy is often questionable, but worth the effort if you have little success elsewhere
Veteran’s Benefit or Pension Record – would include the address at time of enlistment, and possibly their current address where they are receiving benefits. If they were deceased, their beneficiaries’ addresses would be available.
Voting Registration and Great Registers – the address of the registered voter is included.
How to Find Addresses Online
Subscription databases such as Ancestry, MyHeritage, and FindMyPast have many of the documents above available via a subscription.
If you are interested in Free Online collections for the U.S., you can access links to many of the categories curated by The Ancestor Hunt. Here are some of the categories and their page on the site:
- Alumni Records
- Births
- Cemetery Records
- Church Records
- Coroner Records
- Criminal Records
- Deaths
- Directories
- Divorce Records
- Immigration Records
- Institutional Records
- Marriages
- Military Records
- Mortuary Records
- Naturalization Records
- Newspaper Links
- Obituaries
- Probate and Wills
- School Records
- Tax Records
- Voter Records