Using census tracts is a useful way to obtain birth dates. Knowing birth information will greatly improve your chances of finding your genealogy on the Internet.
Genealogy Search
Census tracts since 1850 list either the age or date of birth of each person in a household. The exception was the 1890 Census which was largely destroyed in a 1921 fire. The tracts are available in microfilm. If you are searching the state in which you live, you probably can find the tracts at you state historical library.
If you would like to view census tracts online, here are some options. (The indexed census tracts will usually make your searching easier.)
- Ancestry.com has indexed the entire U.S. Federal Census. It also has indexed census
records for Canada and the United Kingdom.
- FamilySearch.org has the 1880 census tracts indexed online.
Once you know a birth year, go to the Vital Records Information website to request a birth certificate. A birth certificate may provide the parents' names. You can then search census tracts for the father or mother (if she is the head-of-household). Repeat the process for each generation until birth records are no longer available.
If all of the above seems a bit complicated, you could also try the following website. Your answers to a series of questions at this site will provide a customized plan for your own genealogy search.
Genealogy: Advice for Effective Searches. This site provides free, customized genealogy search advice to create an effective research plan. It also provides hints on how to use the genealogy records recommended for your research plan.
Also see
- Genealogy Software for options in organizing your research on your personal computer.
- Online Collaboration if you are interested in sharing your family tree with others in your family or other researchers.
Genealogy on the Internet
Once you know ancestors back into the mid-1800s, you have a much better chance of finding someone who has been researched previously. This is where the Active Searches page of this website comes in handy. Go to genealogy search for an overview.