District of Columbia Research Tips and Strategies

United States   District of Columbia    Introduction

This set of Wiki pages describes major sources of information about families from the District of Columbia. As you read these pages, study the United States set of Wiki pages, which will help you understand terminology and the contents and uses of genealogical records. The Wiki pages for Maryland and Virginia will help if you have ancestors who lived in the area prior to 1800.

Records of the Family History Library
The Family History Library has some of the records described in these Wiki pages. The library's major holdings include federal censuses, deeds, city directories, and newspapers. Some church, cemetery, and tax records are also available at the library. Several collections of records have been purchased from the National Archives.

Some of the sources described in these Wiki pages list the Family History Library's book, microfilm, and microfiche numbers. These are preceded by FHL, the abbreviation for Family History Library. You can use these numbers to locate materials in the library and to order microfilm and microfiche at Family History Centers.

FamilySearch Catalog
The library's records are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog found at the library and at each Family History Center. To find a record, look in the Place Search of the catalog for:


 * The locality where your ancestor lived, such as:


 * UNITED STATES — CENSUS
 * DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA — TAXATION
 * DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WASHINGTON — CEMETERIES


 * The record type you want to search, such as:


 * UNITED STATES — CENSUS
 * DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA — TAXATION
 * DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WASHINGTON — CEMETERIES

The section headings in this set of Wiki pages match the names of record types used in the library catalog.