Step-by-Step District of Columbia Research, 1880-Present

Families who lived and held jobs in the District of Columbia frequently resided in suburbs actually located in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. Watch for census records and vital records for them in those surrounding states.

Step 1. Find out everything possible from living relatives and their family records.
Every good genealogy project starts with finding all the clues that can be gathered from living relatives — both from their memories and from documents or memorabilia in their homes.

What are the best questions to ask?
In order to extend research, ask for names, dates, and places. Everything about who a relative was and when and where they lived is a clue to a new record search. For ideas, see :
 * 50 Questions to Ask Relatives About Family History at ThoughtCo.com
 * Creating Oral Histories at FamilySearch Wiki

What documents should be collected or copied?
Because these records cover names, dates, places, and relationships, they are a valuable source of clues. Look for them in your home, your parents' home, and ask living grandparents to check for them.

Step 2. Find ancestors in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.
A census is a count and description of the population of a country, state, county, or city for a given date. A census took a "snapshot" of a family on a certain day. For each person living in a household you might find (depending on the year) their name, age, birthplace, relationship to head of household, place of birth for father and mother, citizenship status, year of immigration, mother of how many children and number of children living, native language, and whether they were a veteran of the military.

Using clues to lead to census record searches.

 * With so few clues to place dates in this couple's lives, the first step would be to search for them in the most recent censuses available, 1950 or 1940, in Washington, D.C.

Here are Horace and Alice Higgins in the 1940 census, living in the District of Columbia. '''Horace, 29 years old, was born in about 1911 in Washington, D.C.

Finding an earlier generation.
'''In 1930 and 1920 in Washington, D.C. Horace is listed living the home of his parents, John H. and Emma J. Higgins.
 * '''The next step would be to find Horace Higgins in the 1930 and 1920 censuses, hopefully living in his parents' home.

Searching for an even earlier generation.
In 1910, John H. Higgins is fairly newly married, and no longer living with his parents. Here in 1900, John h. Higgins is living with his parents, James B. and Julia Higgins.
 * The next step would be to find John H. Higgins, born in about 1889, living in his parents' home, by searching the 1910 and 1900 censuses.



Look for ancestors in as many censuses as possible. Use the clues from each census for hints where to find families in both earlier and later census records.
- For more information, see District of Columbia Census and United States Census.

Step 3: Find birth, marriage, and death certificates for ancestors and their children.
States, counties, or (even towns in some states) recorded births, marriages, and deaths.
 * In addition to the child's name, birth date, and place of birth, a birth certificate may give the birthplaces of the parents, their ages, and occupations.
 * A marriage certificate might list the parents of the bride and groom.
 * A death certificate may give the person's birth date and place, parents' names and birthplaces, and spouse's name.

Using census clues to lead to a birth certificate.
Census information gives approximate birth years and probable birth places, and that information leads to finding important birth records. In addition to basic birth date and place, a birth certificate can give age, birthplace, occupation, etc. about the parents. Example of an indexed birth record.

Using census clues to lead to a marriage certificate.
Finding marriage records can:
 * establish the full identity of the wife, with her maiden name and possible birth details.
 * find the names of the parents of the bride and groom.

Example of an indexed marriage record.

Using the census clues to lead to a death certificate.
Moving forward in time, older generations stop showing up in the census. That is a clue that they probably died in the last 10 years. The death certificate is important because of all the possible secondary data beyond just the date and place of death: Example of a death record index. -  Some of the examples shown above are index entries. That means for each of them an actual, original, full certificate exists. It is highly advisable to order the original certificate. It will contain many details not given in the index. In some cases, the image of the original is found online. Instructions are given below on obtaining the original certificate in other cases. -
 * birth date and place of the deceased
 * maiden name of the wife
 * names of the deceased's parents
 * birth places of the deceased's parents.

How to Find the Records
There are basically two ways to find these indexes or full original certificates:
 * Online databases
 * Purchasing them through the mail at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC.gov

Order Certificates from District of Columbia Vital Records Department.
Almost always the full original certificate will contain information not contained in the index. Although it costs money, consider sending for the full original certificates, particularly for direct line ancestors (grandparents, great-grandparents, etc).


 * Where to Write for District of Columbia Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce Records at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC.gov

For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in District of Columbia, see How to Find District of Columbia Birth Records, How to Find District of Columbia Marriage Records, and How to Find District of Columbia Death Records.

Step 4: Try to find additional details about ancestors in obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records online.
There are additional record collections available, based upon a person's death: obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records. These are a great source for more details about a person. Here are some examples; notice the level of details.

Obituaries

 * 1930-Current U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1980-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Find Online Obituaries, Newspapers, Cemetery and Death Records at Archives.com — index & images ($)

Cemeteries

 * 1949-1969 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * BillionGraves — index & images
 * at FamilySearch — How to Use This Collection; index; Also at: Findmypast ($)
 * District of Columbia Death Records and Washington DC Cemetery Records at Interment.net — index
 * FindaGrave — index & images
 * at FamilySearch — How to Use This Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry ($)
 * Washington DC Cemetery Records at LDS Genealogy — index

U.S. Social Security Death Index and Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

 * The U.S. Social Security program began in 1935 but most deaths recorded in the index happened after 1962.
 * The Social Security Death index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits.
 * You can search these records online at


 * 1935-2014 U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index ($); Picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off by providing information filed in the application or claims process
 * 1962-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index


 * If you find an ancestor in the SSDI index, you can order a copy of their original Social Security application (SS-5). If you can prove the individual has died (by sending an obituary or copy of their cemetery headstone), the application will also give the deceased's parents' names, if listed.

For more information, see District of Columbia Newspapers and Obituaries and District of Columbia Cemeteries.

Step 5: Search military records: World War I and II draft cards.
There are many different types of military records: draft records, enlistment records, service records, pension records, etc. Information in military records can vary from a simple lists of name, age, and residence, to more detailed records including name, residence, age, occupation, marital status, birthplace, physical description, number of dependents, pensions received, disabled veterans, needy veterans, widows or orphans of veterans, and other information. - Example of a World War I draft card. - Example of a World War II draft card.





'''Search the World War I and World War II Draft Collections for male relatives.
- For more information and additional collections, see District of Columbia Military Records.
 * 1917-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Step 6: Look for church records online.
Church records function as vital records. Church records are particularly helpful prior to the advent of civil registration.
 * An infant christening or baptism record documents a birth.
 * Many, if not most, people are married in a church, and then a record is created by the minister.
 * Likewise, ministers presided over funerals, then creating a burial record, which documents a death.



FamilySearch

 * 1811-1950 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1830-1955 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1840-1964 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Ancestry.com

 * 1769-1960 Washington, D.C., U.S., Select Deaths and Burials Index, 1769-1960 at Ancestry — index ($)
 * 1830-1955 Washington, D.C., U.S., Select Births and Christenings, 1830-1955 at Ancestry — index ($)

Lutheran

 * 1781-1969 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records, 1781-1969 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1800-1947 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

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 * For help with church records kept in District of Columbia, see District of Columbia Church Records.
 * To search records by denomination, if you know your ancestors religion, go to Searching for Church Records by Denomination.

Step 7: Search for online wills and probate packets.

 * County probate records include '''probate proceedings, petitions, affidavits, orders for sales, reports of sales, administrators' and executors' bonds, guardianship papers, wills, and letters of administration.
 * In a will book, usually just a transcription of the will is recorded. But all of these other records are kept in a probate packet.
 * Administrations are probate proceedings that handled an estate if no known will existed.



Search these indexes and images for probate records.

 * 1737-1952 Washington, D.C., U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1737-1952 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

Probate Information in County Wiki Articles
Each District of Columbia county Research Wiki page lists additional probate sources, including where to write for records: District of Columbia Counties

For more information, see District of Columbia Probate Records and United States Probate Records.

Step 8: If any ancestor was an immigrant, search immigration and naturalization records online.
The census records may show that an ancestor was born in another country. It will be necessary to try to find the town or city they were born in to continue research in the country of origin. Searches of immigration records (usually passenger lists) and naturalization (citizenship) records would be the next step.



District of Columbia Immigration Records

 * United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records

District of Columbia Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records

 * United States Naturalization and Citizenship Online Genealogy Records


 * 1794-1995 U.S., Naturalization Records Indexes, 1794-1995 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
 * 1918-1924 Washington D. C., U.S., Military Naturalization Petitions, 1918-1924 at Ancestry — index & images ($)

For more information, see District of Columbia Emigration and Immigration and District of Columbia Naturalization and Citizenship.

Local Histories

 * Published histories of towns, counties, and states sometimes contain biographies and accounts of early or prominent families.
 * Here are several websites that feature online copies of printed county histories: District of Columbia; that will bring up too many hits. Just use the name of the county and "county": for example, "Hyde County"


 * Google Books. Use keywords "District of Columbia" and the county name. Hits will list online readable books, lists of libraries that carry the book, and purchasing opportunities.
 * Family History Books
 * County and Town Histories
 * Internet Archive. Use keywords "District of Columbia" and the county name.
 * Ancestry.com ($). In the Card Catalog search box, use District of Columbia and the name of the county.

FamilySearch Collected Local Histories

 * Local histories are extensively collected by the FamilySearch Library, public and university libraries, and state and local historical societies.
 * If you have access to the FamilySearch Library or a FamilySearch center, you can find local histories by:
 * Go to the FamilySearch Catalog.
 * In the "Place" field, type the name of your county and click "Search".
 * A list of subheadings for the county will appear. Local histories containing genealogies and biographies will be found under Biography, Genealogy, History, or History - Indexes.

Biography Collections

 * 1863-1956 Official Register of the United States : Containing a List of Officers and Employees in the Civil, Military, and Naval Service. by United States Bureau of the Census and United States Civil Service Commission. Washington, D.C. : United States Government Printing Office, 1863. Online at: ; Also at:
 * 1865-1965 (*) United States Congress at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1908-1909 American Biographical Directories, District of Columbia : Concise Biographies of Its Prominet and Representative Contemporary Citizens, and Valuable Statistical Data, 1908-1909, by MacFarland, Henry B. F. Washington, D.C.: Potomac Press, 1908. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library

Step 10: Contact a historical or genealogical society.
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 * Historical societies have collections that are frequently little known and often overlooked.
 * Many have a surname file, where they have collected genealogies, newspaper clippings, old photographs, etc.
 * Many have a sort of "pioneer ancestor" program, where people can submit pedigrees to prove they are the descendants of an early resident of the area.
 * Most keep track of queries about families that once lived in the area from other distant relatives who may actually have more family memorabilia.
 * Most keep track of queries about families that once lived in the area from other distant relatives who may actually have more family memorabilia.


 * Find the society on the internet, and they may list their holdings. Or call them on the phone, find out what they have, and find out what arrangements can be made to search their collection. Frequently, one of their members can be hired to search the collection for you.



Historical Images
Records collected and digitized by FamilySearch can all be found through their Historical Images feature.
 * District of Columbia, United States Historical Images, New Version
 * District of Columbia, United States Historical Images, Old Version

District of Columbia Online Genealogy Records
Search any other online records listed in District of Columbia Online Genealogy Records. The steps given here are intended to list record sources which can most efficiently identify descendants. Many other online records which might or might not mention descendants are listed in the District of Columbia Online Genealogy Records page, including immigration records, land records, military records, newspapers, and probate records, and others. These can be records that cover a smaller group within the population, such as men who served in the military, etc.
 * District of Columbia Online Genealogy Records