United States, Freedmen's Bureau, Records of the Commissioner - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

General Information About Freedmen's Bureau Records
The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands was established in the War Department in March of 1865. It was commonly called the Freedman’s Bureau and was responsible for the management and supervision of matters relating to refuges, freedmen, and abandoned lands. The Bureau assisted disenfranchised Americans, primarily African Americans, with temporal, legal and financial matters, with the intent of helping people to become self-sufficient. Matters handled included the distributing of food and clothing; operating temporary medical facilities; acquiring back pay, bounty payments, and pensions; facilitating the creation of schools, including the founding of Howard University; reuniting family members; handling marriages; and providing banking services. Banking services were provided by the establishment of the Freedman’s Saving and Trust Company, or Freedman’s Bank. The Bureau functioned as an agency of the War Department from approximately June 1865 until December 1868. In 1872, the functions of the Bureau were transferred to the Freedmen’s Branch of the Adjutant General’s Office. The Bureau assisted over one million African Americans, including many of the nearly four million emancipated slaves, which was over 25% of the population of former slaves in America. The records identify those who sought help from the Bureau at the end of the Civil War. Most supplicants were freed slaves, some of which were military veterans. In addition, a few veterans who were not African Americans also sought help from the Bureau. Freedmen’s Bureau records are usually reliable, because the records were supplied through first-person correspondence or the recording of a marriage.


 * J. W. Alvord. Letters from the South, Relating to the Condition of Freedmen Addressed to Major General O.O. Howard. Washington, D.C.: Howard University Press, 1870

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of images of the records of the Commissioner (Oliver O. Howard) of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands (often called the Freedmen’s Bureau).The following link will provide a description of the record types found in this and other Freedmen’s Bureau collections.Freedmen's Bureau Record Types

This collection includes name and subject indexes, letters and endorsements sent, circulars and special orders that were issued by Oliver O. Howard Commissioner of the Bureau  from  NARA microfilm publication: M742, and  indexes and registers and letters received  by the Commissioner from NARA microfilm  publication M752.


 * Selected Series of Records Issued by the Commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands,1865-1872 M742
 * Registers and Letters Received by the Commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872. M752

Additional records of the Washington Headquarters located in the National Archives include the following:


 * Records of the Commissioner: Some of the records relate to offices and civilians who worked for the bureau
 * Records of the Chief Disbursing Officer: Some of the records relate to the payment of claims for veterans
 * Records of the Land Division: Some collections will identify the property owner of abandoned and confiscated lands
 * Records of the Chief Medical Officer: Managed the hospitals and dispensaries and the treatment of patients
 * Records of the Claims Division: Helped veterans with claims for bounties, pensions and back pay
 * Education Division: Worked with societies in establishing and maintaining local schools. Some records identify teachers
 * Records of the Chief Quartermaster: Provided transportation to refugees, freedmen and teachers
 * Records of the Assistant Inspector General: Distributed supplies to freedmen and refugees in need
 * Records of the Archives Division

The following Freedmen's Bureau, Washington Headquarters, Records of the Commissioner, Inventory will provide additional details.
 * Freedmen's Branch Office,1872-1879
 * Records of the Assistant Adjutant General
 * Records of the Chief Disbursing Officer

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The Bureau was created in 1865 at the end of the American Civil War to supervise relief efforts including: • 2 These records include: • 3 The information varies by record. You may find any of the following: • 2

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate age of your ancestor
 * The place where your ancestor lived
 * The name of the former slave owner
 * Locate your ancestor in the 1870 Census. Most local Bureau activities ended (except from claims and education) in December 1868.
 * Check the records of the local field office in the area(s) where you believe your ancestor lived between June 1865 and December 1868.
 * Determine, if possible, the name of the former owner. The 1860 Slave Schedule may be helpful. Also consider searching the 1860 and 1870 Agricultural Schedules.
 * The Bureau created many different types of records. Review the record types in the Collection Content section in this article.
 * While searching Bureau records remember to search other records of the local government, including marriage and court records and especially the 1867 or later voter registrations.
 * Consider ancestors who may have been employed as a civilian agent or served as local agent while still in the military. Look for statewide rosters of bureau personnel in the records of Assistant Commissioners and the Field Office Personnel Coverage Table for this state.  Others may have worked with aid associations or taught school supported by aid associations in the north.
 * Freedmen would have determined what their name would be and may have changed it multiple times.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the information found to search for the family in:
 * The 1870 census records
 * Field office records for their state of residence
 * Land and probate records
 * Additional state and county records

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Look for another index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor
 * Former slaves may have had used multiple names or changed their names until they decided upon one particular name. Search all possible names along with variations or spellings of their known names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the United States.
 * Locating a Union Civil War Soldier (1861-1865)
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * United States Research Tips and Strategies

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Jacqueline A. Lawson. An index of African Americans identified in selected records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands. Bowie, Maryland : Heritage Books, 1995. FHL 973 F2Lja
 * Dee Parmer Woodtor, Finding a place called home : a guide to African-American genealogy and historical identity New York, New York : Random House, c1999 FHL 973 F2wd See chapter 8
 * Paula K. Byers, ed. African American genealogical sourcebook New York, New York : Gale Research, c1995 FHL 973 F27afg See The Freedmen's Bureau pages 68-98

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Alabama, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Arkansas, Field Offices Records of the Freedmen's Bureau - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * District of Columbia, Freedmen's Bureau Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Georgia, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Kentucky, Freedmen's Bureau Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Louisiana, Freedmen's Bureau Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Mississippi, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Missouri, Freedmen's Bureau Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * North Carolina, Freedmen Bureau Field Office Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * South Carolina, Freedmen Bureau Field Office Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Tennessee, Freedmen's Bureau Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Texas, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Virginia, Freedmen's Bureau Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * United States Freedmen’s Branch Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * United States, Freedmen's Bureau, Records of the Assistant Commissioner - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * United States, Records of the Superintendent of Education and of the Division of Education - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * United States Freedmen’s Branch Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * United States, Freedmen's Bureau, Records of the Assistant Commissioner - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * United States, Records of the Superintendent of Education and of the Division of Education - FamilySearch Historical Records

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * Elaine Everly, comp. Preliminary inventory of the records of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, Washington Headquarters : record group 105.Washington D.C. : National Archives & Records Service, General Services Administration, 1973.
 * Elaine Everly, Willna Pacheli, comp. Preliminary inventory of the records of the field offices of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands : record group 105.Washington, D.C. : National Archives and Records Service, 1973.
 * Officers' manual : Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands. Washington D.C.: Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1866.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

Estados Unidos, Agência de Libertos, Registros do Comissário (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)