U.S. Urban Research

Family history research for ancestors living in big cities in the United States involves the same research processes as in other places but adds opportunities and challenges.

= Sources To Use =

Use the following sources while researching families:


 * City Directories
 * Church Records
 * State Census Records
 * Newspapers
 * Immigration Records
 * Naturalization Records
 * City Maps

= Characteristics of Big Cities =

Residents in large U.S. cities share the following characteristics:


 * Many families rent their home or apartment. A smaller percentage of the population are found in the land, probate, tax, and other records involving property.
 * A lot of residents are new immigrants
 * Many people are looking to move
 * Neighbors are less likely to be relatives than in rural areas

Other considerations:


 * The wide economic span--the city will have very wealthy residents and very poor residents.
 * Big cities have ethnic neighborhoods and communities. Families may move to be closer to a church congregation or ethnic group.
 * Big cities offer a variety of churches and congregations.
 * For health reasons, registration of births and deaths began sooner in big cities, but many people were missed.

Research cautions:


 * Search the indexes and records carefully because different people can have the same name.
 * More people were overlooked in vital records and other local records.
 * City and county officials may have kept separate records, some of which overlap. Check the vital records in both jurisidictions.

= U.S. Cities Through Time =

As an example of big cities in U.S. history, here are the ten largest for the years 1790, 1840, and 1900.

The Largest U.S. Cities in 1790

 * New York City (NY) had 33,131 residents
 * Philadelphia (PA) had 28,522
 * Boston (MA) had 18,320
 * Charleston (SC) had 16,359
 * Baltimore (MD) had 13,503
 * Northern Liberties (PA) had 9,913
 * Salem (MA) had 7,921
 * Newport (RI) had 6,716

The Largest U.S. Cities in 1840

 * New York City (NY) had 312,710 residents
 * Baltimore (MD) had 102,313
 * New Orleans (LA) had 102,193
 * Philadelphia (PA) had 93,665
 * Boston (MA) had 93,383
 * Cincinnati (OH) had 46,338
 * Brooklyn (NY) had 36,233
 * Northern Liberties (PA) had 34,474

The Largest U.S. Cities in 1900

 * New York City (NY) with 3,437,202
 * Chicago (IL) with 1,698,575
 * Philadelphia (PA) with 1,293,697
 * St. Louis (MO) with 575,238
 * Boston (MA) with 560,892
 * Baltimore (MD) with 508,957
 * Cleveland (OH) with 381,768
 * Buffalo (NY) with 352,387