Maryland, Dorchester, Cambridge City Directories - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Maryland Dorchester County



What is in the Collection?
The collection consists of digital images of Cambridge city directories from the collections at the Dorchester County Historical Society in Cambridge.

Collection Contents
Directories usually contain:


 * Name of the individual or business establishment
 * Name of spouse
 * Occupation or business
 * Post office or street residence

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search, you must know the following:


 * Name of your ancestor
 * Identifying information such as the address, occupation, or names of other family members

To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "Record Category" ⇒Select the appropriate "Record Type, Volume, and Year Range" which takes you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate the information given. Some directories list all members of the household separately, especially those 18 years of age and older. However, the information given in a directory is usually brief so it can be easy confuse individuals. Compare what information is given with what you already know about your ancestor to make sure it is the correct person.

Next, look at the pieces of information given in the directory for new information. Add any new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your family. For example:


 * Use the residence or address and family names to locate your family in the federal and state census records.
 * Use the residence or town and family names to search for other local records such as church records and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Transcribe the information from the site, or download it for viewing or printing.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname. This is especially helpful if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Search the directories of nearby towns and cities.

Related Websites

 * Dorchester County Historical Society
 * Dorchester Public Library

Related Wiki Articles

 * Maryland
 * Dorchester County, Maryland
 * Maryland Directories

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Image Citation: