Family historians are always trying to tell the stories of the ancestors who came before them. One way to do that is to find where your people lived. That knowledge can help paint the picture of their lived experiences. Depending on when and where your ancestors lived, perhaps you can even visit those home sites and put yourself in the same place that they inhabited in the past.
So how do I find my ancestor's address? Here are 3 quick ways.
1. Census records:
Find your ancestor in the census! I love using the census to find out the addresses of those I'm searching for, but also because I can often find other family or important people in their lives, living close by. The census is organized by address, so you can often get an idea of the neighborhood that your subject lived in.
2. City directories:
Go to your city library or the library in the city where you are doing research and find an old city directory. That old phone book can have the home address of your person, maybe other family in the area, and perhaps a business they owned or a place of employment. Many directories are online too.
3. Land records:
You can search land records online or in person. One great resource is the Government Land Office records from the Bureau of Land Management. Here, you can find federal land and title records from 1788 to the present. It is a wonder tool!
So how do I find my ancestor's address? Here are 3 quick ways.
1. Census records:
Find your ancestor in the census! I love using the census to find out the addresses of those I'm searching for, but also because I can often find other family or important people in their lives, living close by. The census is organized by address, so you can often get an idea of the neighborhood that your subject lived in.
2. City directories:
Go to your city library or the library in the city where you are doing research and find an old city directory. That old phone book can have the home address of your person, maybe other family in the area, and perhaps a business they owned or a place of employment. Many directories are online too.
3. Land records:
You can search land records online or in person. One great resource is the Government Land Office records from the Bureau of Land Management. Here, you can find federal land and title records from 1788 to the present. It is a wonder tool!
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