If you are looking for the places that your family has lived at different points in time, the documents listed below will help you. Depending on the time frame that you are looking for, you will need to choose different documents. For example, a marriage certificate will give you an individual's address at the time of their marriage, and a Veteran's Benefit Record will give you an individual's address at the time that they entered the service. If you have the minimum information required to find one of these documents, select the name of that document. The items in the list are ordered from most to least important. If you do not have the minimum information required, read the paragraph below this list.

Vital records

Vital records will show addresses at lifetime events such as marriage, divorce, or death. To find a vital record, you must at least know the full name of the deceased for a death certificate, the full married name of one of the spouses for a divorce certificate, and the full name of the groom and/or the full maiden name of the bride for a marriage certificate. You must also know the approximate year of the event, and the state or county where the event took place.

Military records

Military service records will list a veteran's address at the time that they entered the service, and pension records may also list an address. To find a military record, you must at least know the veteran's name, the branch of service, such as Army, Navy, or Marine Corps, the state from which the veteran entered the service, and the war in which the veteran served. If the period of service was after 1916, you must also know entry and release dates, military ID number, Social Security number, whether an officer or enlisted, and date of birth.

Probate records

A probate record may give you an individual's last place of residence. To find an address in probate records, you must at least know the individual's full name at time of death, the approximate date of death, and the county or town in which the individual lived at the time of their death.

Census records

Beginning in 1880, the census recorded street addresses. To find an address in census records, you must at least know the individual's name, the state, and the county in which the individual lived.

Directories

To find an address in a directory, you must at least know the individual's full name, and some background information about the individual, such as a profession, area of residence, or religion, depending on the type of directory that you use.

Land and property records

A land record will give the address or location of property that a person owned. To find land records, you must at least know the individual's name and the state or county where the person was living.

Tax records

From tax records, you can get an address for each year. To find an address in tax records, you must at least know the full name of the taxpayer and the county or town in which the individual lived.

Newspapers

Newspapers will show places the family lived at lifetime events such as marriage and death. To get a copy of a wedding announcement or obituary, you must at least know the approximate date of the event, the full name of groom and/or the maiden name of the bride for wedding announcements or the full name of the deceased for obituaries, and the state and city or town where the event took place (or where the announcement or obituary was likely to have been published).

Family histories and biographies

Both family histories and biographies may list your ancestor's address. Of course the time period will depend on when the book was written. To get a copy of a family history or biography, you must at least know the individual's full name, and the approximate area (state or county) in which the individual may have lived.

Social Security Death Index

To find an individual's Zip Code at the time of their death on the Social Security Death Index, you only need to know the individual's name.

For a description of any of the records listed above, see the topic Genealogy dictionary.

To get help finding the minimum information required to locate any of the records listed above, select one of the following items:

Finding the minimum information for a vital records

Finding the minimum information for military records

Finding the minimum information for probate records

Finding the minimum information for census records

Finding the minimum information for directories

Finding the minimum information for land records

Finding the minimum information for tax records

Finding the minimum information for newspapers

Finding the minimum information for family histories and biographies

Finding the minimum information for the Social Security Death Index

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