I see dead people.
Well, sort of. With the Social Security Death Index (SSDI), I can quickly and easily pull up records of pretty much anyone with a Social Security number who has died in the past 50 years or so.
2012 Update: Rootsweb, long-time keeper of free SSDI lookups, has suddenly decided they need to charge for the privilege. What a shame. However, you can also access the Social Security Death Index at GenealogyBank's SSDI page. Thank you GenealogyBank.
There are more than 80 million records in SSDI. Each record provides a full name, date of birth and death, geographical information, and even the deceased's Social Security number. Searching is very flexible and powerful, with an Advanced Search feature that can do even more. As with all resources at FreeGenealogyTools, searching SSDI is absolutely free.
When searching, be sure to use the actual SSDI search fields, and not the First Name / Last Name fields of the advertisements that usually appear on the site.
SSDI should be your first stop for researching anyone who has died since about 1960 (there are scattered earlier records in the system as well, but it is not complete).
Social Security Death Index Search Results
The King is Dead!
Visit the main page of Free Genealogy Tools for more, umm, free genealogical tools.
And don't forget to also check for your family history at Ancestry.com and NewspaperArchive.com. These are subscription databases, but they are among the most powerful research tools available for looking into family roots.
7 comments :
Suddenly at Rootsweb, it's not free anymore... and there's a bogus notice about how the info is sensitive... but you can BUY it through Ancestry. What a joke.
Thanks to Anonymous for letting us know about an important change over at Rootsweb. How unfortunate! I've update my post with a link to free SSDI info at GenealogyBank, so try that resource instead.
Good tip regarding Genealogy Bank, thanks.
Genralogy Banks is not free
True, most of Genealogy Bank is not free. However, they *do* provide free access to SSDI, which is what this article is all about.
My name is Bobby M.Brent.I trying to find my family.I was a foster.Madison James Woodruff,was my Granddaddy,he was born Dec 25,1872 or 1882.Daft Card shows Hinds,MS.My Grandmother name was Elizabeth Ann Woodruff(Jenkins).Records show her in 1910 census,Birmigham,Alabama,she is 8 years old living with another family.1915,Aug 31,Birmigham,she married Madison James Woodruff.1920,1930 census has my family,my mother Roberta Brent(Woodruff).
Who was Madison James Woodruff parents?Sam Woodruff,his brother lived in Birmigham,he had a wife.Around 1940,1941.William Arthur Woodruff was his brother,he was born July 10,1898,somewere,he died in Chicago,Ill,Aug 23,1969,all I could find on him was his Soc.NO.He had no wife.
Who was Madison James Woodruff parents?,where was he born?where did he died.He was last known to be in New Orleans,around 1941.His second wife was Gladys,it states in 1935,they were in Hinds,MS.
Elizabeth Ann Woodruff(Jenkins)daddy.Madison Jenkins.Who were Madison Jenkins parents?Where was he born?Where did he died?
I,ve been looking for 15 years.Please Help
Sincerly Yours
Bobby M.Brent
good luck bobby
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