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Proudly Serving Free Genealogy Resources for Over 25 Years

The USGenWeb ® Project was established in 1996 by a group of genealogists who shared a desire to create free online resources for genealogical research. Originally beginning with online directories of text-based resources, their vision has grown into a network of over 3000 linked websites, all individually created and maintained by a community of volunteers. Today you may find a variety of unique county and state resources including photos, maps, transcriptions, historical documents, helpful links, and much more.

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If you have an interest to support free genealogical research, we welcome you to join our community of volunteers. Opportunities for volunteers include contributing original content, answering researcher questions, providing assistance to find local resources, or maintaining a local website. To volunteer, simply contact the state coordinator for your area of interest.We hope you find clues in our websites that will help you with your journey to the past. Happy researching!

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Free Genealogy Websites

Ngs recommends… eighteen important free websites for genealogy research.

• FamilySearch A completely free genealogy database website. You can use an Advanced Search tool by surname, record type, and/or place to access millions of records. The FamilySearch Wiki is a “go to” resource to find what exists for a wide range of family history topics, even beyond FamilySearch’s extensive databases.
• U.S. Census Bureau  Discover explanations on all federal census years and access copies of original forms and questions . Also see Census Online for links to state censuses; tools for research; and calculators to convert year of birth.
• National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)  Maintained by the U.S. Federal government, NARA houses millions of microfilmed, printed, and manuscript records. Excellent for census records; governmental and military history records; military pension files; product patents; also passenger lists, early naturalization records, and much more.
• Library of Congress (LOC) One of the largest collections in the world of printed and recorded materials; outstanding source for free images; resource for all copyrighted materials in America and beyond. LOC maintains collections of nearly all city directories and county histories in the U.S.; houses a comprehensive directory of all known copyrighted newspapers by timeframe and where they can be located today, in the important U.S. Newspaper Directory and Chronicling America; and offers comprehensive historical materials of all kinds.
• New York Public Library (NYPL) Among the elite tier of library collections, second only to LOC in the size and scope of its historical and genealogical collections. The NYPL Map Division has one of the best collections in the U.S.; the Milstein Division has extensive local history and genealogical materials related to the all fifty states, including one of the largest American collections of city directories on microfilm; other notable divisions are the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Dorot Jewish Division, Manuscripts and Archives, Performing Arts Division, and the Science, Industry, and Business Library. Plus many accessible online digital collections and image galleries; and use of lntraLibrary Loan through ILL and your local library card.
• USGenWeb Project Free county/state historical and genealogical resources; research resources and content projects driven by volunteers of local and state genealogical societies throughout the United States.  Also see WorldGenWeb Project for records beyond the U.S.
• Research Guides for Ship Passenger Lists and Immigration Records Focuses on providing guidance and links to records for passenger lists from about 1820 to the early 1950s. It includes suggestions for finding records for ports of arrival and immigration records.
• Allen County Public Library, Fort Wayne, Indiana Special collections include African American and a Native American Gateway; military records; and a surname database contributed by researchers. One of the largest genealogical library collections in the U.S.
• Freedman’s Bureau A Federal agency of the United States Department of War to help slaves who were set free after the Civil War and also poor whites with provisions, clothing, and fuel. It also helped with immediate and temporary shelter and supplied food and aid to the destitute and suffering.
• Access Genealogy Access hundreds of links to genealogical data by state or by topic. Very helpful and handy website.
• JewishGen An easy-to-use website with many record groups and good surname search facilities. Daitch-Mokotoff phonetic search algorithms for eastern European and Jewish name searches. Some databases require payment.
• BillionGraves Search their free database by people or by cemetery. Many entries have photos of gravesites. Free app helps to direct you to the GPS location in a cemetery, which is a great help as many cemeteries are poorly marked.
• Find A Grave They call themselves the world’s largest gravesite collection with more than 170 million memorials. Search for free. Many photos and text has been added to gravesite information.
• Legacy.com The global leader in online obituaries, partners with more than 1,500 newspapers and 3,500 funeral homes across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Europe. Consumers can also express condolences, share direct support for families, and celebrate the people who have touched their lives.
• Afrigeneas.org An excellent starting place for African American genealogy. It features a “Beginners Guide” video; details on best sites for African American records, resources, and research; good direction on finding slave data, vital records, history of slavery; plus a website search function, forums and chats.
• Rootsweb One of the first genealogical resources on the internet; it still offers excellent help with mailing lists; Ancestry Wiki; obituaries; connect to USGenWeb; Family Trees; queries; and more.
• Cyndi’s List Offers links organized by topics/categories. A cross-referenced index contains extensive lists of online genealogy resources. Don’t know where to look for specific records?  Check Cyndi’s up-to-date list of suggested sources.
• Society of American Archivists Laura Schmidt in “ Using Archives: A Guide to Effective Research ” provides an excellent tutorial on archives: what are archives, the types, requesting materials, visiting and guidelines, copyright, and more.
• ConferenceKeeper.org The most complete calendar and collection of genealogy-related events and educational opportunities on the internet.

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How to Write a Genealogy Research Report

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Inside every genealogist is a hidden (or a not-so-hidden) detective. We all love the thrill of the hunt and the challenge of a mysterious kinship. We hone our search skills, learn about records, and ponder the evidence. Yet there’s another aspect of detective work that we often brush aside—writing reports about our research.

Research reports are powerful investigative tools. In criminal cases, detectives use them to summarize, analyze and communicate findings. They can do the same for family history research. Professionals create them for clients, but most experienced genealogists also write reports on their family research, purely for their own files. Why? Because reports help them build on their discoveries to solve problems of identity and relationship.

And no matter where you are in your family history search, creating a report can help you, too. I’m confident that once you see how beneficial research reports are and how simple they can be to construct, you’ll be convinced they’re well worth your time.

The Benefits of Writing a Genealogy Research Report

It may seem counterproductive to use your limited research time writing about the work you’ve already done instead of searching for new records. But you’ll reap benefits that save you time in the long run. A research report chronicles the work you’ve done toward answering a particular question about your family history, identifying:

• the focus of your research problem
• the information with which you started
• the resources you used
• your research discoveries
• your thoughts and analysis
• your summary or conclusion
• your ideas for future research

Because your report shows what you looked for and found (or didn’t find), you won’t end up repeating searches. This is especially helpful if you’re juggling multiple projects or only have short intervals to work on genealogy. If you need to put your research efforts on pause for a while, the report makes it possible to come back and pick up where you left off without missing a beat.

The process of writing also clarifies your thinking. Because extracting the information from a document and analyzing it in writing forces you to slow down and think it over, you’re more likely to notice small but meaningful details, and put them together with details found in other documents. This aids you in determining what the evidence means. It also makes it easier to compare and correlate different pieces of information—a vital part of solving any problem.

If you’ve been working on an ancestor for some time, writing a report can help you gather your evidence discovered over time, and see where gaps might exist in your research. It’s a great way to brainstorm ideas for a new research plan, which you can even begin to develop right there in the report. A summary like this is also helpful if you want to ask a professional or a genealogical society for assistance. The person will be able to see what you’ve already done, so he or she can get up to speed on your query more quickly and won’t need to duplicate your previous work.

Similarly, if you’re starting on a new line or if friends or relatives have asked for your help with their family history, it’s a good idea to create a report at the outset and add to it as you go along. When you’ve finished, you can turn the report with documents you’ve found over to them, knowing your work won’t be lost or misunderstood.

Many genealogists also write reports on special research trips, such as to the Family History Library  in Salt Lake City or to an area where ancestors lived. Such reports might be started before the trip, fleshed out during it, and polished up afterward at home. These trips often represent a big investment in time and money, and the records may not be available anywhere else. So it’s wise practice to keep track of the results and analyze them fully.

Who, then, can benefit from writing a research report? In short, anyone who:

• is working on a problem of ancestor identity or kinship
• needs to pause and resume research at a later time
• is trying to summarize previous work and generate new ideas
• is planning a trip to a repository or ancestral locality
• is looking for help from someone else
• is offering help to someone else

As you can see, that covers a wide range of territory. Fortunately, you can easily adapt reports to fit your own situation and needs. They don’t need to be fancy or complex to be useful. As a genealogy professional, I’ve written dozens of reports, and I’ve learned some keys to effective yet easy reporting to share with you.

Embrace a Write-As-You-Go Approach

In school, many of us learned to write reports after we’d finished reading the books and doing the research. For me, at least, that wasn’t much fun. Who wants to labor over a report after all the interesting work of discovery and synthesis is done? That’s why I’m among the many genealogists who’ve embraced a write-as-you-go approach.

Writing as you go simply means setting up the framework for your report when you first begin a new project or phase of work, and then filling in your results as you find them.  Setting the report up when the question is fresh—before you undertake any new research or know the outcome—allows it to grow organically as your understanding of the evidence grows. You’ll find it flows more naturally and can actually help guide your research efforts.

It’s a good idea to create a short sample report in your word processing software to use as a template. That way, you don’t need to start from scratch each time you begin a new one. Even though the topic and resources will vary, the basic sections will be structured more or less the same. The following six steps will guide you in crafting a versatile report.

Six Steps to Writing Your Research Report

1. identify your focus..

Whether the report is for your own research or someone else’s, the first step is to note your name, the date, and what the subject is. To begin, open a blank document and type in the following lines:

• Prepared by: (your name and contact information)
• Prepared for: (“My Research Files,” or the name of relative or fellow researcher)
• Date finished: (leave blank for now)
• Research question or goal

For the title, choose something more specific than, say, “Baker Family Research.” A title like “Searching for the Parents of Isaac Baker” might better reflect the true focus of the report. For a report following a research trip, try something like “Researching Bakers in Berkshire County Records at the Family History Library.”

Similarly, give some thought to your research question or goal. This is a short statement—typically just one or two sentences—but it sets the framework for your entire project. The research question has two important components: First, it needs to identify precisely the person or couple at the center of your research. This involves not only naming the person, but also placing him or her in a particular place during a particular time period. Second, it needs to explain what you hope to investigate and learn during the course of your research.

Stating a research question or goal isn’t as hard as it might sound, because the two components fit together seamlessly to express your objective. Questions and statements like these might strike you as lengthy at first, but you’ll soon get the hang of writing them. Some examples of a research question or goal include:

• Who were the parents of Isaac Baker, 1840 resident of Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Mass.?
• Was Catherine Anderson, who married Thomas Smith on 20 April 1859 in Cass County, Mo., the daughter of Cass County resident William Anderson?
• This project will explore sources of information at the Family History Library about Baker families living in Berkshire County, Mass., about 1800-1860.

2. Show what you know.

Now that you’ve defined your research objective in specific terms, offer a brief recap of what you already know about the subject. This section might be called “Starting Point,” “Background Information,” or “Summary of Previous Research.” Choose whichever term you prefer and enter it into your template.

Try to sum up what led you to this point in a couple of paragraphs. It isn’t necessary to write a full biography of the person’s life. Rather, think of it as a synopsis of information you’ve gathered pertaining to the research question. If you’ve developed a theory based on that information, now’s the time to explain what you think and why.

Indicate where the information came from, too. Have you been reading your great-aunt’s handwritten pedigree, a set of census records, an obituary clipping, an online family tree, or some combination of the above? Knowing the sources you started with will be important in judging the information’s reliability as you accumulate more evidence.

If you’ve done a lot of previous work, it could be helpful to attach a chart or timeline here for quick reference. In most cases, though, a few short paragraphs outlining the key players in the person’s life (spouses, children, siblings or parents, if known), pertinent dates and places, and clues you hope to build on will be enough to launch you forward.

3. List your resources.

Set up a section of your report near the beginning to serve as a master list of “Resources Used.” That way, you’ll be able to see the websites you searched, the libraries or archives you visited and/or the people you contacted at a glance. You’ll still want to write citations for each new document you find, but this list will help you write them and save you from digging through your footnotes if you forget whether you looked at a certain website.

To save time, create a list of frequently used resources in your report template, which you can add to or subtract from as needed. I divide mine into three parts: online sources, repositories visited and correspondence. For online sources, I list websites I commonly use with their home URLs, such as Ancestry.com and Family­Search . For repositories visited, I list places I frequently research, including my local library and my state archive. Modify these lists for each report as you go along, deleting sources you didn’t use and inserting additional ones you did. The correspondence section stays blank until I get into a project. Then I add people or archives with whom I spoke on the phone or exchanged emails or letters.

If you have any limitations on your project, indicate them here as well. Perhaps you’re limited to five hours of work, or you’re focused solely on records created in Iowa, or you’re using online resources only. It may be important to know what those limiting factors were in the future, especially if you’re sharing your report with others.

4. Report your findings.

This section, typically called “Research Findings” or “Research Notes,” will comprise the body of your research report. It’s where you’ll record the nitty-gritty details of the information found in the sources you looked at, complete with source citations. It’s also the place where you’ll analyze and begin to compare the evidence. Every source in your Research Findings should receive a three-part treatment:

• Abstract or transcribe information from the record
• Write a source citation as a footnote or endnote
• Analyze what the record tells you or suggests

Since you’ll probably be looking at a number of sources, you’ll want to organize or group them in some way. Grouping by type of record—such as census records, marriage records, probate records, newspaper records, etc.—is a common and natural way to structure your research findings. If you’re gathering records from different localities, like deeds from three different counties, you could organize by locality instead. In some cases, grouping by time period or by person might make the most sense. Choose the type of grouping that works well for your particular project.

For example, let’s say you want to organize by record types. Create a heading for, say, “Census Records.” If your first record is the 1860 US census, make a subheading for that. With the digitized image of the census in front of you, write down all the information it contains. You might use bullet points to create a list of household members, in the order in which they appear, with age, sex, occupation and so forth for each one. This is the process of abstracting the record—recounting the information faithfully in shortened form.

Some records, such as a minister’s return of a marriage, lend themselves better to transcribing—copying the entire record word-for-word, exactly as it appears. Transcriptions should appear with quotation marks around them. Your report will likely contain a mixture of abstracts and transcriptions.

Once you’ve captured what the record says, note where it came from. All word processing programs allow you to create footnotes and endnotes, which are ideal for source citations. Many people prefer footnotes, as this keeps the information and citation together on the same page, but endnotes are also fine. If you don’t know how to create footnotes in your software, you could put your citations in parentheses or brackets following the abstracted information.

Now, think about what this information means. What’s significant about it? Does it answer a question, or suggest a direction to explore? Does it raise additional questions? In a separate paragraph labeled “Analysis” or “Comments,” offer your thoughts and observations. Allow yourself time to reflect on the information and how it relates to other evidence you’ve collected. Does it agree or disagree with other findings?

This analysis is truly the heart of your report. As you proceed with your research, patterns, similarities and/or discrepancies may start to appear. Consider these carefully and think about why. Through this process, analysis leads into correlation. In his landmark book, Mastering Genealogical Proof (National Genealogical Society), board-certified genealogist Thomas W. Jones defines correlation as “a process of comparing and contrasting genealogical information and evidence to reveal conflicts, parallels and patterns.” In most cases, this is how you’ll reach your research objective.

One last note: in addition to recording the sources you found, it’s also important to note when your searches came up empty. If you expected to find a marriage record for your ancestors in Boone County, Ky., but didn’t find one, indicate exactly what online database(s), microfilm, published record books or other resources you consulted. Keeping track of these negative results helps you avoid repeating work, and can spur you to expand your search to other localities.

5. Sum it up.

Once you’ve finished all the research, read over and polish your report. Edit it for grammar, style and clarity. Then, while it’s fresh in your mind, write a “Summary of Results” or “Conclusion” section to summarize what you discovered. Have you answered your research question? What can you infer or conclude in light of the evidence you found?

Since you’ve been analyzing the evidence all along, this summary should be relatively simple to write. It’ll draw from and expand on the analysis and correlation you’ve already done. Nonetheless, you may find the process of synthesizing everything together sparks more ideas and connections. That’s one of the reasons you’re taking the time to write a report in the first place.

Your summary might also expose conflicts between pieces of evidence. Can you explain or resolve those conflicts? If so, this is the place to say how. If not, you may simply need to acknowledge that the evidence disagrees, and that more work is needed in order to resolve the matter.

6. Plan for the future.

In the final section of your report, “Recommendations,” list any additional resources you’d like to look at in the future. These will be based on ideas that came to mind while you were researching or evaluating the evidence. Recommendations for future research might include:

• other records to explore, such as military or land records
• visiting a certain archives or repository
• digging into records of another city, county or state
• newly discovered relatives or associates to investigate

It’s a good idea to add things to this list as they occur to you during the writing and proofreading process, and then finalize it at the end. Think about where you’d like to go from here. Your list of recommendations can serve as a ready-made research plan for your next round of family history discoveries.

At last it’s time to sit back, relax and look with pride at the report you created. With any luck, you’ve met your research objective, or at least made strides in the right direction. It’s always a good idea to make a backup copy. Save your report, along with any records it refers to, on a cloud-based server, such as Evernote , Google Drive or Dropbox (a “List of Attached Records” makes a handy index to include in the report). This ensures you’ll be able to access the documents anytime and anywhere. Cloud storage also makes it easy to share your findings, simply by inviting others to view the file.

Investigative reporters know that focusing attention on a problem in writing is one of the best ways to spur action and generate solutions. Many genealogical problems can benefit from the same treatment. So next time you’re faced with an ancestral mystery, take the time to start a report for yourself. You may find the answer is right there in black and white.

A version of this article appeared in the September 2016 issue of Family Tree Magazine .

Shelley K. Bishop

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Resources for Genealogical Research

Finding your ancestors in city records.

The Seattle Municipal Archives contains records created by or for Seattle city agencies and government. These records may sometimes reveal clues about the work, activities, and interests of individual city employees and citizens. While this guide is not meant to be an exhaustive list, we hope these suggestions can give general guidance and ideas for where to start.

Each record series below is linked to a corresponding guide giving details such as departmental history, dates covered, collection scope and size, and information about any existing indexes.

Please note that the Seattle Municipal Archives does not hold vital records, such as birth, marriage, and death records. Please see this online guide from the King County Archives for information on how to locate Seattle-area vital records.

Questions? Ask an archivist , we are happy to help!

Personnel Records

Did your ancestor work for the City of Seattle? Some early personnel records exist in the Archives and may be used to confirm City service details such as job titles, pay rates, dates of service, and address. Occasionally these records may also provide glimpses into employees' personal lives.

The most detailed personnel records held by the Archives are the Fire Department Personnel Records (2802-06) . Besides basic service information, folders may also contain correspondence, details on disciplinary actions, reports, citations, and more. This collection has been fully indexed by employee name.

Other personnel records held in the Archives include:

• Personnel Cards (Personnel Dept.) ( 6001-09 ) - see an example
• City Light Personnel Cards ( 1201-06 )
• Fire Department Personnel Pocket Cards ( 2802-01 )
• Department of Parks and Recreation Personnel Cards ( 5803-02 )
• Register of Eligibles for Labor Service (Personnel Dept.) ( 6001-05 )
• Register of Applicants and Eligibles (Personnel Dept.) ( 6001-06 )
• Water Department Personnel Cards ( 8201-06 )
• Personal Record Files ( 1802-06 )
• Applications (Personnel Dept.) ( 6001-01 )
• Appeals (Civil Service Commission) ( 6010-10 )
• Time and Payroll Books (Office of the Treasurer) ( 8001-02 )
• Loyalty Oaths (Civil Service Commission) ( 1802-J6 )

Newsletters

Departmental newsletters and scrapbooks can also provide useful clues, and may sometimes contain information about individual employees. The Archives holds newsletters and scrapbooks from multiple city departments, including:

• Seattle City Light  - Newsletters from the City Light Employees' Association (CLEA) are full of employee news and span from 1938 to 2009.
• Engineering Department
• Seattle Fire Department
• Department of Parks and Recreation
• Human Services Department

Legislative Records

Legislative records establish laws and policies, but they also document ways in which Seattle's citizens interact with the City and its officials. Records such as Ordinances, Resolutions, and Clerk Files (also known as Comptroller Files) can hold names, dates, and details relating to how Seattle residents have reacted to the issues of their times, and in many cases, effected change.

Search City of Seattle legislative records here .

Clerk Files may be especially useful for genealogy. These documents consist of official filings of the City and include items such as letters of appeal, appointment files, contracts, petitions, and reports. Use the Clerk and Comptroller Files database to search these records from 1895 to the present.

Similar official filings with the City Clerk's Office from 1874-1905 are indexed in the General Files collection (1802-04) and are available to search and view on the Seattle Municipal Archives Digital Collections website.

Court Records

If your ancestor appeared before a judge in a Seattle Municipal Court, we may have a record of it. Date ranges and the level of detail varies, but generally court dockets will list names and case numbers, offense, plea, judgment, and penalty.

• Police Court Dockets ( 5601-01 ) - see an example
• Police Court Minute Books ( 5601-03 )
• Police Judge's Journal ( 5601-04 )
• Police Court Docket Record of Liquor Cases ( 5602-01 )
• Justice Court Criminal Dockets ( 5603-01 )
• Justice of the Peace Calendars ( 5603-02 )
• Justice of the Peace Dockets ( 5603-03 )
• Justice Court Liquor Search Dockets ( 5604-01 )
• Columbia City Justice Court Dockets ( 5605-01 )

Also in the Archives is a set of Washington State Supreme Court Briefs, indexed online in Record Series 4404-01 . These are legal briefs filed with the Washington State Supreme Court that relate to cases involving the City of Seattle. The briefs are printed and bound in volumes, and are shelved in the Research Room at the Archives.

Discrimination Case Files

Case files from the Office of Civil Rights investigating employment and housing discrimination complaints may include information of interest to genealogists, such as personal and business names, statement transcriptions, addresses, and other details. The files are organized and indexed by complainant name in Record Series 3805-01 .

Photographs

SMA's digital collections contain thousands of photos of Seattle dating from the 1880s to the present. Many show City employees at work, or citizens participating in City events. With some exceptions, people in photographs are rarely named. Try searching for a department or an event, and start scanning the faces. Let us know if you recognize someone!

Photos of past City employees may also be found in collections that have not yet been digitized or indexed, and may be browsed in person in the Research Room here at the Archives. Finding any existing photos of specific people in these collections will depend upon knowing what department and approximately what years the person worked for the City.

• Seattle City Light Employee Scrapbooks ( 1201-08 ) contain snapshots of City Light employees at work and play. Employees may be identified by full name, first name, nickname, or occasionally not at all. (see an example )
• City Light Negatives ( 1204-01 ) include some pictures of employees.
• Waterfront Passes ( 1201-16 ) issued in 1918 to City Light employees include a photograph of the employee, as well as their name, address, nationality, and occupation.

To find photos that have been inventoried by name but may not be online, try searching our finding aids for the name. If you find a record you'd like to view, contact an archivist .

Census Records

Before their respective annexations to the City of Seattle in 1907, Ballard and West Seattle conducted independent censuses to count and collect information about each individual living within their boundaries.

• 1907 Census of the Town of West Seattle (included in 1802-D1 ): Resulting in a count of 7,176 West Seattle residents, the census lists name, neighborhood and occasionally age of each resident.
• 1890 Ballard City Census (included in 9106-03 ): The census counted 1,636 residents of Ballard, and listed both name and age for each resident. An electronic copy of this census is available on the Digital Collection site .

Seattle Cemetery Removal and Reburial Register

Did you know today's Denny Park was once Seattle's first municipal cemetery? When the land became a park in 1884, the bodies had to be moved. The Seattle Cemetery Removal and Reburial Register lists the names of those early Seattle citizens buried in the cemetery between 1861 and 1884, and gives the locations to where each were relocated. The reburial register is in Box 1 of the Don Sherwood Parks History Collection (5801-01) and available to view in the Research Room at the Archives.

The names and property values of the City of Seattle's earliest residents and businesses are included in the Tax Lists (8004-01) and Delinquent Tax Lists (8004-02) for the City of Seattle.

Directories

The Research Room at the Archives includes a collection of Seattle City Directories between the years 1890 and 1990. The directories contain name and address listings of residents and businesses located in the city, and can often give clues to marital status, occupation, and home ownership.

Also available to view at the Archives are Seattle City Employees phone directories between 1972 and 2007, listing each City employee by name and giving the department where they worked.

Other Local Genealogy Resources

Additional genealogy records and services may be found at these other Seattle area resources.

Seattle Public Library Special Collections, Genealogy

Large collection of print and online resources covering local, national, and international research. Staffed by Genealogy Librarians and local history experts with services such as genealogy classes and individual consultation appointments.

King County Archives

Holdings include records useful for local genealogy research, such as early birth and death registers and historical property records.

Washington State Digital Archives

Online access to records and indexes from repositories across the state, covering multiple record types and topics such as vital records, naturalization records, land records, and more.

National Archives in Seattle

Regional branch of the National Archives and Records Administration, providing access to federal records relating to Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

Seattle Genealogical Society   

Offers publications, events, a research library, and genealogy research services, including obituary look-ups.

Fiske Genealogical Library  

Seattle library dedicated to genealogy research, with regular classes, online catalog, and a newsletter.

Municipal Archives, City Clerk

Anne Frantilla, City Archivist Address: 600 Fourth Avenue, Third Floor, Seattle, WA, 98104 Mailing Address: PO Box 94728, Seattle, WA, 98124-4728 Phone: (206) 684-8353 Email: [email protected]

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Using the Genealogical Research System (GRS)

The Genealogical Research System , or GRS for short, is DAR’s online genealogical portal. Here you will find collections of databases DAR has made available online. These include our Ancestor Database, Member Database, Descendants Database, DAR Library Catalog, DAR Genealogical Records Committee database, The Revolutionary War Digital Library and corresponding index, and a couple of others.  The databases are arranged on separate tabs to make navigation easier.

Information in the first three databases is derived from approved DAR member-related applications.  Each database is cross-linked. For example, if you search in the Descendants Database, the results will eventually lead you to both the Member Database and the Ancestor Database, seamlessly. Before you start searching, we recommend that you spend a few minutes reading the Overview & Help Section  located on the Ancestor Database tab. This page will provide much more detailed information on using this database. We encourage you pay special attention to the section, Spelling of Ancestor Name.

For security reasons, searching the Member Database is limited to searching by the National Number—the membership number. If you do not know this number, then try searching in the Descendants Database. This is a transcription of every name on the lineage portion of each approved application. You can search by anyone in the lineage, not just the patriot ancestor or the member. There is also an Advanced Search that will allow you to search jointly by husband and wife. The name spellings will be as they are spelled on the application so you may need to be creative. If you have trouble locating information that you think should be there, you may want to speak with someone in your DAR chapter. They may be able to help you find the information.

The Genealogical Records Committee is a DAR committee whose objective is to create reports of genealogical valuable information. These could be Bible records, marriage records, wills, deeds, obituaries or a variety of other records.  The images are not available online; however, there is an all-name index to the reports. The index is not quite complete as new reports are added annually. There is an Overview of the GRC Index , for more information.

For resources focused on the Revolutionary War the DAR has compiled a collection of primary sources and research guides. This can be found on the Rev War tab of the GRS. This collection consists of the Revolutionary War Digital Library and the corresponding Patriot Records Project Index and images, the Revolutionary War Pension Index, The Forgotten Patriots Research Guide, State Source Guides, and the America’s Women in the Revolutionary Era 1760-1790: A History Through Bibliography. Some of these resources are only available at the DAR Library.

The Resources tab includes links to our Analytical Card Index, WPA Books, File Case Collection, and DAR Magazine Archive. The Resources Tab also includes links to various genealogical websites.

The DAR Library’s catalog is available online and works like most online catalogs. For more information on the Library Catalog see Tips for Using the DAR Library Catalog Online .

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Genealogical Research

Do i need to use a computer, how do i begin the search for my ancestors, where do i look for information, what do i do if i was adopted, can i hire researchers to help me.

Yes, it cannot be stressed more that the use of a computer is a valuable tool in your effort to do genealogical research. There are many organizations and individuals that have digitized their records, pictures and files and placed them on the online. The ability to gather records, current addresses, phone numbers and other vital information that you will use, make it a necessary tool to use. Computers and the Internet can be accessed at your local public library or local community college, check in your area.

Once on, there are many sites dedicated to the work of genealogical research, we do not recommend or endorse any of them. Also, be aware that these sites are usually private, for-profit and will charge you for their service. All the information they have collected is readily available for you to collect, if you know where to go and your willing to do the work.

You should be familiar with the use of a search engine to find web sites that are of interest to you. Search engines are computer programs that search the Internet for specific words, that you enter, listed in meta tags of the web site. Use words such as Native American genealogy or tracing American Indian Ancestry as search words.

Start your genealogical research with yourself. Do not begin genealogical research in Indian records for this can most often be the wrong approach. Instead, begin research in current, rather than historic records. If an individual is not currently a member of a federally recognized tribe, band or group research should begin in non-Indian records or other public records such as those records maintained by state and local governments, churches, and schools. Individuals should find all the information they can about their parents, grandparents, and more distant ancestors and write such information down. The most important information is vital statistics, including ancestral names, dates of birth, marriages (or divorces) and death, the places where ancestors were born, lived, married, and died. During such research, the goal, especially for tribal membership purposes, is to establish and document the relationships of Indian ancestors and to identify the Indian tribe with which their ancestor may have been affiliated.

The first place to begin genealogical research is at home. Valuable information can be found in family Bibles, newspaper clippings, military certificates, birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, diaries, letters, scrapbooks, backs of pictures and baby books. Relatives, particularly older ones, are another good source of information. Persons doing this research should visit or write family members who may have the genealogical information that they are seeking. Someone else in your family may also be working on a family history.

On the local and state level

It is often useful to check school, church, and county courthouse records for information. Researchers should not limit the scope of their search to birth, death and marriage records. Historical and genealogical information can be found in other civil records at the county courthouse such as deeds, wills, land or other property conveyances. Write to the Bureau of Vital Statistics, usually in the state capital to request copies of birth, death and marriage certificates, or divorce decrees. Include the name of the individual, date and place of birth and your relationship to that person. State governments did not keep birth and death records until the turn of the century, about 1890-1915, so searches in state records for ancestors who were born or died before that time may be limited.

In public libraries and other repositories

Visiting the local library is a good starting point for gathering facts about Indians and Indian tribes. A wealth of information exists concerning the history of Indian tribes, tribal cultures, the historic tribal territories, and the migration patterns. Most libraries also have books on how to do genealogical research. The genealogical research books give a good understanding of standard research techniques.

Researchers can also contact genealogical organizations, historical societies, and other private institutions. For example, the Family History Centers are "branch offices" of the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon). This private institution contains a large collection of genealogical documents relating to Indians that may be useful in research.

On the federal level

Records concerning public.

The National Archives and Records Administration (Archives) in Washington, D.C. has records of genealogical value. The Federal government took the census every ten years since 1790 and is a very good source of information for individuals who are trying to identify their ancestors. Census records from 1790-1920 are available on microfilm in the National Archives' regional branches. Seventeen branch offices are in major metropolitan areas throughout the country. A brochure describing the branch offices is available from:

National Archives and Records Administration Publication and Distribution Staff (NECD), Room G-3 Eighth St. and Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20408-0001.

The National Archives also has military and service related records, passenger arrival records, and other records of value to persons involved in genealogical research. A copy of the free leaflet, Genealogical Records in the National Archives is available on request.

The National Archives has various publications for sale. The Archives have microfilmed all censuses. Individuals can purchase copies of the microfilm rolls and associated genealogical materials. Various rolls of microfilm are available for rental at the National Archives.

The telephone number for rental and sales requests is:  1-800-234-8861

Records Concerning American Indians

At some point in the research, the researcher will have identified the tribal affiliation of one's ancestor(s). Now is the time to begin research in records about American Indians. The Native American collection at the National Archives includes special censuses, school records, and allotment records. For more information concerning the special censuses of various tribes, the National Archives offers:

Microfilm Publication M1791 American Indian Censuses The Special Census of Indians, 1880.

BIA Offices

If your ancestors had land in trust or went through probate, the BIA field offices in selected areas throughout the United States may have some records concerning Indian ancestry. However, the BIA field offices do not maintain current or historic records of all individuals who possess some degree of Indian blood. The records the BIA holds are current rather than historic tribal membership enrollment lists. These lists (commonly called "rolls") do not have supporting documentation (such as birth certificates) for each tribal member listed. The BIA created these rolls while the BIA maintained tribal membership rolls.

The BIA no longer has extensive involvement in tribal membership. Current Federal policy and case law limits the involvement of the BIA in tribal membership matters unless mandated by congressional legislation, or is required by the tribe's governing document or otherwise requested by the tribe.

When you contact a BIA field office, be prepared to give the name of the tribe, the name(s) and birth dates of ancestor(s), and relationships. You must provide specific information otherwise field offices (and other institutions) probably cannot provide much useful information.

The Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. §552(a) protects the current tribal membership rolls and lists that the BIA maintains. Submitting a request for genealogical information under the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. §552, is not necessary for records compiled and published by private institutions or available in census records declassified by the National Archives.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs cannot help you with your pursuit of opening closed adoption papers. There are organizations that can be found on the Internet that can assist you with information on what information may be needed. The BIA does not endorse or recommend any of them. You will need to obtain legal advice from a lawyer that deals with this area of the law.

If an individual does not wish to conduct their own research, researchers are available for a fee. Please write to the Board of Certification of Genealogists or the Association of Professional Genealogists and request their listings of genealogical researchers for hire. Their addresses are:

Board of Certification of Genealogists P.O. Box 14291 Washington, D.C. 20044

Association of Professional Genealogists P.O. Box 40393 Denver, Colorado 80204

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UTA public health graduate focused on helping others

Thursday, May 09, 2024 • Neph Rivera : contact

When Jessica Douglas first step foot on The University of Texas at Arlington campus, it marked a new beginning but with a familiar focus: helping people.

Douglas took a decade-long break to raise her children and train as a doula. But in 2019, she decided to return to school. On May 10, she will officially earn her Master of Public Health degree, crossing the stage with 5,700-plus Mavericks at Globe Life Field.

She’s also earned the prestigious Gerry C. Gunnin, Ph.D., Public Health Memorial Fellowship, considered the most competitive public health fellowship in Dallas-Fort Worth. Douglas will spend 10 weeks working for Texas Health Resources on a variety of community health initiatives.

“I always knew that at a certain point, I would go back to school and go into a profession that was patient-centered,” she said.

Douglas graduated from Houston Community College and then enrolled at the New Mexico College of Midwifery. While apprenticing with a midwife, she decided to take a break from her higher education goals to focus on her family. She had two children at that point and would eventually have two more. But she said she always knew school was still in her future when the time was right.

She originally applied to UTA’s nursing program, but then looked into public health and became hooked with helping people on a community-wide scale.

“I have tons of life experience, have lived through lots of things and have been on both the provider and patient sides,” she said. “The public health space just seems like the right place for me.”

The life experience that Douglas wants to bring to the field is filled with both tragedy and triumph. She had five miscarriages and a stillbirth; she also had two home births and two in a hospital. She wants to make sure moms like her have more positive experiences.

“The United States has not such a great track record with maternal health and outcomes; we’re pretty low across the board,” Douglas said. “There’s a lot of room for growth and change, and it’s what I’m comfortable with because it’s what my experience is in.”

She applied for the fellowship at the urging of Erin Carlson, clinical professor and founding director of UTA’s graduate public health programs. Douglas has worked with her as a UTA public health program assistant.

“Dr. Carlson was the reason I went into the graduate program,” Douglas said. “I was able to be a professional working alongside her instead of just studying under her. She is a great and knowledgeable mentor.”

Douglas said she finds herself looking back on her time as a Maverick, grateful for the support she received from her husband and the connections she made at UTA.

“I’ve made some really good relationships, and I’m excited to celebrate their accomplishments as well,” she said. “It’s not just about me. It’s about the people I’ve met along the way.”

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Teens and Video Games Today

85% of u.s. teens say they play video games, and about four-in-ten do so daily. teens see both positive and negative sides of video games – from problem-solving and making friends to harassment and sleep loss, table of contents.

• Who plays video games?
• How often do teens play video games?
• What devices do teens play video games on?
• Social media use among gamers
• Teen views on how much they play video games and efforts to cut back
• Are teens social with others through video games?
• Do teens think video games positively or negatively impact their lives?
• Why do teens play video games?
• Bullying and violence in video games
• Appendix A: Detailed charts
• Acknowledgments
• Methodology

Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to better understand teens’ use of and experiences with video games.

The Center conducted an online survey of 1,453 U.S. teens from Sept. 26 to Oct. 23, 2023, through Ipsos. Ipsos recruited the teens via their parents, who were part of its KnowledgePanel . The KnowledgePanel is a probability-based web panel recruited primarily through national, random sampling of residential addresses. The survey was weighted to be representative of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 who live with their parents by age, gender, race and ethnicity, household income, and other categories.

This research was reviewed and approved by an external institutional review board (IRB), Advarra, an independent committee of experts specializing in helping to protect the rights of research participants.

Here are the questions used for this analysis , along with responses, and  its methodology .

There are long-standing debates about the impact of video games on youth. Some credit them for helping young people form friendships and teaching them about teamwork and problem-solving . Others say video games expose teenagers to violent content, negatively impact their sleep and can even lead to addiction.

With this in mind, Pew Research Center surveyed 1,423 U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 about their own video game habits – from how often they play to the friends they’ve made and whether it gets in the way of them doing well in school or getting a good night’s sleep. 1

Key findings from the survey

• Video games as a part of daily teen life: 85% of U.S. teens report playing video games, and 41% say they play them at least once a day. Four-in-ten identify as a gamer.
• Gaming as a social experience: 72% of teens who play video games say that a reason why they play them is to spend time with others. And some have even made a friend online from playing them – 47% of teen video game players say they’ve done this.
• Helpful with problem-solving, less so for sleep: Over half of teens who play video games say it has helped their problem-solving skills, but 41% also say it has hurt their sleep.
• Bullying is a problem: 80% of all teens think harassment over video games is a problem for people their age. And 41% of those who play them say they’ve been called an offensive name when playing.
• Boys’ and girls’ experiences differ: Most teen boys and girls play video games, but larger shares of boys identify as gamers (62% vs. 17%) and play every day (61% vs. 22%). Boys who play them are also more likely to experience positive things from it, like making friends, and more troubling things like harassment.

Jump to read about: Who plays video games | Socializing over video games | Views about video games’ impact | Harassment and violence in video games      

Playing video games is widespread among teens. The vast majority of U.S. teens (85%) say they play them. Just 15% say they never do, according to the survey conducted Sept. 26-Oct. 23, 2023.

In addition to asking whether teens play video games, we also wanted to learn whether they consider themselves gamers. Overall, four-in-ten U.S. teens think of themselves as gamers. Just under half of teens (45%) play video games but do not think of themselves as gamers.

Nearly all boys (97%) say they play video games, compared with about three-quarters of teen girls. There is a substantial gap by gender in whether teens identify as gamers: 62% of teen boys do, compared with 17% of girls. 2

By gender and age

Younger teen girls are more likely than older girls to say they play video games: 81% of girls ages 13 to 14 compared with 67% of those ages 15 to 17. But among boys, nearly all play video games regardless of age. 

Similar shares of teens play video games across different racial and ethnic groups and among those who live in households with different annual incomes. Go to Appendix A for more detail on which teens play video games and which teens identify as gamers.

We also asked teens how often they play video games. About four-in-ten U.S. teens say they play video games daily, including 23% who do so several times a day.

Another 22% say they play several times a week, while 21% play them about once a week or less.

Teen boys are far more likely than girls to say they play video games daily (61% vs. 22%). They are also much more likely to say they play them several times a day (36% vs. 11%).

By whether someone identifies as a gamer

About seven-in-ten teens who identify as gamers (71%) say they play video games daily. This drops to 30% among those who play them but aren’t gamers.

By household income

Roughly half of teens living in households with an annual income of less than $30,000 (53%) say they play video games at least daily. This is higher than those in households with an annual income of $30,000 to $74,999 (42%) and $75,000 or more (39%).

Go to Appendix A to see more details about who plays video games and identifies as a gamer by gender, age, race and ethnicity, and household income.

Most teens play video games on a gaming console or a smartphone. When asked about five devices, most teens report playing video games on a gaming console (73%), such as PlayStation, Switch or Xbox. And 70% do so on a smartphone. Fewer – though still sizable shares – play them on each of the following:

• 49% say they play them on a desktop or laptop computer
• 33% do so on a tablet  
• 24% play them on a virtual reality (VR) headset such as Oculus, Meta Quest or PlayStation VR

Many teens play video games on multiple devices. About a quarter of teens (27%) do so on at least four of the five devices asked about, and about half (49%) play on two or three of them. Just 8% play video games on one device.

Teen boys are more likely than girls to play video games on four of the five devices asked about – all expect tablets. For instance, roughly nine-in-ten teen boys say they ever play video games on a gaming console, compared with 57% of girls. Equal shares of teen boys and girls play them on tablets.  

Teens who consider themselves gamers are more likely than those who play video games but aren’t gamers to play on a gaming console (95% vs. 78%), desktop or laptop computer (72% vs. 45%) or a virtual reality (VR) headset (39% vs. 19%). Similar shares of both groups play them on smartphones and tablets.

One way that teens engage with others about video games is through online platforms. And our survey findings show that teen gamers stand out for their use of two online platforms that are known for their gaming communities – Discord and Twitch :

• 44% of teen gamers say they use Discord, far higher than video game players who don’t identify as gamers or those who use the platform but do not play video games at all. About three-in-ten teens overall (28%) use Discord.
• 30% of teens gamers say they use Twitch. About one-in-ten other teens or fewer say the same; 17% of teens overall use the platform.

Previous Center research shows that U.S. teens use online platforms at high rates .

Teens largely say they spend the right amount of time playing video games. When asked about how much time they spend playing them, the largest share of teens (58%) say they spend the right amount of time. Far fewer feel they spend too much (14%) or too little (13%) time playing them.

Teen boys are more likely than girls to say they spend too much time playing video games (22% vs. 6%).

By race and ethnicity

Black (17%) and Hispanic (18%) teens are about twice as likely than White teens (8%) to say they spend too little time playing video games. 3

A quarter of teens who consider themselves gamers say they spend too much time playing video games, compared with 9% of those who play video games but don’t identify as gamers. Teen gamers are also less likely to think they spend too little time playing them (19% vs. 10%).

Fewer than half of teens have reduced how much they play video games. About four-in-ten (38%) say they have ever chosen to cut back on the amount of time they spend playing them. A majority (61%) report that they have not cut back at all.

This share is on par with findings about whether teenagers have cut back with their screen time – on social media or their smartphone.

Although boys are more likely to say they play video games too much, boys and girls are on par for whether they have ever cut back. About four-in-ten teen boys (39%) and girls (38%) say that they have ever cut back.

And gamers are as likely to say they have cut back as those who play video games but don’t identify as gamers (39% and 41%).

A main goal of our survey was to ask teens about their own experiences playing video games. For this section of the report, we focus on teens who say they play video games.

Socializing with others is a key part of the video game experience. Most teens who play video games do so with others, and some have developed friendships through them.

About nine-in-ten teen video game players (89%) say they play them with other people, in person or online. Far fewer (11%) play them only on their own.

Additionally, about half (47%) report that they have ever made a friend online because of a video game they both play. This equals 40% of all U.S. teens who have made a friend online because of a video game.

These experiences vary by:  

• Gender: Most teen boy and girl video game players play them with others, though it’s more common among boys (94% vs. 82%). Boys who play video games are much more likely to say they have made a friend online because of a video game (56% vs. 35%).
• Race and ethnicity: Black (55%) and Hispanic (53%) teen video game players are more likely than White teen video game players (43%) to say they have made a friend online because of them.
• Whether someone identifies as a gamer: Nearly all teen gamers report playing video games with others (98%). Fewer – though still most – of those who play video games but aren’t gamers (81%) also play them with others. And about seven-in-ten (68%) say they have made a friend online because of a video game, compared with 29% of those who play them but don’t identify as gamers.

Teens who play video games are particularly likely to say video games help their problem-solving skills. More than half of teens who play video games (56%) say this.

Additionally, more think that video games help, rather than hurt, three other parts of their lives that the survey asked about. Among teens who play video games:

• Roughly half (47%) say it has helped their friendships
• 41% say it has helped how they work with others
• 32% say it has helped their mental health

No more than 7% say playing video games has hurt any of these.

More teens who play video games say it hurts, rather than helps, their sleep. Among these teens, 41% say it has hurt how much sleep they get, while just 5% say it helps. And small shares say playing video games has impacted how well they do in school in either a positive or a negative way.

Still, many teens who play video games think playing them doesn’t have much an impact in any of these areas. For instance, at least six-in-ten teens who play video games say it has neither a positive nor a negative impact on their mental health (60%) or their school performance (72%). Fewer (41%) say this of their problem-solving skills.

Teen boys who play video games are more likely than girls to think playing them has helped their problem-solving skills, friendships and ability to work with others. For instance, 55% of teen boys who play video games say this has helped their friendships, compared with 35% of teen girls.

As for ways that it may hurt their lives, boys who play them are more likely than girls to say that it has hurt the amount of sleep they get (45% vs. 37%) and how well they do in school (21% vs. 11%). 

Teens who consider themselves gamers are more likely than those who aren’t gamers but play video games to say video games have helped their friendships (60% vs. 35%), ability to work with others (52% vs. 32%), problem-solving skills (66% vs. 47%) and mental health (41% vs. 24%).

Gamers, though, are somewhat more likely to say playing them hurt their sleep (48% vs. 36%) and how well they do in school (20% vs. 14%).

By whether teens play too much, too little or the right amount

Teens who report playing video games too much stand out for thinking video games have hurt their sleep and school performance. Two-thirds of these teens say it has hurt the amount of sleep they get, and 39% say it hurt their schoolwork. Far fewer of those who say they play the right amount (38%) or too little (32%) say it has hurt their sleep, or say it hurt their schoolwork (12% and 16%).

Teens who play video games say they largely do so to be entertained. And many also play them to be social with and interact with others. Teens who play video games were asked about four reasons why they play video games. Among those who play video games:

• Nearly all say fun or entertainment is a major or minor reason why they play video games – with a large majority (87%) saying it’s a major reason.
• Roughly three-quarters say spending time with others is a reason, and two-thirds say this of competing with others. Roughly three-in-ten say each is a major reason.
• Fewer – 50% – see learning something as a reason, with just 13% saying it’s a major reason.

While entertainment is by far the most common reason given by teens who play video games, differences emerge across groups in why they play video games.

Teens who identify as gamers are particularly likely to say each is major reason, especially when it comes to competing against others. About four-in-ten gamers (43%) say this is a major reason, compared with 13% of those who play video games but aren’t gamers.

Teen boys who play video games are more likely than girls to say competing (36% vs. 15%), spending time with others (36% vs. 27%) and entertainment (90% vs. 83%) are major reasons they play video games.

Black and Hispanic teens who play video games are more likely than White teens to say that learning new things and competing against others are major reasons they play them. For instance, 29% of Black teen video game players say learning something new is a major reason, higher than 17% of Hispanic teen video game players. Both are higher than the 7% of White teen video game players who say the same.

Teens who play video games and live in lower-income households are especially likely to say competing against others and learning new things are major reasons. For instance, four-in-ten teen video game players who live in households with an annual income of less than $30,000 say competing against others is a major reason they play. This is higher than among those in households with annual incomes of $30,000 to $74,999 (29%) and $75,000 or more (23%).

Cyberbullying can happen in many online environments, but many teens encounter this in the video game world.

Our survey finds that name-calling is a relatively common feature of video game life – especially for boys. Roughly four-in-ten teen video game players (43%) say they have been harassed or bullied while playing a video game in one of three ways: 

• 41% have been called an offensive name
• 12% have been physically threatened
• 8% have been sent unwanted sexually explicit things

Teen boys are particularly likely to say they have been called an offensive name. About half of teen boys who play video games (48%) say this has happened while playing them, compared with about a third of girls (32%). And they are somewhat more likely than girls to have been physically threatened (15% vs. 9%).

Teen gamers are more likely than those who play video games but aren’t gamers to say they been called and offensive name (53% vs. 30%), been physically threatened (17% vs. 8%) and sent unwanted sexually explicit things (10% vs. 6%).

Teens – regardless of whether they’ve had these experiences – think bullying is a problem in gaming. Eight-in-ten U.S. teens say that when it comes to video games, harassment and bullying is a problem for people their age. This includes 29% who say it is a major problem.

It’s common for teens to think harassment while playing video games is a problem, but girls are somewhat more likely than boys to say it’s a major problem (33% vs. 25%).

There have also been decades-long debates about how violent video games can influence youth behavior , if at all – such as by encouraging or desensitizing them to violence. We wanted to get a sense of how commonly violence shows up in the video games teens are playing.

Just over half of teens who play video games (56%) say at least some of the games they play contain violence. This includes 16% who say it’s in all or most of the games they play.

Teen boys who play video games are far more likely than girls to say that at least some of the games they play contain violence (69% vs. 37%).

About three-quarters of teen gamers (73%) say that at least some of the games they play contain violence, compared with 40% among video game players who aren’t gamers.   

• Throughout this report, “teens” refers to those ages 13 to 17. ↩
• Previous Center research of U.S. adults shows that men are more likely than women to identify as gamers – especially the youngest adults. ↩
• There were not enough Asian American respondents in the sample to be broken out into a separate analysis. As always, their responses are incorporated into the general population figures throughout the report. ↩

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Find Your Family in Federal Records: National Archives Kicks Off Annual Online Genealogy Series for May, June 2024 Media Alert · Friday, May 10, 2024

Washington, DC

Participate in our free online genealogy series!

WHAT: Join our National Archives experts as they present sessions during our annual online Genealogy Series on YouTube . This educational series will teach you how to use federal resources at the National Archives for genealogical research. Sessions are intended for beginners to experienced family historians—all are welcome! 

Lecture schedule, topic descriptions, videos, and handouts are available  at the 2024 Genealogy Series web page .  

WHEN: May & June 2024—all sessions take place on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. ET

• May 21 Welcome from Dr. Colleen Shogan, Archivist of the United States; Passport Records: Passport Applications at the National Archives, 1790s–1925 
• May 28 After Their Service: Tracing the Lives of Native American Army Scouts​ 
• June 4 Captured German Records Related to American Prisoners of War During World War II 
• June 18 Alien Files (A-Files): Researching Immigrant Ancestors at the National Archives 
• June 25 World War II Enemy Alien Records Related to Japanese Americans at the National Archives; Closing Remarks 

WHO: National Archives experts in government records will broadcast from facilities nationwide.

• Claire Kluskens, Subject Matter Expert for Genealogy and Census Related Records and an archivist at the National Archives in Washington, DC
• Cody White, Subject Matter Expert for Native American Related Records and an archivist at the National Archives at Denver, CO
• Rachael Salyer, Subject Matter Expert in Modern Military Records and an archivist at the National Archives at College Park, MD
• Elizabeth Burnes, Subject Matter Expert for Immigrant Related Records and an archivist at the National Archives at Kansas City, MO
• David Castillo, archives specialist at the National Archives at College Park, MD
• Ruth Chan, Subject Matter Expert for Asian American and Pacific Islander Related Records and an archivist at the National Archives at San Francisco, CA
• Katharine Seitz, archives specialist at the National Archives in Washington, DC

WHERE: The series will be broadcast on the U.S. National Archives YouTube channel . 

HOW: Watch the broadcasts on YouTube . Participants can watch individual sessions, ask questions, and interact with presenters and other family historians. No need to register—just click the links on the schedule to view the sessions! Videos and handouts will remain available after the event. For more details, go to the 2024 Genealogy Series web page .

Captioning is available; just select the CC icon at the bottom of the YouTube video.  Transcripts are available; send a request to [email protected] . If you require an alternative or additional accommodation for the event, please email [email protected] .

Share on social: Use #GenealogySeries2024 to join the genealogy conversation!

X and Instagram: @USNatArchives  

Threads: #USNatArchives

Facebook: @USNationalArchives  

LinkedIn: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

Background: The National Archives holds the permanently valuable records of the federal government. These include records of interest to genealogists, such as pension files, ship passenger lists, census, and Freedmen’s Bureau materials. See “Resources for Genealogists” online .

For media inquiries, please contact: National Archives Public and Media Communications at (202) 357-5300 or via email at [email protected].

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This page was last reviewed on May 10, 2024. Contact us with questions or comments .

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