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Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN.

My Favorite Record Collections - 2: U.S.

Social Security Death Index.

This index is a master index file of deceased individuals whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration.

It has been kept since 1962, when operations were computerized.

The death place listed is not necessarily the place of death, it is the last place of residence that the Social Security Administration has on file.

When two geographical divisions are given they represent CountyState as opposed to CityState.

For example Jefferson, Texas refers to the county of Jefferson not the City of Jefferson.

If a town name of last residence is not listed, it may be found by use of the Zip code.

The death date, residence at time of death, Social Security number, and state of issue are usually reliable information since the information comes directly from the Social Security Administrations master file.

However, realize that errors may have occurred when the information was originally entered.

Information listed for the name and birth date was provided by an informant and may be inaccurate.

I put my mothers married name in the search field, and got matches.

As you can see, the FamilySearch record does not include the Social Security number assigned to her by the Social Security Administration for privacy reasons.

The FamilySearch source citation for this specific record is.

The name is the last one used in the Social Security records.

While there is no record image, an image of the Social Security application can be ordered for a fee from the Social Security Administration.

Death records for 21st century deaths are hard to find - this collection provides a date which can be used to find a newspaper obituary, a burial record or some other record.

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The Social Security Applications and Claims index at Ancestry has been even better since it usually has parents names as well as name changes by the women although it isnt as complete.

My wife (Angel Linda) and I have two lovely daughters, and five darling grandchildren.

Angel Linda and I love to travel to visit friends and relatives, to sightsee, to cruise or to do genealogy.

Our travels have taken us all over the USA, to England, Down Under and Scandinavia.