U.S. Federal Census Records

People who want to learn about U.S. ancestors usually turn to census records for help. Censuses since 1850 list the names, ages, and occupations of all members of the household, as well as their relationship to the head of household. They often yield information leading to land, immigration, and military records. The question for genealogists today isn't whether to use census records, but where to find them. That's where the Family Search Research Wiki community comes in. To begin using the U.S. census to find your ancestors, visit the United States Census page. It links to pages that list the types of information available on each census. Click on the state links to go to pages that will lead you to the best sources of census records for each state. Be sure to leave feedback about what you find here, and share your experiences finding ancestors in the U.S. census. You'll find this and more at the Family Search Research Wiki.

Important Milestone

In March 2011 the new.familysearch.org website registered its one-millionth user! Recently a limited number of members of the general public have been given access to the Family Tree. This number will gradually grow until access to the Family Tree is open to everyone. Free access to the Family Tree site will bless the lives of millions of people.

New Online Course

A new course on finding and using courthouse records, featuring professional genealogist Christine Rose, is now available under the Learn tab in familysearch.org. Courthouses are places where you can find answers to genealogical problems. They are a rich source of written records created as a result of the laws then in use, the time period, and the personal activities of your ancestors. The steps delineated throughout this course will assist you to be more effective as you visit courthouses in your search for genealogical information. To view the course, visit www.familysearch.org/learn/researchcourses .