One of the most important records you can find on your ancestors comes from the Social Security Administration. Two records to look for is the Social Security Applications and the Social Security Death Index (SSDI). For more information on other records, see our earlier posts.
First some background. The Social Security Administration (SSA) was created in 1936 and began issuing Social Security numbers to track earnings workers reported for retirement. In 1961, the Internal Revenue Service began using Social Security numbers to identify taxpayers.
Social Security Death Index
Let’s talk about the SSDI first. The SSDI is created from the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File. This is an index of those who have died and their deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration. Not all deaths are listed as the index was started in 1962 after the office computerized their files.
The purpose of this index was to protect the benefits of pension funds, insurance benefits, and assist Federal, State and Local governments in verifying the deceased and to prevent identity fraud.
Note married women are listed under their married name. The death place is the county and state, not the city and state. This is not the place of death, but the last residence on file with the office. Remember that the information is given by an informant and may be wrong. The information includes
- Name
- Social security number
- State issued
- Birth date
- Death date
- Last residence
Some individuals may not be in the SSDI for the following reasons:
- Unemployed (never worked and did not have a Social Security number)
- 1971 – Number required if wanted to receive employment income
- 1987 – Children at birth could get a Social Security number
- Self-employed (did not qualify in the beginning)
- Railroad employees (did not need Social Security as railroad industry provided benefits)
The Social Security Administration (SSA) updates their death index monthly but most genealogy websites don’t update their database that often. Right now, you can find information on deaths from 1935 to 2014 on FamilySearch, Ancestry, FindMyPast, Fold3, and GenealogyBank among others.
SSA Applications and Claims Index
The other record found for the SSA is the applications and claims (when someone applies for a SS card or makes a claim). Ancestry, FamilySearch, MyHeritage and other databases have an index for 1936-2007.
This database contains information given to the Social Security Administration through the application or claims process. The database typically has the following information on the individuals:
- Applicant’s name
- Social Security Number
- Date/place of birth
- Citizenship
- Sex
- Father’s name
- Mother’s maiden name
- Name changes
If you find your ancestor in either index, you might want to order a copy of the SS-5 application. You can go to the Social Security Administration website to order online or by mail. You can only get a copy of someone’s application if they are deceased. There is a fee and the reply can take up to six months.
What gems have you found in Social Security records? Let us know in the comments below!
FamilyFinders