Using Social Security for Genealogy

    A very helpful tool for genealogists is using social security records. If you have a relative who was working any time after 1935 they probably had social security. When they applied for their account they had to fill out an application form called an SS-5. The form consisted of:

      • The applicants full name
      • The applicants address
      • The applicants age and birthday
      • Their place of employment
      • Their place of birth
      • The names of his/her parents including his mothers maiden name
      • Their sex
      • Their race
      • The date of application
      • Their signature

    To obtain SS-5's for deceased people send a note with:

  • Your full name and address (Self addressed stamped envelope)
  • The applicants name, place of application for social security, SS# if known, birthdate (if known) and maiden name if a woman.
  • To find out a deceased person's social security number take a trip to your local FHC, On the Family search computer go to the social security database follow the instructions and you should be able to find your person. (It may be a good idea to call ahead to make sure they have Family search). or you may also search the Social Security Death Index online at https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1202535
  • You will need to include a check or money order for these records — currently $24 for a photocopy of the original application for a Social Security card (SS-5), with or without the social security number, or $22.00 for a computer extract of the information, which may not contain the names of the individual’s parents and the place of birth. There is an additional $10 fee for a certified copy. To verify current rates, please visit http://www.ssa.gov/online/ssa-711.pdf (You will need Adobe Acrobat to read this page.)

Send all the information along with your payment to:

      Department of Health and Human Services
      Social Security Administration
      Baltimore, MD 21235

It usually takes 6-8 weeks, but they are very busy and it may take longer. Please be patient! You will be happy with what you recieve.

If you need to get the application of a living person send a note to the address above asking for *SSA-L997. You may also be able to get these at your local Social Security office or an FHC.

*Note: This form requires the signature of the person for whom records are being requested.

As you probably know a social security number is made up of 3 parts:
(XXX-XX-XXXX)
the area, group, and serial number.

The area is determined by where the person applied for a SS#. The numbers below represent the area the applicant applied for a SS#:

    000 unused387-399 WI528-529 UT
    001-003 NH400-407 KY530 NV
    004-007 ME408-415 TN531-539 WA
    008-009 VT416-424 AL540-544 OR
    010-034 MA425-428 MS545-573 CA
    035-039 RI429-432 AR574 AK
    040-049 CT433-439 LA575-576 HI
    050-134 NY440-448 OK577-579 DC
    135-158 NJ449-467 TX580 VI Virgin Islands
    159-211 PA468-477 MN581-584 PR Puerto Rico
    212-220 MD478-485 IA585 NM
    221-222 DE486-500 MO586 PI Pacific Islands *
    223-231 VA501-502 ND587-588 MS
    232-236 WV503-504 SD589-595 FL
    237-246 NC505-508 NE596-599 PR Puerto Rico
    247-251 SC509-515 KS600-601 AZ
    252-260 GA516-517 MT602-626 CA
    261-267 FL518-519 ID* includes Guam, American Samoa,
    268-302 OH520 WY* Northern Mariana Islands,
    303-317 IN521-524 CO* and Philippine Islands
    318-361 IL525 NM 
    362-386 MI526-527 AZ 
    627-699 unassigned, for future use
    700-728 Railroad workers through 1963, then discontinued
    729-899 unassigned, for future use
    900-999 not valid SSNs, but were used for program purposes when state aid to the aged, blind and disabled was converted to a federal program administered by SSA.

This may help determine where a person was living at the time of application for social security. There is a computer program in the America On-Line library which I truly recommend. It is called Social Security Number and may be found under keyword "filesearch" then "Social Security".

There are many other uses helpful to genealogists that are worth enquiring about.

Best of Luck in all of your searching,
Michael A. Cassara
AOL (MCASSARA)



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