How to Trace Your Free Black Ancestry

Black families can trace their ancestors through government records.

Tracing any family line can be difficult, but finding records of blacks in the United States is particularly hard. Many records of the births and deaths of people of color were not meticulously kept in centuries past. Slave owners kept few records at all, and many free blacks could not keep their own because they could not read or write. However, despite this, there are a handful of ways to trace black ancestry for free. Most of them go through governmental record-keeping bodies, such as city and county clerks' offices and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Things You'll Need

• Computer, Internet, Search engine (google, ask.com), Resource library, Visit Courthouses.

Instructions

1. Catalog a family tree as far back as possible through saved documents and oral recitations. Speak with elders on both sides of the family to create a version of a family tree you can use as a foundation for your search.

2. Check county courthouses for birth, death and marriage certificates. Explain to the clerk's office that you need to check public records to trace a family history. Check that information against the information you have from family members.

3. Request the Free Negro Register at the county office. Between the late 1700s and when slavery was abolished in 1865, free blacks living in the South and some other parts of the United States were required to register wherever they lived. The information in the registry varies from locale to locale, but the freedom papers had to include the name of the person, his mother, his height, approximate weight, previous county or state of residence, and whether he was born free or emancipated. Some registries also contain information on the date the person was freed and by whom.

4. Check with local and regional historical societies and genealogy libraries. Although historical societies may not have as much detailed information as county records offices, they may have articles and newsletters related to your search. Genealogy libraries can help find genealogical information related to a specific region.

5. Seek out U.S. Census Bureau records. Census records, which date back to 1790, includes population figures for all U.S. states and territories, as well as the names, races and other information of respondents. The records from 1790 to 1920 can be viewed by the public, with the exception of the 1890 records, which were unintentionally destroyed.

Tips & Warnings

• The website Ancestry.com has a special section for African American family history. It claims to be the largest online collection of African American family records in the world. Enter the name of a relative, and the site will search slave narratives, bank records, and United States Colored Troops records and more. Ancestry.com is a pay site, but it does have a 14-day free trial.

References

• Africanheritage; The Search for Free Ancestors; Aaron L. Day; 2005
• Ancestry: African-American Family History

Resources

• GWM: Directory of Genealogy Libraries in the U.S.