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Search their name.
Search their name.
Search over 750 million records, including the 1950 U.S. census, to find details about your ancestors like where they lived, who they lived with, jobs they held, and more.
Start with a person’s name and basic information, then see what you discover.
Free access ends 30 Jun 2026. Terms apply.
Explore collections that hold details
of your family history.
Explore collections that hold details
of your family history.
Explore collections that hold details of your family history.
1950 U.S. census
Search the most recently released U.S. federal census to learn about where your family lived, who made up their household, what they did, and more.
New York State census collections
Explore New York state census records from 1905, 1915, and 1925—available only on Ancestry—to track your family story between federal censuses.
1890 Veterans Schedule
Discover the military ranks, units and service dates of Civil War Union veterans, collected in 1890—an invaluable substitute for the destroyed 1890 federal census.
Learn more about U.S. census records.
Learn more about U.S. census records.
Learn more about U.S. census records.
Article
7 Amazing Facts About the U.S. Census
Completing the census is a civic duty that has provided valuable data for centuries. Here are 7 amazing facts you might not know.
Article
How State Censuses Can Go Beyond U.S. Census Data
Learn how state censuses can reveal details you may not find in federal census records, and provide new context about your ancestors.
Top tips to get you started
Top tips to get you started
Top tips to get
you started
1. Search by name
1. Search by name
Start with someone’s name. If you don’t find them right away, try alternative spellings since names are sometimes misspelled in records.
2. Get specific
2. Get specific
You can look for granular details like where a person worked, military service details, or even who they lived with at a certain address.
3. Look for clues
3. Look for clues
You might find clues to investigate in other census records, like unknown siblings, parents, and even grandparents.
*Access to the records in the featured collections will be free until 30 Jun 2026 at 10am ET. After the free access period ends, you will only be able to view the records in the featured collections using a paid Ancestry membership. To see a full list of the records in the featured collections, please click here.