SSDI Social Security Death Indexes for Genealogy

[@vm1776]

Thanks for the info. I had not been paying very much attention to the SSDI because I thought I knew my recent generations well enough to know info that would be in there, except I didn't know their SS #'s. but I needed to obtain a copy of the death certificate for some ancestors who died too recently for their certificate to be on ancestry; so when I applied to obtain the death certificates, I was required to provide the SS#'s, which thankfully I was able to find on ancestry through the SSDI. Yes, there are many reasons to grab those documents even if you think you know their contents.

[@gfjchs3n1]

Thanks again. Got a SS application on a great-great uncle some years ago at a cost but worth it. Family on my mother's side didn't know who his parents were. I haven't found a last name like his ever. It may be native Indian but my mother always said his name and expressed he was her favorite great-uncle. Just that document alone opened many family names and relatives. Unfortunately the family his nieces and nephews were all deceased. So I couldn't ask a lot of important questions. That was before I got into my family ancestry. Again thank you for all you do. ❤

[@GenealogyTV]

My pleasure.

[@PragmaticPerson]

Good video. Thanks. I got the run around but eventually was able to submit my request online. Don’t ask me how though… just kept clicking until I got to the right place.

[@RoxxiRed]

So glad I found your channel

[@GenealogyTV]

Me too!

[@Jan-xp8yi]

I’m finding this information on Family Search United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007"

[@GenealogyTV]

Good to know.

[@bakerwannabe4435]

Great video, Connie. I didn’t know that there are 2 different Social Security Indexes. Thank you- I always learn something in your videos.

[@GenealogyTV]

Glad it was helpful!

[@pfk2066]

Hi Connie, The link at the bottom of the Social Security Application page has been fixed, it now goes to the Social Security FOI Act page 🙂 Ancestry heard you!

[@GenealogyTV]

Yay!

[@deborahleroy5323]

I have located and used this site but it is work.

[@wyattandwill12]

Great video. You can also click on the mouse wheel to open a link in a new tab, I find that very helpful when opening multiple at once.

[@GenealogyTV]

Thanks for the info! I always forget that tip.

[@lionheart830]

Odd that you had the run around for the online application. About 20 years back I requested online my dad's ss application without any stress. Received my copy within a few weeks, much to my surprise. My main reason was to verify his mom's spelling of her maiden name. She, being from Denmark, may have it spelled differently, since I was up against a brick wall. Sadly, my dad had spelled her maiden name the same way I had guessed it from the sound. Eventually I hit a gold mine of information with my Danish side through DANE, so the brick wall was smashed.

[@bakerwannabe4435]

I’m glad you found the info. What is Dane, please?

[@GenealogyTV]

Yeah... it's just this year when they moved to the new website that it was such a challenge.

[@sherimc4869]

Thank you❣️

[@GenealogyTV]

You’re welcome 😊

[@henrikeith3056]

Thanks Connie - great info!

[@cathymarsh414]

The Applications & Claims also frequently shows when women changed their names after marriage. The date is usually close to when they married (or remarried) and with that and the new last name I have been able to locate marriage and death records that didn't show in searches with maiden or 1st marriage names.

[@jamesanderson9287]

That first one on Ancestry is also on FamilySearch, there it is referred to as the NUMIDENT and that stands for NUMerical IDENTity file, has more information including more accurate date of death, includes parents except for some who applied early on so those early ones may not show parents. They hint, or have already been added by others, on Family Tree.

[@cmmroots]

Connie, I have found SSNs in SSDI and on some death certificates. My question is, do you record the SSN? Is there any purpose? So far, I have generally not recorded them. Will I be sorry in the future? Would love your opinion. Thanks.

[@GenealogyTV]

That Social Security number will help cross reference other records.

[@jenniferlakhlani]

I have an ancestor who appears to have filed twice. Same parents, birth place, and birthdate listed in each, except year of birth is one year off on second one. Same name spelling in each. But 2 different numbers given. When I check the 2nd index she cannot be found by any method I've tried: ss #s only, last name and birthdates, only birthdates, etc. I am kicking myself for not requesting her soc sec app last year when it was $10 cheaper. Now I'm not sure if I want to ever get it. She's a mystery child of my 2nd great grandparents that was never listed in my gf's civil war pension app.

[@schoolingdiana9086]

I wonder if this would work for my great-grandpa who worked for the railroad and was the first test group for social security? 🤔

[@michaelmccullough9668]

Thanks for this video. Very useful info in it.

[@GenealogyTV]

My pleasure.

[@lornaescobar3828]

Great info!

[@sandykling5893]

I'm wondering if I can get a history of all the jobs my Grandpa had through his lifetime? There's ~8 years of info missing that I'm trying to figure out what he was up to. My dad knows his father dropped out of high school before graduating, I figure about 1925 when he was around 15 years old possibly. The school didn't have yearbooks when first opened, I found a 1927 on ebay, the owner said my grandpa was not in it. I have sent a request for his school records to find the exact year he dropped out. He joined the Navy in 1933. I know he worked as a life guard at Lake Michigan in the summers along with other odd jobs and he lived at home. The 1930 census shows him with no job or going to school. I called Social Security and asked if there was a way to get his work history info and they said No.....but I'm not convinced. Any ideas?

[@saraschneider6781]

What about a death index for recent deaths, like 2000 and later? I'm having problems determining whether a person is alive or deceased.

[@ulexite-tv]

My question as well -- when can one expect to find a recent death record ... weeks, months, years?

[@JohnMcGing1]

@@ulexite-tv At least 3 years if looking at SSA data. That's by law.

[@ulexite-tv]

@@JohnMcGing1 Thank you.

[@GenealogyTV]

Yes... there is a waiting period before Ancestry puts them up. 3 years sounds about right, but I don't recall off hand.

[@saraschneider6781]

@@GenealogyTV is somewhere that has more recent ones, without ordering the death certificate?

[@tinkertron]

I've notice if I have both of these type of records, one or both would have either the birth or death date in correct. Whats up with that?

[@GenealogyTV]

Ah-ha. I'm working on an episode right now that addresses this issue. It will be out in a couple of weeks.

[@catsknit23]

Just went to check on my grandfather's record. I had the death index and had linked a claims index as well, only to realize now he was the parent for his son (same name) on that one. So I did a search through card catalog and zero hits, even with his birth year, death year (1997), SSN (from the death index). I tried widening the search by using only his first initial and last name and got 181 hits but none of them him. I know for a fact he collected social security in his old age because he often said it was more than he needed! (he lived extremely frugally his whole life). Any other ideas??

[@GenealogyTV]

Try searching the SSN only.

[@roberthopgood1894]

do you know a canadian genealogy youtuber??

[@GenealogyTV]

I do not, do you?