Research Your Ancestors by State and Surname
To help place your surnames by state, follow these guidelines.
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If your person was born in Virginia and died in Arkansas, place their name under both states.
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If a person was not born in North Carolina, but lived and died there, place their surname also in North Carolina as well as the state they were born in.
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If a person was born and died in North Carolina, only place the surname in North Carolina.
If your person was born in Virginia and died in Arkansas, place their name under both states.Welcome to our Research Portal
Slavery
The Slavery menu – under this section, you will find census schedules, slave certificates, emancipation and manumission papers, chancery records, registers of free people of color, cohabitation and marriage records, homesteading opportunities, public claims, and even insurance policies. These resources shed light on family histories and help uncover stories long hidden in America’s past.
Freedmen’s Bureau
The Freedmen’s Bureau records (1865–1872) provide an unparalleled window into the transition from slavery to freedom. This collection includes labor contracts, marriage and cohabitation records, hospital and medical registers, schools, court disputes, rations, land and property claims, and more. Researchers can use these records to trace ancestors, learn about local communities, and better understand the challenges and triumphs of freed people during Reconstruction.
Military
The Military collections preserve the sacrifices and service of African Americans from the Revolutionary War through the Civil War and beyond. This section includes U.S. Colored Troops enlistment papers, pension files, index cards, payment rolls, widows’ pensions, and Confederate as well as federal service records. These documents honor the courage of Black soldiers and provide invaluable genealogical details for descendants and researchers.
Native American
The Native American records explore the intertwined histories of African and Native peoples. This collection of records features land allotments, tribal enrollment cards, application jackets, rolls, and other essential documents that recorded the identities and rights of Native American and Freedmen communities. These sources are critical for tracing blended lineages and understanding the shared experiences of displacement and survival.
Tools
Our Tools section offers powerful resources to support African American genealogy research. Explore FamilySearch guides for beginners, full-text searches, and slavery and bondage records; and WikiTree tools for profiles, categories, and DNA connections. Additional resources include cemetery databases, historical maps, virtual records, newspapers, and the BPOG Heritage Labels Collection, all designed to help you uncover, organize, and preserve family history.
