Google Ancestor Military Records

How to Google military records for ancestry research.

Military records kept by the United States government about soldiers and sailors who served their country are a significant source of information about individuals. The four significant wars of interest to genealogists are the following:

  • American Revolution (1775-1783). Approximately one out of every seven Americans fought in the American Revolution.
  • Civil War (1861-1865). Approximately one out of every ten Americans fought in the Civil War.
  • World War I (1918-1919). Over 4.8 million served in World War I
  • World War II (1942-1945). Over 16 million served in World War II.

Google Ancestor Military Records
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Because of these statistics, it is worth investigating the possibility that adult males (age 13 and up) who were alive during these wars may have fought in them. Many more minor wars have occurred in United States history, and there are records of genealogical value for those conflicts, which can be found at the state level. These wars and conflicts include the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Spanish American War, and the Plains Indian Wars.

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What You Will Find in Military Records

Military records provide basic information about a soldier, including the unit they served, dates of military service, and sometimes a date of death. There are three types of military records: service, pension, and History Records.

Service Records

Service records cover the time an ancestor was actually in the service. These records almost always include a name, enlistment dates, attendance, discharge; beginning and ending rank; and military unit.

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Use service records to learn about an ancestor’s military service, find the necessary details to locate a pension file or military history; learn place or date of birth (secondary source for this information); learn other details such as residence, occupation, or citizenship; find a physical description; find death or burial information; find medical information; find insights into the ancestor’s personality and performance (promotions, AWOL notations, and so on); and see if and where the ancestor was held as a prisoner of war (POW).

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Pension Records

Pension records cover the post-service period when your ancestor (or their next-of-kin) may have received benefits. They usually include a name, dates of enlistment and discharge, beginning and ending rank, and military unit.

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Use pension records to learn about an ancestor’s military service, find the necessary details to locate a military history, learn place or date of birth (secondary source for this information), learn of dates and places of other life events, learn names of spouse or children (and sometimes their birth dates), learn other details (such as residence, occupation, or citizenship), find a physical description, find death or burial information, find medical information, gain insights into ancestor’s personality and performance (through his letters, affidavits filed by others who knew him, and so on), learn of ancestor’s literacy, see ancestor’s signature, and learn more about ancestor’s post-war years and life.

Military History

Military histories (often referred to as regimental or unit histories) can add historical background to help you understand the conflict and your ancestor’s participation in it. They usually include a roster of those who served in the unit and dates of significant engagements.

Use military history records to more fully appreciate the military experience of your ancestor, learn who they served with, learn which engagements they were involved in, and see what they looked like.

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Google Ancestor Military Records

The following are sample search queries you can use to find online databases for military records:

Searching for free state military records

  • “Military records” “Oklahoma”

Searching free online databases/websites

  • “Military records” site:familysearch.org (FamilySearch)
  • “Military records” site:rootsweb.ancestry.com (RootsWeb)

Searching #subscription databases/websites

  • “Military records” site:ancestry.com (Ancestry)
  • “Military records” site:fold3.com (Fold3)
  • “Military records” site: myheritage.com (MyHeritage)
  • “Military records” site:archives.com (Archives)
  • “Military records” site: findmypast.com (FindMyPast)

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Google Ancestor Military Records: Revolutionary War

The following are sample search queries you can use to find online databases for military records: Revolutionary War:

Searching for free state databases/websites

  • “Revolutionary War” “Virginia”
  • “Revolutionary Military records” “Massachusetts”
  • “Revolutionary War records” “New Jersey”
  • “Revolutionary War or Military records” “United States”

Search any of the following names:

  • Daughters of the American Revolution
  • Sons of the American Revolution

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Google Ancestor Military Records: War of 1812

The following are sample search queries you can use to find online databases for military records: War of 1812:

Searching for free state databases/websites

  • “War of 1812” “Virginia”
  • “War of 1812 records” “Louisiana”

Searching free online databases/websites

  • “War of 1812 records” site:familysearch.org (FamilySearch)
  • “War of 1812 records” site:rootsweb.ancestry.com (RootsWeb)

Searching sub#scription databases/websites

  • “War of 1812 records” site:ancestry.com (Ancestry)
  • “War of 1812 records” site:fold3.com (Fold3)
  • “War of 1812 records” site: myheritage.com (MyHeritage)
  • “War of 1812 records” site:archives.com (Archives)
  • “War of 1812 records” site: findmypast.com (FindMyPast)

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Google Ancestor Military Records: Mexican War

The following are sample search queries you can use to find online databases for military records: Mexican War:

Searching for free state databases/websites

  • “Mexican War” “Oklahoma”
  • “Mexican War records” “Mississippi”

Searching free online databases

  • “Mexican War records” site:familysearch.org (FamilySearch)
  • “Mexican War records” site:rootsweb.ancestry.com (RootsWeb)

Searching subscription databases/websites

  • “Mexican War records” site:ancestry.com (Ancestry)
  • “Mexican War records” site:fold3.com (Fold3)
  • “Mexican War records” site: myheritage.com (MyHeritage)
  • “Mexican War records” site:archives.com (Archives)
  • “Mexican War records” site: findmypast.com (FindMyPast)

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Google Ancestor Military Records: Civil War

The following are sample search queries you can use to find online databases for military records: Civil War:

Searching for free state databases/websites

  • “War records” “Ohio”
  • “Civil War records” “New Hampshire”
  • “Consecrate War records” “North Carolina”
  • “Union War Records” “Vermont”
  • “Civil OR Union OR Confederate War records” “Virginia”
  • “Union OR Confederate War records” “United States”

Searching free online databases/websites

  • “Civil War records” site:familysearch.org (FamilySearch)
  • “Civil War records” site:rootsweb.ancestry.com (RootsWeb)
  • “Civil War records” site:libertyellisfoundation.org

Searching subscription databases/websites

  •  “Civil War records” site:ancestry.com (Ancestry)
  • “Civil War records” site:fold3.com (Fold3)
  • “Civil War records” site: myheritage.com (MyHeritage)
  • “Civil War records” site:archives.com (Archives)
  • “Civil War records” site: findmypast.com (FindMyPast)

Search any of the following names:

  • Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War
  • Sons of Confederate Veterans

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Google Ancestor Military Records: WWI

The following are sample search queries you can use to find online databases for military records: WWI:

Searching for free state databases/websites

  • “WWI records” “Ohio”
  • “WWI registration Cards” “New Hampshire”
  •  “WWI records OR Registration” “United States”

Searching free online databases/websites

  • “WWI records” site:familysearch.org (FamilySearch)
  • “WWI records” site:rootsweb.ancestry.com (RootsWeb)

Searching subscription databases/websites

  • “WWI records” site:ancestry.com (Ancestry)
  • “WWI records” site:fold3.com (Fold3)
  • “WWI records” site: myheritage.com (MyHeritage)
  • “WWI records” site:archives.com (Archives)
  • “WWI records” site: findmypast.com (FindMyPast)

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Google Ancestor Military Records: WWII

The following are sample search queries you can use to find online databases for military records: WWII:

Searching for free state databases/websites

  • “WWII records” “Ohio”
  • “WWII registration cards” “New Hampshire”
  • “WWII Records OR registration” “United States”

Searching free online databases/websites

  • “WWI records” site:familysearch.org (FamilySearch)
  • “WWII records” site:rootsweb.ancestry.com (RootsWeb)
  •  “WWI records” site:libertyellisfoundation.org

Searching subscription databases/websites

  • “WWII records” site:ancestry.com (Ancestry)
  • “WWII records” site:fold3.com (Fold3)
  • “WWII records” site: myheritage.com (MyHeritage)
  • “WWII records” site:
  • archives.com (Archives)
  • “WWII Records” site: findmypast.com (FindMyPast)

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Google Other Ancestor Records

The following is an overview of the common 18 types of ancestor records that I have found constantly valuable in my historical and genealogy research and hundreds of other resources I have learned to research and use through the years. When I mastered researching these resources, I could quickly expand my research to other records to help me connect the pieces of my genealogy puzzle.

Google Ancestor Records
Cemetery Records Census Records Church Records
Civil Vital Records Directory Records Family Histories
Histories and Biographies Land Records Maps
Message Boards, Mailing Lists, and Wiki’s Military Records Naturalization Records
Newspaper Records Photographs Probate Records
Publications and Periodicals Ship Passenger Lists Writings of Ancestors

In my profile of each resource, I have included what you will find, how to use the resource, and research insights for each resource. I would encourage you to use this section as a starting point from which you can search out and find other genealogical tutorials, and guides that help to provide deeper insights.  The common websites that researchers first think of are Ancestry, Archives, FamilySearch, FindMyPast and MyHeritage.

The following are other articles you may enjoy to help you Google your ancestry.

 

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