Ais Indexes Are Worth Checking

Genealogists are familiar with U.S. federal censuses, but how many know about AIS indexes? And how many are aware of the conditions to access post-1920 censuses?

Accelerated Indexing Systems (AIS) is a commercial company that has indexed many U.S. federal census records and published them in individual books.

In 1984, AIS produced a combined census index on microfiche which is distributed by the Family History Library for use in all family history centers.

These microfiche indexes can help researchers simplify family history research, provide information about individuals and can lead to new ideas of where to search for further information. Indexes can also save hours that might otherwise be spent reading hundreds of pages of census films.

Before using AIS indexes (also called searches), be aware of their strengths and weaknesses.

The strengths include knowing any index can help locate information quicker, and each AIS index covers a fairly broad time period and large geographical area. The index’s weaknesses are a known error rate ranging between 3 percent and 8 percent for some areas. Some people appear more than once per search and many post-1850 censuses were indexed after the AIS index was compiled.

There are four steps to follow when using the AIS census indexes.

1. Select the right search. AIS microfiche indexes are divided into nine groups or searches for people living in the U.S. between 1607 and 1906, although the majority of the records cover the federal censuses from 1790 to 1850. The searches are divided by locality and date. Here is a summary of the nine searches:

Search 1, 1607-1819: entire U.S.

Search 2, 1820-1829: entire U.S.

Search 3, 1830-1839: entire U.S.

Search 4, 1840-1849: entire U.S.

Search 5, 1850-1860: Southern states (not all states were completed in 1984 when this index was compiled.)

Search 6, 1850: New England and Northern states

Search 7, 1850-1906: Midwestern and Western states

Search 7a, 1850-1906: entire U.S. (Searches 5, 6, and 7 compiled together)

Search 8, 1850-1885: U.S. Mortality schedules only

2. Look for ancestral names, listed alphabetically. There may be many listings for the same surname, so it’s helpful to know a first name or a specific area where your ancestor lived.

3. Interpret the index information. If you can’t find your ancestor’s name, it might be because he or she was not the head of the household, the indexer or enumerator might have missed the person, your ancestor might not have lived where or when you thought he did, and the name may have been spelled differently.

4. Go to the original record for further searching, the real census record. All available census microfilms can be ordered for a small postage fee through Family History Centers.

The AIS microfiche indexes for U.S. federal censuses can be a wonderful tool for working genealogists, so make use of them. Most all Family History Centers will have a set of the AIS microfiche.

Today’s tip:

The 1995 Heritage Hunting columns are available in one booklet for $6.50, postpaid. Send your check made out to me, c/o this newspaper.

, DataTimes MEMO: Donna Potter Phillips welcomes letters from readers. Write to her at The Spokesman-Review, Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. For a response, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Donna Potter Phillips The Spokesman-Review