You may need them again. Once you have collected all the information you can from family members and records, it is time to begin research in public records. The best-known public record is the federal census . This enumeration of state populations has been taken by the government every ten years since 1790. It is open for research through 1920, except the 1890 census, which was destroyed in a fire many years ago.
Later censuses are closed to protect the privacy of living persons.
The Census Map Guide lists the federal censuses that exist for each state. This book illustrates each state with its counties at the time each federal census was taken. Information contained in the census changes with each one taken. It is best to consult a general reference guide, such as The Source , to find out what information is contained in each federal census. Family History libraries, and many state and local historical and genealogical societies.