KNOWLES / KNOLES / NOLES
Family  Association

GENEALOGY
Tips  &  Tricks

Social  Security  Numbers &
the Social Security Death Index

 

 Social  Security  Death  Index
(from “The Source” edited  by Loretta Szucs & Sandra Luebking) 

Points to remember concerning Social Security Numbers and the Social Security Death Index (SSDI):

The SSDI is not a complete death index.  If a person is not included in this index, it may be because a Social Security number was never issued;  the survivors may not have reported the death to the SSA;  the death may have been reported before computerization began;  or the information was simply not included.

 

Does not give birth places.   It provides the state of issuance of the Social Security number, which is often different from the residence at birth.

 

The SSDI is a research tool  -  not a source of genealogical data.   It is important to follow up on the information given in the index and prove the identity of the individual.   Persons who share identical birth dates, names, and residences do exist.

 

The Source notes that, “virtually all of the persons in the SSDI died after 1961.  There are  very few records for a person who died from 1937 to 1961."

 

The points above are highlights from the information in The Source.  These points should help you use the SSDI properly; however, you may want to consult The Source for the full information.   The Source may be available in your local library.

 

Use SSDI via Ancestry.com
(subscription required)

 

The Death Master File (DMF) from the Social Security Administration (SSA) currently (2005) contains over 76 million records.  The current update reflects the latest information provided by the SSA as of September 2005.  The file is created from internal SSA records of deceased persons possessing social security numbers and whose deaths were reported to the SSA.  Often this was done in connection with filing for death benefits by a family member, an attorney, a mortuary, etc.  Each update of the DMF includes corrections to old data as well as additional names. [NOTE: If someone is missing from the list, it may be that the benefit was never requested, an error was made on the form requesting the benefit, or an error was made when entering the information into the SSDI.]

The SSDI file includes the following information on each decedent, if the data was made available to the SSA:

• Last name

• Lirst name

• Social Security Number

• State issued

• Birth date

• Death date

• Last residence

• Lump sum payment

The absence of a particular person in the SSDI is not proof this person is alive.  Additionally, there is a possibility that incorrect records of death have been entered on the DMF.  The Social Security Administration does not guarantee the accuracy of the file.

SEARCHING TIPS (by Ancestry.com)
When you know the information, be as specific as possible to avoid a large of hits. (Large can be somewhere over a couple hundred or so.)  If you are unable to find someone you are looking for, here are some things to try:

• Change dates around (e.g., instead of searching for 5 Oct 1954, search for 10 May 1954)

• Change years around (e.g. 1984 becomes 1948)

• Use all other possible spellings of the name (and perhaps some that aren't so likely)

• Switch last name and first name around

• Try searching for a middle name as a first name

• Even if you know a piece of information, try omitting it (e.g. if you know first and last name and death date, try leaving off the first name).

Source Information: Social Security Administration,  Social Security Death Index,  Master File, MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005.
 

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Social  Security  Numbers

For those of you who are utilizing the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) in your research, the following table may be helpful to you.  This table shows which state a person resided in when a Social Security Number was issued to them.  This table identifies the first three digits of the Social Security Number issued by a state or other entity.

Social  Security  Number  Assignments
 

STATE / ENTITY	NUMBER
Alabama	416 - 424
Alaska	574
American Samoa	581 - 585
Arizona	526 - 527
Arkansas	429 - 432
California	545 - 573
Colorado	521 - 524
Connecticut	040 - 049
Delaware	221 - 222
District of Columbia	577 - 579
Florida	261 - 267
Georgia	252 - 260
Guam	581 - 585
Hawaii	575 - 576
Idaho	518 - 519
Illinois	318 - 361
Indiana	303 - 317
Iowa	478 - 485
Kansas	509 - 515
Kentucky	400 - 407
Louisiana	433 - 439
Maine	004 - 007
Maryland	212 - 220
Massachusetts	010 - 034
Michigan	362 - 386
Minnesota	468 - 477
Mississippi	425 - 428
Missouri	486 - 500
Montana	516 - 517
Nebraska	505 - 508
Nevada	530
New Hampshire	001 - 003
New Jersey	135 - 158
New Mexico	525
New York	050 - 134
North Carolina	237 - 246
North Dakota	501 - 502
Ohio	268 - 302
Oklahoma	440 - 448
Oregon	540 - 544
Pennsylvania	159 - 211
Philippine Islands	581 - 585
Puerto Rico	581 - 585
Rhode Island	035 - 039
Railroad	700 - 729
South Carolina	247 - 251
South Dakota	503 - 504
Tennessee	408 - 415
Texas	449 - 467
Utah	528 - 529
Vermont	008 - 009
Virgin Islands	580
Virginia	223 - 231
Washington	531 - 539
West Virgimia	232 - 236
Wisconsin	387 - 399
Wyoming	520

Webmaster:  Robert B. Noles

Date of last edit:   Saturday, October 22, 2005
 © 2000-2005  R.B. Noles & Knowles/Knoles/Noles Family Association   All Rights Reserved