On these applications, very often, the applicant not only filled out their full name, date of birth and so forth, but also their parents’ full names as well; an invaluable resource in your family history research! The person for whom you are requesting the form must be deceased! Here are some useful links! First, here’s a link to the Social Security Death Index (not the applications!):
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=ssdi/search_ssdi.asp&clear_form=true
You can also search ancestry http://www.ancestry.com/search/DB.aspx?dbid=3693 either if you’re a member or for free at a local LDS family history center as described in the beginning of this blog http://webbpat.wordpress.com/2008/10/02/genealogy-research-getting-started-2 (or ancestry offers a 14 day free trial as well)!
With this information, you can then fill out the following form online to request the original Social Security application, which is decidedly faster than snail mail:
https://secure.ssa.gov/apps7/eFOIA-FEWeb/internet/main.jsp
You’ll get a confirmation page like this showing how you can track the progress of your order:
Sample Confirmation Page
Alternatively, if you like, you can snail mail a letter to:
Social Security Administration
Office of Earnings Operations
FOIA Workgroup
300 N. Green Street
P.O. Box 33022
Baltimore, Maryland 21290-3022
Freedom of Information Act Request
and include the person’s name, Social Security Number (SSN), if known, date of birth (DOB), parents names, if known. For an original copy of the SS-5 application, it’s $27 if you know the SSN and $29 if you don’t. You can also get a computer abstract of the application for $16 if you know the SSN and $18 if you don’t. The abstract generally does not have as much information as the original application. SS-5 orders I’ve placed this way, I’ve generally received in about 6 weeks from the date I mailed the form; the abstract is much quicker, on the order of 1-2 weeks, but I personally don’t recommend this.
I’ve found genealogical information from some of my ancestors this way that I haven’t been able to find anywhere else. As an example, a birth record does exist for my 2nd-great grandmother Euretta M. Willcox in Rhode Island, Jany. 14, 1865. However, even on this document, it just lists her middle initial. Her death record, in 1941, does not have her given middle name at birth listed. However, two of her daughters, Marvel Sherwood and Dorothy Pearce, both listed their mother’s full maiden name as Euretta (Etta) May Wilcox on their SS-5 applications.
Pat
Quick question — Are the details contained on the original copy also contained on the computer abstract?
By: Mike Maher on November 9, 2008
at 12:18 pm
Hi Mike, most of the information should be on the abstract (numident) including parents names and so forth. Some details like applicant’s address, date applied and their original signature are not there. And, the abstract is a transcription and is subject to the transcriber’s own abbreviations, typos, etc. I personally prefer the original application just to avoid these issues. As an example, the numident on one of my great-grandmother’s applications did not include her parents names eventhough they are written in full on her original application. Thanks!
Pat
By: webbpat on November 9, 2008
at 1:58 pm
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By: Update: ordering copies of Social Security applications « Patrick’s Genealogy Blog on December 2, 2008
at 11:50 pm