An alternative resource… but not as good
Genealogists want the best resource.
The one with the most information.
The one with — oh, just as one example — an ancestor’s signature.
The original record, however and whenever we can get our hands on it or the closest to the original we can get.
That’s why The Legal Genealogist loves the so-called SS-5 form, the Application for a Social Security Number. It’s an original record, usually filled out by the person applying for a Social Security number or at least reviewed and signed by that person.
And why the post here on Monday focused on how to use the new ordering system for getting photocopies of these records.1
And — sigh — it was only minutes after that post went live that folks started suggesting that it’s possible to get as much information from the free Numident database at the National Archives’ site Access to Archival Databases (AAD).
Um… no.
There’s nothing wrong with using that database… just understand that it’s not complete, not original, and even when your target person is included you may miss things like those signatures.
In other words, it’s just not as good.
Let’s start by understanding the difference between an SS-5 and a Numident. The SS-5 form itself is a person’s “original Application for a Social Security Card,” usually filled out by the person individually or at least reviewed and signed by that person. The “Numident” — short for “Numerical Identification” — is the Social Security Administration’s computer extract from those SS-5 forms. 2
In short, the SS-5 is the original; the Numident is a derivative second-generation database entry.
And what’s the difference?
Here’s my maternal grandfather’s SS-5.3
And here’s my maternal grandmother’s Numident.4
No signature on that second one, is there? That alone makes it worth getting the original, if we can. And, of course, getting the original means not running the risk of data entry errors in the second-generation copy.
On top of that, there’s the problem of the records that aren’t there in the AAD database at all.
Anybody who didn’t have a verified death between 1936 and 2007 or who wouldn’t have been more than 110 years old by 31 December 2007? Not there.5
My maternal grandfather — born 1898, died 1970 — in the AAD? Not there.
My paternal grandfather’s cousin Elizabeth Marks — born 1880, died 1970? Not there.
My paternal grandfather’s sister Elly Froemke — born 1888, died 1964? Not there.
And for anyone who is there? No signatures. No indications of insertions or deletions. (There are tons on Elizabeth Marks’ SS-5.)
So use the Access to Archival Databases (AAD) for sure. In some cases it’ll give you the parents’ names we all want to see.
But don’t ever fool yourself into thinking that any derivative second-generation database entry is like getting the original.
It’s just not as good.
Cite/link to this post: Judy G. Russell, “It’s just not as good,” The Legal Genealogist (https://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog : posted 18 Nov 2020).
SOURCES
- Judy G. Russell, “Ordering the SS-5: 2020 style,” The Legal Genealogist, posted 16 Nov 2020 (https://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog : accessed 18 Nov 2020). ↩
- See “Request a copy of Deceased Person’s Original Application for a Social Security Card (SS-5) or Numident Record,” FOIA Request Methods and Fees, Social Security Administration (https://www.ssa.gov/ : accessed 15 Nov 2020). ↩
- Clay Rex Cottrell, SS no. (withheld for privacy), 22 June 1937, Application for Account Number (Form SS-5), Social Security Administration, Baltimore, Maryland. ↩
- Opal Cottrell, SS no. (withheld for privacy), 15 March 1966, Numident, Social Security Administration, Baltimore, Maryland. ↩
- See “Frequently Asked Questions, Numerical Identification (NUMIDENT) Files, Updated May 15, 2020,” Access to Archival Databases (AAD), National Archives, Archives.gov (https://aad.archives.gov/ : accessed 18 Nov 2020). ↩
The best insertion I have ever found on an SS-5 was for my grandaunt. She had indicated that her father and mother had the same surname. The person accepting the form must have pointed out to her that she was supposed to list her mother’s maiden name, because there is a handwritten note in the upper right-hand corner that says, “My mother and father were first cousins and had the same last name.” You’ll never find that on the Numident!
A perfect example of why you want the original — always always always.
But still the records aren’t there because not all jobs were covered by Social Security. One grandfather worked for the City of Jersey City; another was self-employed, a physician. Neither has either an application or a death record in Social Security or N.A.
There’s nothing we can do about records that were never created in the first place, darn it. 🙂
I agree that the SS-5 form should always be obtained. But the NUMIDENT record may contain information that the SS-5 does not, such as changes to names because of marriage or divorce and approximately when those changes took place. The claim date will also give clues as to when a person retired or became disabled. So I think both should always be sought. Oh, and there could also be death information. NUMIDENT is the source that the SSDI (the Death Master File) is derived from.
Just want to say thank you for all the info you have in your column. Never knew about the SS-5. Need to make a list of ancestors that I will need a SS-5 for. Again, thank you for sharing. Just wish it had been around in the 1700s.
Thanks for the reminder about this record. I need to order my paternal grand mothers to get her signature. Sadly, it does not appear my paternal grandfather applied before he died. Years ago when they were cheaper I used this form to get my maternal grandfather’s mother’s maiden name. I ordered his and he used her married name-rats! I thought “the daughter will know what the son does not”. Sure enough I ordered SSI for his the one sister who’s death info. I had and she had her mothers full name maiden name. Thanks for all the great info.
I have a blog post where I compare the information in the NUMIDENT record (from NARA’s database) for the actor Gregory Peck with the information given on his SS-5 form:
https://genrootsblog.blogspot.com/2019/11/nara-online-social-security-numident-ss-5-forms.html
Thanks for this post, Judy! Where do you obtain the images of the Numident records? I was just looking on that site and only saw text indexes, so I wondered where you found the image for your grandmother’s record. Thank you!
That, alas, was all the Social Security Administration could find for my grandmother! I may make another request for them to try again to find her actual SS-5 form.
I am new to family history research and “The Legal Genealogist” blog. Thank you so much for sharing the value of the SS-5 form which is new to me! Could someone explain how I would find or order SS-5 forms?
Thank you,
Luana Moulton
Just go back to the blog for the day before (Ordering the SS-5: 2020 style) and you’ll find all the directions you need.
We couldn’t find my great grandmother’s birth date for a long time (it was different on different records). We didn’t even think of looking for her SS-5 form until we had been looking for a few years. When we found it we were able to find many other records based on her birth date including her birth certificate. Thanks for sharing this article to help people find these earlier.
Thank you!