Method for Ancestry subscribers to access the AIS database at Ancestry


(This is for Ancestry subscribers only. If you are not Ancestry subscriber, you will not be able to access this data.)


Slave indexes are included for these States for both 1850 and 1860 unless otherwise indicated: AR, DE, DC, FL 1850 only, GA 1860 only, KY 1850 only, LA 1850 only, MD, MS, MO, NJ 1850 only, SC 1860 only, TN 1860 only, TX and VA.


At the Ancestry main search records screen, choose the exact matches tab and use the advanced search option. In the search form, enter the name you are searching and select United States for country (and a State name if you want), and select census for record type. In the keywords box put the word slave and the year you want, either 1850 or 1860. You can also include the County as a keyword, though you may get extra results if the County name matches a surname (people whose surname matches the County name you seleted should be listed first on the results screen, followed by the other surnames in alphabetical order.) If you leave the name boxes blank, you should be able to get a browseable list for the State and any County you have selected.