Your ancestor didn't have to own property to be taxable. There are personal property tax rolls as well, and although there isn't as much information in the records as, say, in the recent censuses, they can be a valuable tool in tracking your ancestor. Some tax records are available for almost every year.

There may be clues to maiden names of wives if a man starts paying taxes on land he didn't buy. They are useful in locating people the census missed, or finding people who moved into and then out of an area within the decade. They can indicate when a man reached the age of majority, show when he changes from single to married, and narrow down dates of death. They may lead you to land records, or give details of military service. We've even seen some that state relationships and give ages for school-age children. Social status, religion, occupation, and pinpointing residence are other clues that may be gleaned from tax records.

Help Me!  Find out if tax records have been published for my research area.

Help Me!  Obtain the records.

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