WWI Genealogical Research Resources

During the Centennial Commemoration, individuals, families, and organizations are searching for information about those who served in World War One. Listed below are a broad range of resources to help find out where and how an individual served during World War One.

If your organization has genealogical resources relevant to World War One, please contact us to have your website added to the list below.

World War I Genealogy Research Guide

The World War I Genealogy Research Guide helps trace American military and noncombatant ancestors. It is provided courtesy of U.S. World War I Centennial Commission and the Doughboy Foundation. This guide is authored by Debra M. Dudek, with a foreword by Col. Gerald York, grandson of Medal of Honor recipient Alvin York. As well as over 100 pages of information and guidance, it features over 250 links to resources on the Web. The guide is available in PDF form, free of charge, to the first 10,000 people who download it here. After the download limit has been reached, it can be purchased in book form online or wherever books are sold.
Finding Your WWI Ancestors" webinar

A great companion to the World War I Genealogy Research Guide above, and a wonderful orientation before starting your WWI genealogy research, is the "Finding Your WWI Ancestors" webinar. In less than an hour, you'll get the fundamentals of learning if your ancestor or family member served, where they served, and how to get their service records. It provides a great "campaign map" for your genealogical expedition to 100 years ago..

They Answered the Call: Military Service in the United States Army During World War I, 1917-1919

This article explores a selection of the vast number of additional World War I records in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). These records often provide clues to personnel serving in a variety of capacities in the U.S. Army during World War I. Conducting research in the records described in this article is sometimes a very labor-intensive and time-consuming procedure but is a task that has the potential for rewarding results. This is not a complete listing of all World War I records in NARA's custody. The majority of the documents are found in the Records of the American Expeditionary Forces (World War I) (Record Group 120) and the Records of U.S. Army Mobile Units, 1821-1942 (Record Group 391). Other record groups that may contain useful documentation are also cited.
Researching Individuals in WW1 Records at the National Archives

Tracing World War I Family History

If you are researching your family history you may discover that one of your ancestors was a soldier, sailor or airman who served with the military forces in the Great War of 1914-1918. You may have a photograph, medals, diaries or letters belonging to your relative. Often there may just be a story passed down through the family about a family member having been in the First World War. Even with a small amount of information to start with it can be possible to at least find out a general overview of a person's 1914-1918 military service.
World War 1.com: Learning About Your WWI Relative

Frequently asked questions about researching your family member's service in World War 1.
Family History Daily: Free Online Military and War Collections

A helpful list of web sites where you can find military- and war-related record access free of charge.
Family Tree Magazine: 10 WW1 Ancestry Websites That Will Make Your Life Easier

If your ancestor fought in World War One, or even just registered for the draft, you may fear that the records of his service have vanished over the century since the “Guns of August” first sounded. Even as the last WW1 soldiers have passed away, however, technology unimaginable in the era they served has made their surviving records more accessible than ever before. But with so much information out there, where should you start to piece together the story of your WW1 ancestor? These 10 WW1 ancestry websites will make your life easier. They're useful and powerful, and all great places to start researching your military family.
National Genealogical Society: Researching Your World War One Ancestors

The National Genealogical Society, as part of its Continuing Genealogical Studies, offers a course on "Researching Your World War One Ancestors." The course introduces numerous records created for, during, and after the war. The course offers strategies to identify and locate information on an ancestor living at the time of the World War One.
Online World War I Indexes and Records - USA

"Online Military Indexes and Records - USA, A Genealogy Guide" is a directory of links to online military indexes and records for USA genealogy research. Included are rosters, databases of soldiers, draft card databases for World War I and II, and listings of military and war casualties. The link here leads to the World War I records page.