Archives.com Joins With the National Archives to Release the 1940 Census

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., April 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Archives.com, an innovative family history website that makes family history research simple and affordable, has joined in partnership with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to provide the public with free digital access to the 1940 Federal Population Census on April 2, 2012.

The entire 1940 census is available online today exclusively at 1940census.archives.gov, the official U.S. government website for the 1940 census. Archives.com built the tools that allow researchers and amateur historians alike to browse, view, and download images from the 1940 census, the most important collection of newly released U.S. genealogy records in a decade. Archives.com has bolstered users' census research experience by integrating a robust set of finding-tools and resources.

"The vast majority of people living in the U.S. today have at least one ancestor listed in the 1940 census," says Archives.com Senior Director Joe Godfrey. "Each ancestor you find can open multiple doors to additional discovery and help people put together the pieces of their family history puzzle."

The 1940 census release marks the first time that NARA has made free digital images of census documents available to the general public. The 1940 U.S. Census Community Project, co-sponsored by Archives.com, NARA, and other leading organizations, is a national service effort aiming to create a searchable by-name index. Already, over 130,000 volunteers have signed up, but the project seeks over a hundred thousand more.

John Spottiswood, VP of Business & Corporate Development at Inflection, the parent company of Archives.com, is excited that NARA has partnered with Archives.com to bring the census to the public. "Archives.com has quickly scaled over the past two years to support over 8 million monthly visits, and is only the second company to successfully launch the complete U.S. census collection from 1790–1930. We believe this experience makes Archives.com uniquely suited for a project of this magnitude, and we're thrilled to be a part."

• Beginning today, go to 1940census.archives.gov to explore the 1940 census
• Learn more about how Archives.com brought these images online at Archives.com/1940census
• For real-time updates about the 1940 census check out @1940censusnews and #1940census on Twitter
• For information on the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project, or to volunteer, go to the1940census.com

About Archives.com

Archives.com is a family history website with 2.1 billion historical records and easy-to-use family tree building tools. The National Archives chose Archives.com to build and host the 1940 census website. Archives.com is also a co-sponsor of the 1940 Census Community Project. Owned and operated by Inflection, a fast-growing big data company, Archives.com is located in Silicon Valley. Learn more at http://www.archives.com/1940census.

About the National Archives

The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent Federal agency that preserves and shares with the public records that trace the story of our nation, government, and the American people. From the Declaration of Independence to accounts of ordinary Americans, the holdings of the National Archives directly touch the lives of millions of people. The National Archives is a public trust upon which our democracy depends, ensuring access to essential evidence that protects the rights of American citizens, documents the actions of the government, and reveals the evolving national experience. Visit www.archives.gov.

Contact: Julie Hill, 650-618-9910, [email protected]

SOURCE Archives.com