Source:United States. U.S., WWI Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918

Source Information

Ancestry.com. U.S., WWI Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.

Original data: Banks, Ray, comp.. World War I Civilian Draft Registrations

About U.S., WWI Civilian Draft Registrations, 1917-1918

In 1917 and 1918, approximately 24 million men, (98 percent of men present in America), born between 1873 and 1900 completed draft registration cards. During these two years, three registration days were held in each district where the registrant completed the registration card. Information found on these cards generally included, among other information, birth date, birth location, father's birthplace, and the address of next of kin.

This civilian registration is often confused with induction into the military; however, only a small percentage of these men were actually called up for military service.

Originally posted to Ancestry.com in January of 1998 and taken from the original draft cards, this database provides information on some of the men registered. This update, part of an ongoing project, adds over 300,000 names to the previously posted database and brings the total number of names provided to 1.2 million. It adds information on registrants from Florida, Mississippi, and South Dakota.

Researchers are encouraged to view the original registration card to which this index refers, as it has not been possible to include in the index all the information on the cards, such as street address of next of kin and detailed infomation about locations.

To view images of the draft cards, see the related database:

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918