Accelerated Indexing System (AIS)

hough not actually a part of the Family History Library Catalogue, it is a portion of the start-up collection for every FHC. This collection is a microfiche index to the US Census and some Census substitutes. Since it is a compilation of printed Census indexes published by AIS, with indexing done by untrained researchers, the fiche index will contain the same errors as the printed volumes plus typos and other errors. Additionally, no verification or editing of AIS indexing was done. In spite of an overall error rate of 19%, these searches are valuable in locating migration patterns and helps identify various surname spellings as long as the researcher keeps the error rate in mind. The AIS covers mainly 1790 to 1850 but some earlier and later records are included. The searches have missed names that should have been included from the original record. If your ancestor does not appear on the AIS search, return to the original record to see if he and she is listed there.

The AIS contains typos and transposition errors, i.e. NESLON rather than NELSON. Some people appear twice on a search. The format of some entries within a search is inconsistent. Some countries were indexed under the wrong census year and some county abbreviations are confusing.

Searches 1 through 5 cover time period 1607-1849 for the entire US.
Search 6 for 1850 covers the Southern States.
Search 7 1850-1906* covers the mid-western and western states (some indexing still in progress).
Search 7a same time period for entire US (searches 5-7 in one alphabet).
Search 8 1850-1885* US Mortality Schedules only.

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