City and business directories are available online from all over the U.S. and are what I consider another important set of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.
This activity of presenting links is a collaborative effort between The Ancestor Hunt and Miriam Robbins, who for years has made available the Online Historical Directories website, which presents links to directories of all types that are available online, including free collections as well as those available only via subscription. I wish to thank Miriam for her help in launching this category of records at The Ancestor Hunt.
So, what kinds of directories are available to the researcher? Naturally city and business directories, but also telephone directories, and alumni, farm, lodge, rural, and social directories.
What can you find in these records? How about:
- Full names, including middle names
- Spouse name
- Occupation
- Widows, working women, and adult children at home.
- Maps
- Businesses (and index to advertisers).
- Addresses and maps of churches, schools, funeral homes, cemeteries, post offices, courts, hospitals, benevolent associations, newspapers.
- Whether a woman is a widow (including name of husband).
- List of marriages and deaths of previous year.
- Death date.
- etc.
Here are a few good primers on the benefits of searching historical city and other directories:
- FamilySearch - United States Directories
- How to Use City Directories In Your Genealogy Research
- What's In A City Directory? (a 10 article series about City Directories)
Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections' images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital.
(Updated July, 2020; recently added links are in BOLD)
Links to these free collections are presented initially with statewide collections, followed in alphabetical order by city or county. Generally, the publishing company is included in the reference to the collection, along with the collection title, and the date(s) of the directory:
Statewide
- Florida Gazetteer and business directory, 1907-08
- Florida Gazetteer and business directory, 1911-12
- Florida railroad gazetteer and state business directory, 1895
- Florida State Gazetteer and business directory, 1918
- Georgia, Alabama, Florida business and professional directory, 1903
- R. L. Polk & Co.'s Florida state gazetteer and business directory, 1918
- The Florida State gazetteer and business Directory, 1883
- The Florida State gazetteer and business Directory, 1884
Bradentown
- Bradentown, Florida, City Directory, including Manatee, Manatee County, Palmetto and Sarasota, 1916
- Bradentown, Florida, City Directory, including Manatee, Manatee County, Palmetto and Sarasota, 1918-1919
- Bradentown, Florida, City Directory, including Manatee, Manatee County, Palmetto and Sarasota, 1923-24
- 1920-21 R.L. Polk & Co.'s Clearwater City Directory including Belleair, Dunedin, Largo, Ozona, Safety Harbor and Sutherland
- 1924-25 Polk's Clearwater City Directory including Belleair, Dunedin, Largo, Oldsmar, Ozona, Safety Harbor and Sutherland
- 1926 Polk's Clearwater and Pinellas County Directory including Belleair, Clearwater, Crystal Beach, Dunedin, Indian Rocks, Largo, Ozona, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Tampashores, Wall Springs and New Port Richey, Fla.
- 1931 Polk's Clearwater (Florida) City Directory including Dunedin, Largo and Tarpon Springs
- 1937 Polk's Clearwater (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Dunedin, Largo, Safety Harbor and Tarpon Springs
- 1939 Polk's Clearwater (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Dunedin, Largo, Safety Harbor and Tarpon Springs
- 1941 Polk's Clearwater (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Dunedin, Largo, Safety Harbor and Tarpon Springs
- 1944 Polk's Clearwater (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Dunedin, Largo, Safety Harbor and Tarpon Springs
- 1947 Polk's Clearwater (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Dunedin, Largo, Safety Harbor and Tarpon Springs
- 1950 Polk's Clearwater (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin, Largo, Safety Harbor and Tarpon Springs
- 1952 Polk's Clearwater (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin and Largo
- 1955 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair and Clearwater Beach
- 1956 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Clearwater Beach and Safety Harbor
- 1957 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Baywood Village, Belleair, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin Isles, Harbor Bluffs, Highland Park and Safety Harbor
- 1958 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Baywood Village, Belleair, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin Isles, Harbor Bluffs, Highland Park and Safety Harbor
- 1959 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Baywood Village, Belleair, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin Isles, Harbor Bluffs, Highland Park and Safety Harbor
- 1960 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Baywood Shore, Belleair, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin Isles, Harbor Bluffs, Highland Park and Safety Harbor
- 1961 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Baywood Shore, Belleair, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin Isles, Harbor Bluffs, Highland Park and Safety Harbor
- 1962 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Baywood Shore, Belleair, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin Isles, Harbor Bluffs and Highland Park
- 1963 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Baywood Shore, Belleair, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin Isles, Harbor Bluffs, Highland Park and Safety Harbor
- 1964 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Baywood Shore, Belleair, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin Isles, Harbor Bluffs, Highland Park and Safety Harbor
- 1965 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Baskin Corners, Baywood Shore, Belleair, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin Isles, Golf View Estates, Harbor Bluffs, Highland Park and Safety Harbor
- 1966 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Baskin Corners, Baywood Shore, Belleair, Belleair Bluff, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin Isles, Golf View Estates, Harbor Bluffs, Highland Park and Safety Harbor
- 1967 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Baskin Corners, Baywood Shore, Belleair, Belleair Bluffs, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin Isles, Golf View Estates, Harbor Bluffs, Highland Park and Safety Harbor
- 1968 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Baskin Corners, Baywood Shore, Belleair, Belleair Bluffs, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin Isles, Golf View Estates, Harbor Bluffs, Highland Park and Safety Harbor
- 1969 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Baskin Corners, Baywood Shore, Belleair, Belleair Bluffs, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin Isles, Golf View Estates, Harbor Bluffs, Highland Park and Safety Harbor
- 1970 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo City Directory including Belleair, Belleair Bluffs and Safety Harbor
- 1971 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Belleair Bluffs and Safety Harbor
- 1973 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Belleair Bluffs and Safety Harbor
- 1974 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Belleair Bluffs and Safety Harbor
- 1975 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Belleair Bluffs and Safety Harbor
- 1976 Polk's Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Bellair Bluffs and Safety Harbor
- 1977 Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City Directory including Belleair, Belleair Bluffs and Safety Harbor
- 1979 Clearwater, Dunedin and Largo (Pinellas County, Fla.) City
- Directory, Clearwater, Florida, 1914
- Polk's Clearwater (Florida) City Directory including Dunedin, Largo and Tarpon Springs, 1931
- Fort Myers, Florida, City Directory ... including town and post offices in Lee County, 1918-1919
- Polk's Ft. Myers City Directory, 1921
- Polk's Ft. Myers City Directory, 1923-24
- Burtz Gainesville Directory for 1905 - 1906
- Gainesville Florida Telephone Directory Nov. 1949
- Miller's Gainesville, Florida, city directory - v. 6 (1944-1945)
- Polk Jacksonville City Directory 1904
- Polk Jacksonville City Directory 1905
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory 1916
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory 1917
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory 1918
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory 1919
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory 1920
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory 1921
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory 1922
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory 1923
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory, 1907
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory, 1908
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory, 1909
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory, 1912
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory, 1916
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory, 1917
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory, 1918
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory, 1919
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory, 1921
- Polk's Jacksonville City Directory, 1922
- Vance's Jacksonville and St. Augustine Directory 1895
- Vance's Jacksonville Directory 1899
- WEBB's Jacksonville Directory 1876-7
- WEBB's Jacksonville Directory 1878-9
- WEBB's Jacksonville Directory 1882
- WEBB's Jacksonville Directory 1887
- WEBB's Jacksonville Directory 1889
- WEBB's Jacksonville Directory 1891
- WEBB's Jacksonville Directory 1896
- WEBB's Jacksonville Directory 1897
- Webb's Jacksonville directory, 1887
- Webb's Jacksonville Directory, 1890
- R. L. Polk and Company's Miami City Directory including Miami Beach and Coconut Grove, 1920
- R. L. Polk and Company's Miami City Directory, 1919
- 1912 Orlando City Directory
- 1913 Orange County and Orlando City Directory
- 1921 Orlando City Directory
- Miller's Orlando City Directory, 1907
- Orange County Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1887
- Orlando Directory 1909-1910
- Orlando, Florida City Directory, 1915-1916
- Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Co. Directory, December 1925
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, December 1924
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, Fall-Winter, 1926
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, July 1931
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, June 1923
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, June 1924
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, June 1925
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, Spring-Summer 1926
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, Summer-Fall, 1928
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, Summer-Fall, 1929
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, Summer-Fall, 1930
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, Winter-Spring 1930-1931
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, Winter-Spring, 1927-1928
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, Winter-Spring, 1928-1929
- Telephone Directory of Orlando, Florida, Winter-Spring, 1930
- Palatka City Directory, 1886
- Palatka City Directory, 1899
- Palatka City Directory, 1909
- Palatka City Directory, 1912
- Palatka City Directory, 1915
- Palatka City Directory, 1928
- Maloney's Pensacola City Directory, 1900
- Pensacola Directory, 1896
- Webb's Pensacola Directory, 1885-86
- Webb's Pensacola Directory, 1887-88
- Webb's Pensacola Directory, 1890-91
- Wiggins' Pensacola city directory, 1903
- Wiggins' Pensacola City Directory, 1903
- Putnam County Directory, 1919
- Putnam County Telephone Directory, 1957
- Putnam County Telephone Directory, 1960
- 1914 Polk's St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Vicinity (Tarpon Springs, Dunedin, Gulfport, Largo and Pass-A-Grille) City Directory
- Census and Directory, St. Petersburg, Florida, 1900
- Directory, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, and Tarpon Springs, Florida, 1912
- Directory, St. Petersburg, Florida, 1908
- Directory, St. Petersburg, Florida,1918
- R. L. Polk and Company's St. Petersburg City Directory, 1918
- R. L. Polk's Tampa City Directory, 1917
- R. L. Polk's Tampa City Directory, 1918
- R. L. Polk's Tampa City Directory, 1919
- R. L. Polk's Tampa City Directory, 1921
- R. L. Polk's Tampa City Directory, 1922
- The blue book, Tampa, Florida - 1914
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
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