Citing Microfilm Records

 

Citing Microfilm Records: NARA, FHL, and State Archives

Before digital images, microfilm was how genealogists accessed records remotely. Millions of documents — census records, vital records, church registers, military files — were photographed onto tiny rolls of film and distributed to libraries, archives, and Family History Centers around the world. Microfilm is still heavily used, and citing it correctly requires understanding a chain of custody that digital researchers never think about.

The Three-Layer Citation

When you view a record on microfilm, you are looking at a photograph of an original document. Your citation needs three layers: the original record (what was photographed), the microfilm (who filmed it and the publication details), and where you viewed the film (the library, archive, or Family History Center).

Skipping any of these layers creates a citation that future researchers cannot follow. If you cite only the microfilm number without the original source, no one knows what they are looking at if the microfilm numbering changes. If you cite the original without the microfilm details, no one knows how you accessed it.

A microfilm citation has three layers: (1) the original record — what was filmed, (2) the microfilm — who filmed it and the roll/publication number, and (3) where you viewed it — the library or archive. All three layers belong in your citation.

NARA Microfilm Publications

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) produced numbered microfilm publications of federal records — census records, military records, passenger lists, and more. These publications have standardised designators: T followed by a number for a publication (e.g., T624 for the 1910 census), M for another series, and A for yet another. Each publication consists of numbered rolls.

A NARA microfilm citation might read: "1910 U.S. Federal Census, [state], [county], [township], enumeration district [number]; NARA microfilm publication T624, roll [number]." This tells the reader exactly what the original record is and exactly which microfilm roll to request.

FHL (Family History Library) Film Numbers

The Family History Library in Salt Lake City holds the largest microfilm collection in the world — over 2.4 million rolls. FHL film numbers are assigned by the library and are different from any other numbering system. An FHL film number is a finding aid for the Family History Library's collection — it tells you which roll in their vault contains the record you need.

Many FHL microfilms are now digitised and available on FamilySearch.org. When you view a digitised FHL film online, you are looking at a scan of the microfilm — a copy of a copy of the original. Your citation should note this chain: original record, FHL microfilm number, digital image on FamilySearch.

FHL numbers are not NARA numbersNARA microfilm publications and FHL film numbers are two completely different systems. A NARA census roll (e.g., T624, roll 995) might also have an FHL film number (e.g., FHL film 1375020), but the numbers are unrelated. Cite whichever system applies to how you accessed the record, or cite both if you want to give future researchers maximum flexibility.

State Archive Microfilm

Many state archives produced their own microfilm of state-level records — vital records, state census records, land records, and court records. These have their own numbering systems that are specific to each state archive. When you view a state archive microfilm, cite the archive name, the record series, and the roll number as identified by that archive.

When Microfilm Is the Only Surviving Copy

In some cases, the original records have been destroyed since the microfilm was made. Some county courthouses have burned, some records have deteriorated, and some government agencies have disposed of originals after filming. In these situations, the microfilm is no longer a copy — it is the most original surviving version of the record. Your citation should still identify the original source, but you should note that the microfilm is now the only known surviving copy.

Practical Tips for Microfilm Citations

When you are at a microfilm reader, write down the citation information before you start scrolling. It is easy to get absorbed in the records and forget to note the roll number, the publication number, or the specific frame. Some microfilm readers display frame numbers — note these, as they help you (and others) find the exact image again on a roll that might contain thousands of frames.

If the microfilm is at a library or Family History Center, note which facility you used. This establishes provenance and helps future researchers know where to access the same film if they want to verify your work.