Around 1917-18, approximately 24 million men born between 1873 and 1900 completed draft registration cards. Information found on these cards generally included 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.

Posted to Ancestry.com and taken from the original draft cards, this database provides information on approximately 1.2 million of the men registered. This project is an ongoing effort and more names will be added over time. At present, researchers will find complete coverage of Alaska, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Mississippi, and Nevada and a good representation from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New York City, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Vermont. VisitAncestry.com to search for your family members. For more sites dedicated to World War I military records, visit the U.S. Internet Genealogical Society's World War I links.