Tracing an ancestor who is known to be an orphan can be a difficult and daunting process. Modern-day DNA research is beginning to unlock longstanding mysteries regarding orphans, yet there are historical records which tell the larger picture of a child's life in an orphanage. Understanding the history and development of local orphanages in the areas where your ancestor lived is crucial, as is locating any remands of records that might tell a more detailed story. Many children who ended up institutions or orphanages might not have truly been orphans, but instead might have required the support of an organization. Their father or mother might have passed away, they could be suffering from a variety of ailments, or their parents could simply not afford to be able to provide for them. As you look into the life and records of an orphan child, it is important to keep the history of America's orphanages in mind.

The development of orphanages and similar institutions in America can actually be traced to its British roots. In the early 1700s it was noted that orphaned and abandoned children 'swarmed like locusts in the street,' resulting in in the establishment of workhouses and working schools. One London workhouse, opened as early as 1698, and allowed children to work by spinning wool and repairing clothes. Children in the workhouses typically stayed until they reached the ages of twelve or fourteen, when they were fitted with an apprenticeship and left the institution. The records of England's workhouses are often available from local parish archives, on microfilm, or through online resources.