Overview
Though most businesses did not save their individual records, scientists may well be able to track down authorities information documenting their existence. Governments have been regulating and gathering data about corporations since colonial moments. For case in point, U.S. census data commenced which includes facts about occupations and businesses by the mid-nineteenth century. In addition, numerous enterprises were being demanded to file regulatory paperwork with the community, condition and/or federal govt, this sort of as enterprise licenses and tax documents. Property documents such as leases and home loans are also community information that need to be submitted with the regional governing administration, irrespective of whether the assets is used for organization or household needs. 
Census documents
The U.S. federal census has been taken every single 10 decades since 1790. Most scientists are acquainted with census Population Schedules: a list of the names of all folks dwelling in the U.S., together with other information about them. In addition, for some years there are also so-termed Non-Populace Schedules, which collect added details, which includes knowledge about person companies and farmers. The two kinds of census records can be useful for organization study.
Populace Schedules
Commencing in 1850, the census enumerators recorded the profession of each unique living in the U.S. Although the census lists only the style of perform, and does not consist of the small business identify or, in most scenarios, irrespective of whether the unique is the operator or an personnel, it can be a fantastic starting off level for researchers who are looking into a certain specific's business. To get the most facts from these entries, scientists ought to also talk to the Census Instructions (out there on the net at the U.S. Census website), which provide detailed directions about how and when enumerators really should record occupational information.
 Non-Populace Schedules
There are two Non-Inhabitants Schedules that are suitable for business investigation:
- Producing Schedules – available for 1810, 1850-1880
- Agricultural Schedules – readily available for 1850-1880 consists of information this kind of as.
These typically ignored resources can offer a wealth of data about specific organizations and farms. Production timetable involve the organization name, type of institution, products created, uncooked materials, folks used, equipment, money, wages, expenditures, and more.  Agricultural schedules checklist the farmer's name, acreage, equipment, livestock, create, and so forth. Far more facts, which includes exploration guidelines, is out there on the web page of the National Archives.
Locating Census Information
Census documents are available on the net from multiple sources, which includes:
- Ancestry Library Edition – accessible on-website at all NYPL spots
- Features some but not all non-populace schedules. To find pop over to this web-site -inhabitants schedules, pick out Search > Card catalog. Enter the name of the database: Picked U.S. Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880. Then click on that title in the effects listing on the suitable.
- Relatives Lookup – freely out there online (cost-free registration demanded)
- Does not consist of non-inhabitants schedules 
 
Regulatory paperwork (licenses, filings, and tax lists)
Governments have been regulating American businesses because colonial periods, building data such as business filings, licenses, and tax records.
Licenses and filings
Ahead of commencing operation, most corporations must file legal files in get to be licensed to carry out enterprise in a distinct place. The most acquainted instance is a organization formed as a corporation, which is generally necessary to file with the Condition department in demand of organizations. 
Each companies and non-incorporated organizations are normally required to obtain a license to run from the condition and/or local govt. Requirements for organization licenses have expanded more than time. Early on, licensing specifications targeted on trades influencing health and fitness and welfare (such as ferries and taverns), and on other styles of enterprises the authorities preferred to control (this kind of as printing). Inevitably licensing needs grew to encompass just about any style of business. These records frequently contain a great deal of data about the folks forming the enterprise.
Organization filings and licenses are ordinarily held by the issuing company, or, for more mature information, the Condition or County archives.
- In New York Town, the Division of Old Data, New York County Clerk&rsquos Business office, maintains files of company and small business certificates from 1818 to 1938 and assumed company title certificates from 1900 to 1924. This place of work can be attained at 646-386-5395.
- A statewide databases of New York corporations (business and not-for-income), partnerships, and constrained legal responsibility firms is preserved by the New York Condition Department of Condition, Division of Companies. This Corporation and Organization Entity Database includes both lively and inactive enterprises, and usually delivers the company name, address, initial filing date and title of main govt officer. Note that this databases does not involve corporations that went out of business enterprise prior to December five, 1977. These early data are contained in manual inactive information at the Department of State. Though even now maintained, a written ask for ought to be built for these records.
Exterior of New York, business enterprise licenses may possibly be managed by the nearby clerk&rsquos business or some other authorities office.
Taxes are collected from organizations as properly as individuals. The two principal styles of tax data are:
- Tax lists – the first stage in the method of taxation is to generate a checklist of taxpayers and their taxable house
- Tax assessments - tabulation of the value of detailed property
Prevalent info recorded in these data include things like the identify of the having to pay entity, place and sizing of residence, assessed benefit of the home, and sum of taxes compensated.
Taxes ended up levied by federal, state, and local governments. Older tax information (all those that survived) are typically held by by local libraries and historic societies.  
Extra recent information are a lot more likely held by correct government office environment: the Countrywide Archives (federal taxes), the archives of the condition in concern (point out taxes), or by the city or county clerk (community taxes). 
Property information
When the location of a business has been discovered, it might be probable to trace the historical past of the assets through land records such as mortgages, leases and deeds. Assets data for New York have been digitized and are freely out there on-line at FamilySearch.org as New York Land Documents, 1630-1970. Observe that this assortment is not searchable, so in order to obtain the relevant files on the internet you need to know:
- Names of interested functions
- Approximate day of the transaction
- Location of the house