If you will go to the following site, the history of SS is there -- the first card was issued December, 1936. Below is just a part of the information that is available there. The nine-digit SSN is composed of three parts: The first set of three digits is called the Area Number The second set of two digits is called the Group Number The final set of four digits is the Serial Number Area Number The Area Number is assigned by the geographical region. Prior to 1972, cards were issued in local Social Security offices around the country and the Area Number represented the state in which the card was issued. This did not necessarily have to be the state where the applicant lived, since a person could apply for their card in any Social Security office. Since 1972, when SSA began assigning SSNs and issuing cards centrally from Baltimore, the area number assigned has been based on the ZIP code in the mailing address provided on the application for the original Social Security card. The applicant's mailing address does not have to be the same as their place of residence. Thus, the Area Number does not necessarily represent the state of residence of the applicant, either prior to 1972 or since. http://www.rootsweb.com/~rwguide/lesson10.htm Peggy Horton ---------------------------------------------------------------- Peggy Sue Gaddis wrote: > Good Day, does any one know when the first SS Card was issued,<< > the years>> and the > first RR SS card was issued. My father's was a 703 #, so it had to > be in the very > early years. > > Peggy Sue O'Shields-Gaddis > psueg@bellsouth.net