Ever Wonder Why SSN has nine numbers?

FACT AND FOLKLORE ABOUT THE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
We have a 9-digit SSN but have you ever wondered why?
In 1935 and 1936 many other schemes were considered. In early November 1935, the Social Security Board adopted an identifier composed of 3 alphabetic characters representing geographic areas and 5 numeric characters. The scheme met a quick death.


The Board made the decision without consulting other federal agencies. The U.S. Employment Service , the Census Bureau, the Central Statistical Board, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics all used numeric symbols without alphabetic characters since most standard statistical machines used that scheme. The new proposed scheme with alphabetic symbols, would have required these agencies, as well as many private companies, to purchase new machines that could handle the alphabetic symbols.


The other problem was that only two companies manufactured tabulating machines using a combination of alphabetic and numeric characters. These were the same companies that had previously been sued by the U.S. Government for violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
In a November 1935 report, three alternatives were proposed:

• a 9-digit number consisting of a 4-digit serial number, a 2-digit year of birth indicator, and a 3-digit number indicating the geographic area of registration;
• an 8-digit number with a 5-digit serial number and a 3-digit geographic indicator; or
• a 7-character version consisting of 4 digits and 3 alphabetic characters
  

Half a year later on June 2, 1936, the Board decided, it was the 9-digit scheme.
We don't know who received the first card, because the manner in which the numbers were issued, but the first number was 001-01-0001.
The nine digits are broken up into three number groups, why?

• 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. 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. Because the mailing address does not have to be the same as their place of residence, the Area Number does not necessarily represent the State of residence of the applicant, either prior to 1972 or since.GROUP NUMBER
  

             GROUP NUMBER

Within each area, the group number (middle two (2) digits) range from 01 to 99 but are not assigned in consecutive order. For administrative reasons, group numbers issued first consist of the ODD numbers from 01 through 09 and then EVEN numbers from 10 through 98, within each area number allocated to a State. After all numbers in group 98 of a particular area have been issued, the EVEN Groups 02 through 08 are used, followed by ODD Groups 11 through 99.

SERIAL NUMBER

The serial numbers (last four) run consecutively from 0001 to 9999

Quirks!

Prior to June 25, 2011, a valid SSN could not have an area number between 734 and 749, or above 772, the highest area number which the Social Security Administration has allocated. Effective June 25, 2011, the SSA assigns SSNs randomly and allows for the assignment of area numbers between 734 and 749 and above 772 through the 800s
There are also special numbers which will never be allocated:

• Numbers with all zeros in any digit group (000-##-####, ###-00-####, ###-##-0000).
• Numbers with 666 or 900-999 in the first digit group.
  
  

A lot of this article is hearsay, prior reading, general knowledge. If the information is really important to you for an important use, you should check out the information on your own and not relay on the accuracy of this article.