Research Guides: Patents and Trademarks: Search Trademark Databases

Search Trademark Databases

Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) * Provides access to 10+ million pending, registered and dead federal trademarks * This is the same file the trademark examiners use and it allows very complex searches * You can display logos (images) and search for them using design search codes
Trademark Information Network - USPTO Videos explaining US trademark searching and how to file an application
Design Code Manual for Trademarks (online version)
ID Manual (Acceptable Identification of Goods & Services) Search for precise wording of USPTO's official list of goods and services - to put in the "Goods and Services" box in the trademark application
WIPO's Trademarks Gateway Offers helpful Information and Links
Global Brand Database 53 million brands and trademarks, including 11+ million U.S. trademarks and brands
Global Brand Database (WIPO) Help WIPO's Global Brand Database is about 3 times larger than USPTO's TESS, and appears to include all US trademarks. But TESS seems to have the more complex search engine, and better help links

FindLaw: State Trademark Information * Provides links to most state's trademark and company name databases
Maryland Secretary of State Trademarks and Servicemarks * Provides access to the Maryland state trademarks * Contains links to other state trademark offices
Historical Patents and Trademarks This collection of Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, donated to the Patent & Trademark Resource Center Association by Dr. Jim Shaw of Hutchinson KS in 2006, includes indexes of all US patents from 1790-1874, including nearly 10,000 "X-Patents" lost in the 1836 fire. PTRCA librarians added titles and addresses to the X-patent list in 2007
US Trademark Assignments Database Trademark owners are not required to notify USPTO except when registering or renewing their marks, but most buyers and sellers of trademarks do choose to notify USPTO.

Google.com - to see if anyone on web is using your intended mark or name (or one that could be confused with it)
Newspaper and business databases (available on campus, or remotely via researchport.umd.edu, to UMD affiliates)
Phone directories online