As many of us know, the 1940 US Federal Census will be released to the general public on April 2. The initial release will NOT include a searchable name index so the only way to find people is to know where they lived. For larger cities, this usually means knowing the exact address. New York Public Library coming to the rescue with digitized 1940 telephone directories. See link.
http://jewishgen.blogspot.com/2012/03/new-york-public-library-digitizing-1940.html
Of course this will only help us find people who could afford a telephone but might still come in handy until the name indices are created. I think I have great-grant uncle who had a telephone :-)
Showing posts with label Census Records. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Census Records. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Looking Forward to Release of 1940 US Census
The 1940 US Federal Census schedules will be available to the general public (through subscription websites, no doubt) on April 2, 2012, the end of the 72 year waiting period. When the privacy laws were passed, the average lifespan was 72 years. Hence the 72 year waiting period. At present, people can only request extracts from the 1940 census showing their personal information. I'm really looking forward to the release of this census because it's the first time I'll see my dad in the census.
According to the website http://www.1940census.net/ (which appears to be related to Ancestry.com) these are the questions that were asked on the 1940 census. To me, it looks obvious that the government was very interested in the status of the labor force and also movement of large numbers of people. The population distribution was changed forever by the troubled financial times of the Great Depression. What they didn't know was that many more changes would begin in a just a few short months when the Germans began their invasion of western Europe and the US war machine cranked back to life.
The header of each Population Schedule reads "Department of Commerce — Bureau of the Census, Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940" and includes fields for State, County, Incorporated place, Township or other division or county, Ward of city, Block Nos., Unincorporated place, Institution, Supervisor District Number (S.D. No.), Enumeration District Number (E.D. No.), date of actual enumeration, name of enumerator, and sheet number.
The Supplementary Questions were as follows:
According to the website http://www.1940census.net/ (which appears to be related to Ancestry.com) these are the questions that were asked on the 1940 census. To me, it looks obvious that the government was very interested in the status of the labor force and also movement of large numbers of people. The population distribution was changed forever by the troubled financial times of the Great Depression. What they didn't know was that many more changes would begin in a just a few short months when the Germans began their invasion of western Europe and the US war machine cranked back to life.
- LOCATION: Street, avenue, road, etc.
- LOCATION: House number (in cities and towns)
- HOUSEHOLD DATA: Number of household in order of visitation
- HOUSEHOLD DATA: Home owned (O) or rented (R)
- HOUSEHOLD DATA: Value of home, if owned, or monthly rental, if rented
- HOUSEHOLD DATA: Does this household live on a farm? (Yes or No)
- NAME: Name of each person whose usual place of residence on April 1, 1940, was in this household.
- RELATION: Relationship of this person to the head of the household, as wife, daughter, father, mother-in-law, grandson, lodger, lodger's wife, servant, hired hand, etc.
- PERSONAL DESCRIPTION: Sex — Male (M), Female (F)
- PERSONAL DESCRIPTION: Color or race
- PERSONAL DESCRIPTION: Age at last birthday
- PERSONAL DESCRIPTION: Marital status — Single (S), Married (M), Widowed (Wd), Divorced (D)
- EDUCATION: Attended school or college any time since March 1, 1940 (Yes or No)
- EDUCATION: Highest grade of school completed
- PLACE OF BIRTH: If born in the United States, give State, Territory, or possession. If foreign born, give country in which birthplace was situated on January 1, 1937. Distinguish Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State (Eire) from Northern Ireland.
- CITIZENSHIP: Citizenship of the foreign born
- RESIDENCE APRIL 1, 1935: City, town, or village having 2,500 or more inhabitants. Enter "R" for all other places
- RESIDENCE APRIL 1, 1935: County
- RESIDENCE APRIL 1, 1935: State (or Territory or foreign country
- RESIDENCE APRIL 1, 1935: On a farm? (Yes or No)
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER — EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Was this person AT WORK for pay or profit in private or nonemergency Govt. work during week of March 24-30? (Yes or No)
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER — EMPLOYMENT STATUS: If not, was he at work on, or assigned to, public EMERGENCY WORK (WPA, NYA, CCC, etc.) during week of March 24-30? (Yes or No)
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER — EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Was this person SEEKING WORK? (Yes or No)
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER — EMPLOYMENT STATUS: If not seeking work, did he HAVE A JOB, business, etc.? (Yes or No)
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER — EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Indicate whether engaged in home housework (H) in school (S), unable to work (U), or other (O)
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER — EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Number of hours worked during week of March 24-30, 1940
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER — EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Duration of unemployment up to March 30, 1940 - in weeks
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER — EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Occupation: Trade, profession, or particular kind of work
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER — EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Industry: Industry of business
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER — EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Class of worker
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER — EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Number of weeks worked in 1939 (Equivalent full-time weeks)
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER — EMPLOYMENT STATUS: INCOME IN 1939: Amount of money wages or salary received (including commissions)
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER — EMPLOYMENT STATUS: INCOME IN 1939: Did this person receive income of $50 or more from sources other than money wages or salary? (Yes or No)
- Number of Farm Schedule
The Supplementary Questions were as follows:
- NAME
- PLACE OF BIRTH OF FATHER AND MOTHER: FATHER
- PLACE OF BIRTH OF FATHER AND MOTHER: MOTHER
- MOTHER TONGUE (OR NATIVE LANGUAGE): Language spoken in home in earliest childhood
- VETERANS: Is this person a veteran of the United States military forces; or the wife, widow, or under-18-year-old child of a veteran? If so, enter "Yes"
- VETERANS: If child, is veteran-father dead (Yes or No)
- VETERANS: War or military service
- SOCIAL SECURITY: Does this person have a Federal Social Security Number? (Yes or No)
- SOCIAL SECURITY: Were deductions for Federal Old-Age Insurance or Railroad Retirement made from this person's wages or salary in 1939? (Yes or No)
- SOCIAL SECURITY: If so, were deductions made from (1) all, (2) one-half or more, (3) part, but less than half, of wages or salary?
- USUAL OCCUPATION
- USUAL INDUSTRY
- USUAL CLASS OF WORKER
- FOR ALL WOMEN WHO ARE OR HAVE BEEN MARRIED: Has this woman been married more than once? (Yes or No)
- FOR ALL WOMEN WHO ARE OR HAVE BEEN MARRIED: Age at first marriage?
- FOR ALL WOMEN WHO ARE OR HAVE BEEN MARRIED: Number of children ever born (Do not include stillbirths)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
US Census - Enumerator Instructions
Here's an intesting link to the Census Dept website. The document explains the content of each census and the instructions given to the enumerators. This can be helpful in understanding responses that may not correspond to our family stories. Most of the instructions are boring but there are a few odd phrases, especially in the early years when nobody, including the government, had to worry about being politically correct.
http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/pol02marv-pt2.pdf
The instructions for the 1790, 1800, and 1810 census years are just 1 paragraph each. What this means is that the enumerators were free to fill in the information in whatever format worked best for them. The instructions for 1820, 1830 & 1840 were longer but seem to talk in circles as to how to report a persons occupation. By 1850, the instructions start getting more specific.
For the 1870 census, clear instructions are given to the enumerators to be careful about using the word "mulatto" to describe the person's color. The instructions say that "mulatto" includes 1/4, 1/8, and all persons having any perceptible trace of African blood and that important scientific results depend upon having the correct classification. One can only imagine what the reference to "scientific results" means.
The 1870 instructions also note that the enumerator should take care not to offend anyone when asking if any member of the household is "deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic". Apparently deafness alone isn't reported, the person must also be unable to speak. Idiocy is to be determined by the common consent of the neighborhood. I guess that means someone might be reported as an idiot if his neighbors didn't like him.
The 1870 instructions also say to "use the word huckster in all cases where it applies" when recording the person's occupation. I wonder why this classification was so important.
The 1890 census is a schedule most of us will never see for our ancestors since most of this census was destroyed by fire and water damage in the 1920s. The 1890 census used what were referred to as family schedules. Each family had its own schedule regardless of size. It is interesting that the instructions refer to recording each person's "Christian name". For soldiers, sailors, and marines who fought in the Civil War, it was required that the side they fought on be recorded (US or Confederate). The instructions for the "color" entry are specific: black=3/4 or more black blood, mulatto=3/8 to 5/8 black blood, quadroon=1/4 black blood, and octoroon=1/8 or any trace of black blood. I wonder if this was important because of those "scientific results" from the 1870s & 1880s.
The 1890 census instructions were also specific as to how to report if a person was born in Canada or Newfoundland. The word "English" or "French" had to be noted because "this is a most important requirement, and must be closely observed in each case and the distinction carefully made".
The 1900 census instructions were clear to indicate that the question "mother of how many children" only applied to women. For 1910, it is noted that this questions only applied to women who "are now married, or who are widowed, or divorced". What about women with children born out of wedlock? No instructions for that.
One thing I was looking for in the occupation sections of the instructions was how to deal with illegal or questionable occupations. There's no mention as to how to handle prostitutes, gamblers, etc. Interesting that our government was more worried about Canadians and properly classifying residents of African descent even after slavery was abolished.
http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/pol02marv-pt2.pdf
The instructions for the 1790, 1800, and 1810 census years are just 1 paragraph each. What this means is that the enumerators were free to fill in the information in whatever format worked best for them. The instructions for 1820, 1830 & 1840 were longer but seem to talk in circles as to how to report a persons occupation. By 1850, the instructions start getting more specific.
For the 1870 census, clear instructions are given to the enumerators to be careful about using the word "mulatto" to describe the person's color. The instructions say that "mulatto" includes 1/4, 1/8, and all persons having any perceptible trace of African blood and that important scientific results depend upon having the correct classification. One can only imagine what the reference to "scientific results" means.
The 1870 instructions also note that the enumerator should take care not to offend anyone when asking if any member of the household is "deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic". Apparently deafness alone isn't reported, the person must also be unable to speak. Idiocy is to be determined by the common consent of the neighborhood. I guess that means someone might be reported as an idiot if his neighbors didn't like him.
The 1870 instructions also say to "use the word huckster in all cases where it applies" when recording the person's occupation. I wonder why this classification was so important.
The 1890 census is a schedule most of us will never see for our ancestors since most of this census was destroyed by fire and water damage in the 1920s. The 1890 census used what were referred to as family schedules. Each family had its own schedule regardless of size. It is interesting that the instructions refer to recording each person's "Christian name". For soldiers, sailors, and marines who fought in the Civil War, it was required that the side they fought on be recorded (US or Confederate). The instructions for the "color" entry are specific: black=3/4 or more black blood, mulatto=3/8 to 5/8 black blood, quadroon=1/4 black blood, and octoroon=1/8 or any trace of black blood. I wonder if this was important because of those "scientific results" from the 1870s & 1880s.
The 1890 census instructions were also specific as to how to report if a person was born in Canada or Newfoundland. The word "English" or "French" had to be noted because "this is a most important requirement, and must be closely observed in each case and the distinction carefully made".
The 1900 census instructions were clear to indicate that the question "mother of how many children" only applied to women. For 1910, it is noted that this questions only applied to women who "are now married, or who are widowed, or divorced". What about women with children born out of wedlock? No instructions for that.
One thing I was looking for in the occupation sections of the instructions was how to deal with illegal or questionable occupations. There's no mention as to how to handle prostitutes, gamblers, etc. Interesting that our government was more worried about Canadians and properly classifying residents of African descent even after slavery was abolished.
Friday, December 14, 2007
How to search the federal census records
Now you're ready to begin. Remember, keep an open mind when it comes to spellings and locations.
First, I'll briefly mention searching the federal census records on microfilm. Luckily I have not yet had to sit down in front of a microfilm reader. I find the online databases much more convenient. When searching for census records on microfilm you need to have a street address. Once you have that, you can use the ED (enumeration district) tools at stevemorse.org to find out which ED includes the cross streets nearest to that street address. These tools will then direct you to the rolls of microfilm to search. You'll have to go through the rolls page by page until you find the street address you are looking for. This can be time consuming and, if your ancestors complicated matters by moving before the census was taken, you may not even have the correct microfilm role.
Ancestry.com has all of the federal census images 1790-1930 online and all have a searchable database. For all years, you can search by head of household. Some years also allow you to search by any name. This allows for more flexibility in your searches. Ancestry.com has monthly, quarterly, an annual subscriptions that allow access to these records. Personally I prefer the annual subscription. It has the lowest cost per month (it is billed annually) and I don't have to deal with renewing or a lapse in access. At some libraries you can get free access to Ancestry.com. I like the freedom of doing a search whenever I want to. Sometimes I'll be doing something unrelated to my family research and out of the blue I'll get a new idea on how to find an illusive ancestor. If you don't want to spend the money on the annual subscription, organize you research so you have a list to go through after purchasing a monthly subscription. Or ask me for help.
So, where to start? First, either choose a specific year or just use the general search boxes on the first page. Always start with the exact spelling of the name of the person you are looking for and the state they lived in. You might get lucky and that's exactly how the name appeared on the census with good handwriting. Once you get into the search results, you can choose a specific census year and advanced search options will appear so, if you have a lot of search results, you can try to narrow down the list. Entering too much information in the search boxes will limit your search results. If there's any variation in any of the information you provided, you won't find your ancestor. If you've found the correct image, you can print it for your records. Make sure the option to print the "entire image" is selected. Also, change your printer setting to landscape so the image prints larger than it would with the portrait setting. You can also save the image to your computer.
If you weren't lucky enough to find your ancestor with an exact search, I recommend keeping the same name you entered but eliminate the selection you made for the state. I found several immigrant ancestors who ended up living in New Jersey before moving to Brooklyn. Before discovering this, I thought they had all settled in Manhattan first, then Brooklyn. That explains why I couldn't find naturalization papers in NY for some people...they were naturalized in NJ.
If you still haven't found the people you're looking for, you'll need to use the "soundex" search option. I recommend selecting a state again before you do this because you will have a lot more search results to go through. Some of the search results you get will obviously not be matches but, again, keep an open mind. I finally located one branch of my family under the name Berlin instead of Berland. If you're ancestors were immigrants, imagine what the name would sound like with a heavy accent. If you're looking for a complex spelling of a name, keep in mind that a new arrival to the US may not have been able to spell the name for the enumerator. A very long name could have been shortened. The first letter could have been changed to one that sounds the same in English (my Jablon ancestors changed their name to Yablon in the US and UK...the "J" in eastern Europe is the same as the "Y" sound in English). Sometimes you need to look at the entire family grouping to know that you have the right people. Remember nicknames...sometimes a person named John went by Jack. My great grand uncle C. Israel Lutzky shows up on the Ancestry database as Sarall Lutzky. The transcriber didn't see the C as an initial. Luckily I knew his wife's name.
Some ancestors will remain illusive. I can't find a single record for the Rotheim branch of my family. I know they're there. It is possible that some census images are lost or missing but it's odd that I can't find them for 1910, 1920, and 1930. The name must be so badly misspelled that even the soundex can't catch it. I've even tried searching by given name, no surname, and still can't find them. When this happens, I step back for a while, even for months or years, and then try again. Start your new search fresh. Don't say "I already looked at that record so I know it's not them". Also, if you had bad luck and the data from that census image was missing the first time you tried, it might be there now.
If you do find an error in the Ancestry database, submit a correction or comment to them. They won't change the original record but once these corrections and comments make it into the database, they will come up in the search results.
First, I'll briefly mention searching the federal census records on microfilm. Luckily I have not yet had to sit down in front of a microfilm reader. I find the online databases much more convenient. When searching for census records on microfilm you need to have a street address. Once you have that, you can use the ED (enumeration district) tools at stevemorse.org to find out which ED includes the cross streets nearest to that street address. These tools will then direct you to the rolls of microfilm to search. You'll have to go through the rolls page by page until you find the street address you are looking for. This can be time consuming and, if your ancestors complicated matters by moving before the census was taken, you may not even have the correct microfilm role.
Ancestry.com has all of the federal census images 1790-1930 online and all have a searchable database. For all years, you can search by head of household. Some years also allow you to search by any name. This allows for more flexibility in your searches. Ancestry.com has monthly, quarterly, an annual subscriptions that allow access to these records. Personally I prefer the annual subscription. It has the lowest cost per month (it is billed annually) and I don't have to deal with renewing or a lapse in access. At some libraries you can get free access to Ancestry.com. I like the freedom of doing a search whenever I want to. Sometimes I'll be doing something unrelated to my family research and out of the blue I'll get a new idea on how to find an illusive ancestor. If you don't want to spend the money on the annual subscription, organize you research so you have a list to go through after purchasing a monthly subscription. Or ask me for help.
So, where to start? First, either choose a specific year or just use the general search boxes on the first page. Always start with the exact spelling of the name of the person you are looking for and the state they lived in. You might get lucky and that's exactly how the name appeared on the census with good handwriting. Once you get into the search results, you can choose a specific census year and advanced search options will appear so, if you have a lot of search results, you can try to narrow down the list. Entering too much information in the search boxes will limit your search results. If there's any variation in any of the information you provided, you won't find your ancestor. If you've found the correct image, you can print it for your records. Make sure the option to print the "entire image" is selected. Also, change your printer setting to landscape so the image prints larger than it would with the portrait setting. You can also save the image to your computer.
If you weren't lucky enough to find your ancestor with an exact search, I recommend keeping the same name you entered but eliminate the selection you made for the state. I found several immigrant ancestors who ended up living in New Jersey before moving to Brooklyn. Before discovering this, I thought they had all settled in Manhattan first, then Brooklyn. That explains why I couldn't find naturalization papers in NY for some people...they were naturalized in NJ.
If you still haven't found the people you're looking for, you'll need to use the "soundex" search option. I recommend selecting a state again before you do this because you will have a lot more search results to go through. Some of the search results you get will obviously not be matches but, again, keep an open mind. I finally located one branch of my family under the name Berlin instead of Berland. If you're ancestors were immigrants, imagine what the name would sound like with a heavy accent. If you're looking for a complex spelling of a name, keep in mind that a new arrival to the US may not have been able to spell the name for the enumerator. A very long name could have been shortened. The first letter could have been changed to one that sounds the same in English (my Jablon ancestors changed their name to Yablon in the US and UK...the "J" in eastern Europe is the same as the "Y" sound in English). Sometimes you need to look at the entire family grouping to know that you have the right people. Remember nicknames...sometimes a person named John went by Jack. My great grand uncle C. Israel Lutzky shows up on the Ancestry database as Sarall Lutzky. The transcriber didn't see the C as an initial. Luckily I knew his wife's name.
Some ancestors will remain illusive. I can't find a single record for the Rotheim branch of my family. I know they're there. It is possible that some census images are lost or missing but it's odd that I can't find them for 1910, 1920, and 1930. The name must be so badly misspelled that even the soundex can't catch it. I've even tried searching by given name, no surname, and still can't find them. When this happens, I step back for a while, even for months or years, and then try again. Start your new search fresh. Don't say "I already looked at that record so I know it's not them". Also, if you had bad luck and the data from that census image was missing the first time you tried, it might be there now.
If you do find an error in the Ancestry database, submit a correction or comment to them. They won't change the original record but once these corrections and comments make it into the database, they will come up in the search results.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Finding your family in the US federal census records - overview
It's an exciting thing, the first time you see a parent or grandparent listed in the census, or when you finally find those ellusive cousins that have been hiding from you. The search itself can be frustrating at times. The census records, while certainly not perfect, provide you with a glimpse of your ancestors as they were at the date of the census. Some of the information might surprise you while some will confirm the stories you grew up with. The most important advice I can give you for your search of census records, or any records for that matter, is to keep an open mind. I mean this with respect to names, dates, places of birth, where they lived on the census date, everything. Bad handwriting, misspellings, mistrust of the government, poor memories, foreign accents...all of these can hinder your search. Some may even give you a giggle once you figure out what happened.
All of my ancestors (at least all of the ones I know about) were city/town dwellers. Here in the US, that means they moved around a lot. Sometimes it was to be closer (or further away) from family or maybe for a new job. Most of the moving around I've seen has been the result of changing family size. There was no need to spend money renting a larger apartment when a new baby was born...wait a couple of years until that baby, like my Aunt Linda, was too big to sleep in an open drawer. After 1910, most of the family made the move from the Lower East Side of Manhattan to Brooklyn or the Bronx. I think I've only located one branch of the family that actually stayed at the same Bronx address for the 1910, 1920, and 1930 census'.
Most of my experience is with the 1910, 1920, and 1930 census records. Very few of my ancestors arrived in the US before 1900. In some ways that's a good thing because the more recent census records available for public access are easier to search and contain more information than the older census records. It wasn't until 1870 that all family members were listed in the census. For the more rural communities, that may not be a big deal. If you knew which county your family lived in, it shouldn't be too difficult to find them. Sometimes I wish my family could be traced further back in US history so I wouldn't have to deal with the eastern European records but they arrived when they arrived. Can't change that.
All of my ancestors (at least all of the ones I know about) were city/town dwellers. Here in the US, that means they moved around a lot. Sometimes it was to be closer (or further away) from family or maybe for a new job. Most of the moving around I've seen has been the result of changing family size. There was no need to spend money renting a larger apartment when a new baby was born...wait a couple of years until that baby, like my Aunt Linda, was too big to sleep in an open drawer. After 1910, most of the family made the move from the Lower East Side of Manhattan to Brooklyn or the Bronx. I think I've only located one branch of the family that actually stayed at the same Bronx address for the 1910, 1920, and 1930 census'.
Most of my experience is with the 1910, 1920, and 1930 census records. Very few of my ancestors arrived in the US before 1900. In some ways that's a good thing because the more recent census records available for public access are easier to search and contain more information than the older census records. It wasn't until 1870 that all family members were listed in the census. For the more rural communities, that may not be a big deal. If you knew which county your family lived in, it shouldn't be too difficult to find them. Sometimes I wish my family could be traced further back in US history so I wouldn't have to deal with the eastern European records but they arrived when they arrived. Can't change that.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Federal Census Records (US) 1790-1840
The US federal census results for these early years are barely more than lists. Only the head of the household is listed by his/her full name. All other members of the household are categorized by sex and age, i.e. 4 males between the ages of 10 and 20. A complete street address isn't even included. US residents are classified as free white, free colored, and slaves.
Here are the links for the census pages for the census' from 1790 through 1840:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1840.pdf
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1830.pdf
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1820.pdf
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1810.pdf
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1800.pdf
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1790.pdf
Here are the links for the census pages for the census' from 1790 through 1840:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1840.pdf
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1830.pdf
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1820.pdf
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1810.pdf
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1800.pdf
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1790.pdf
Federal Census Records (US) 1850 & 1860
The federal census for each of these years began on June 1 of that year.
For both, the enumerators were asked to gather the following information:
-street address
-head of household is listed first
-all others in the household are listed next (1850 was the first year each individual was listed)
-personal information for each person including sex, color, age, marital status, ability to read and write, birthplace, birthplace of parents
-value of real estate owned
-trade or profession
-whether an individual was blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, pauper, or convict
Here's a link for an image of an 1850 census page:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1850.pdf
Here's a link for an image of an 1860 census page:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1860.pdf
For both, the enumerators were asked to gather the following information:
-street address
-head of household is listed first
-all others in the household are listed next (1850 was the first year each individual was listed)
-personal information for each person including sex, color, age, marital status, ability to read and write, birthplace, birthplace of parents
-value of real estate owned
-trade or profession
-whether an individual was blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, pauper, or convict
Here's a link for an image of an 1850 census page:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1850.pdf
Here's a link for an image of an 1860 census page:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1860.pdf
Federal Census Records (US) 1870
The 1870 federal censu began on June 1, 1870.
The 1870 federal census includes the following information:
-street address
-head of household is listed first
-all others in the household are listed next
-personal information for each person including sex, color, age, marital status, ability to read and write, birthplace, birthplace of parents
-trade or profession and number of months unemployed
-whether an individual was blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, pauper, or convict
Here's a link for an image of an 1870 census page:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1870.pdf
The 1870 federal census includes the following information:
-street address
-head of household is listed first
-all others in the household are listed next
-personal information for each person including sex, color, age, marital status, ability to read and write, birthplace, birthplace of parents
-trade or profession and number of months unemployed
-whether an individual was blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, pauper, or convict
Here's a link for an image of an 1870 census page:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1870.pdf
Federal Census Records (US) 1880
The 1880 federal census began on June 1, 1880. This census was the first to identify each individuals relationship to the head of the household. It may provide clues to genetic diseases in earlier generations of a family. The census reported whether an individual was blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, maimed, or crippled.
The 1880 federal census includes the following information:
-street address
-head of household is listed first
-all others in the household are listed next including their relationship to the head of the household
-personal information for each person including sex, race, age, marital status, ability to read and write, birthplace, and birthplace of parents
-trade or profession and number of months unemployed
-whether an individual was blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, maimed, or crippled
Here's a link for an image of an 1880 census page:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1880.pdf
The 1880 federal census includes the following information:
-street address
-head of household is listed first
-all others in the household are listed next including their relationship to the head of the household
-personal information for each person including sex, race, age, marital status, ability to read and write, birthplace, and birthplace of parents
-trade or profession and number of months unemployed
-whether an individual was blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, maimed, or crippled
Here's a link for an image of an 1880 census page:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1880.pdf
Monday, December 10, 2007
Federal Census Records (US) 1890
This is a tough one. Most of the 1890 federal census was destroyed in a 1921 fire at the Commerce Department building in Washington, DC. The census enumerated almost 63 million people but records for only about 6000 survived the fire and water damage. Other records at the federal level, as well as state & city records may help fill this gap but it's a big hole to fill.
For more information, see:
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1996/spring/1890-census-1.html
For more information, see:
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1996/spring/1890-census-1.html
Federal Census Records (US) 1900
The 1900 US Federal Census was started on June 1, 1900.
The 1900 federal census includes the following information:
-street address
-name of the head of the household is listed first
-all other household residents are listed next with their relationship to the head of the household -personal information for each person includes, sex, race, age, marital status, length at present marriage, place of birth, and place of birth of parents. Also, maybe my all time favorite question (it only appears on the 1900 & 1910 census') for mothers, number of children born and number now living
-citizenship status, year of immigration, and language spoken
-occupation, whether an employer, employee, or working on his/her own account. If unemployed, number of weeks unemployed in 1899
-ability to read and write and if can speak English
-if home is rented or owned. If home is owned, is it owned outright or mortgaged. If home is a house or a farm
Here is the link for a 1900 census form so you can see the column headings:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1900.pdf
A few facts to keep in mind:
-a baby born after June 1 will not be included in the census even if they are living in the household when the enumerator visits
-a person who dies after June 1 will be included in the census even if they are deceased when the enumerator visits
The 1900 federal census includes the following information:
-street address
-name of the head of the household is listed first
-all other household residents are listed next with their relationship to the head of the household -personal information for each person includes, sex, race, age, marital status, length at present marriage, place of birth, and place of birth of parents. Also, maybe my all time favorite question (it only appears on the 1900 & 1910 census') for mothers, number of children born and number now living
-citizenship status, year of immigration, and language spoken
-occupation, whether an employer, employee, or working on his/her own account. If unemployed, number of weeks unemployed in 1899
-ability to read and write and if can speak English
-if home is rented or owned. If home is owned, is it owned outright or mortgaged. If home is a house or a farm
Here is the link for a 1900 census form so you can see the column headings:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1900.pdf
A few facts to keep in mind:
-a baby born after June 1 will not be included in the census even if they are living in the household when the enumerator visits
-a person who dies after June 1 will be included in the census even if they are deceased when the enumerator visits
Federal Census Records (US) 1910
The 1910 US Federal Census was started on April 15, 1910. For me, this was a big one because it's the first time I'm seeing many of my immigrant ancestors in America, a lot of whom arrived at Ellis Island from 1904-1906.
The 1910 federal census includes the following information:
-street address
-name of the head of the household is listed first
-all other household residents are listed next with their relationship to the head of the household -personal information for each person includes, sex, race, age, marital status, length at present marriage, place of birth, and place of birth of parents. Also, maybe my all time favorite question (it only appears on the 1900 & 1910 census') for mothers, number of children born and number now living
-citizenship status, year of immigration, and language spoken
-occupation, whether an employer, employee, or working on his/her own account. If unemployed, number of weeks unemployed in 1909
-ability to read and write
-if attended daytime school since September 1, 1909
-if home is rented or owned. If home is owned, is it owned outright or mortgaged. If home is a house or a farm
-if a survivor of Union or Confederate Army or Navy
-if blind in both eyes or if deaf and dumb (yes, that's the actual language used)
Here is the link for a 1910 census form so you can see the column headings:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1910.pdf
A few facts to keep in mind:
-a baby born after April 15 will not be included in the census even if they are living in the household when the enumerator visits
-a person who dies after April 15 will be included in the census even if they are deceased when the enumerator visits
The 1910 federal census includes the following information:
-street address
-name of the head of the household is listed first
-all other household residents are listed next with their relationship to the head of the household -personal information for each person includes, sex, race, age, marital status, length at present marriage, place of birth, and place of birth of parents. Also, maybe my all time favorite question (it only appears on the 1900 & 1910 census') for mothers, number of children born and number now living
-citizenship status, year of immigration, and language spoken
-occupation, whether an employer, employee, or working on his/her own account. If unemployed, number of weeks unemployed in 1909
-ability to read and write
-if attended daytime school since September 1, 1909
-if home is rented or owned. If home is owned, is it owned outright or mortgaged. If home is a house or a farm
-if a survivor of Union or Confederate Army or Navy
-if blind in both eyes or if deaf and dumb (yes, that's the actual language used)
Here is the link for a 1910 census form so you can see the column headings:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1910.pdf
A few facts to keep in mind:
-a baby born after April 15 will not be included in the census even if they are living in the household when the enumerator visits
-a person who dies after April 15 will be included in the census even if they are deceased when the enumerator visits
Federal Census Records (US) 1920
The 1920 US Federal Census began on January 1. 1920 is the first census that includes US territories American Somoa, Guam, and the Panama Canal Zone. This is the first US census taken after the end of WWI. During the war, emigration from many places in Europe was near zero.
Information included in the 1920 federal census is as follows:
-street address
-name of the head of the household appears first
-name of the other members of the household and their relationship to the head of the family
- whether home owned or rented; if owned, whether free or mortgaged
- personal information for every member of the household such as sex, rage, age, marital status, whether attended school in the past few months, ability to read and write
-year of immigration to United States, whether native born, naturalized, or alien, year of immigration and year of naturalization
-person's place of birth, language spoke before coming to the US, parents' places of birth and their mother tongues
-whether able to speak English
-occupation information including whether or not the person is an employer, employee, or working on their own account
Here is the link for a 1920 census page so you can see the column headings:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1920.pdf
Information included in the 1920 federal census is as follows:
-street address
-name of the head of the household appears first
-name of the other members of the household and their relationship to the head of the family
- whether home owned or rented; if owned, whether free or mortgaged
- personal information for every member of the household such as sex, rage, age, marital status, whether attended school in the past few months, ability to read and write
-year of immigration to United States, whether native born, naturalized, or alien, year of immigration and year of naturalization
-person's place of birth, language spoke before coming to the US, parents' places of birth and their mother tongues
-whether able to speak English
-occupation information including whether or not the person is an employer, employee, or working on their own account
Here is the link for a 1920 census page so you can see the column headings:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1920.pdf
A few facts to keep in mind:
-a baby born after January 1 will not be included in the census even if that child is living in the household on the day the enumerator visits
-a person who died after January 1 will be included in the census even if they died before the enumerator visits
Federal Census Records (US) 1930
The 1930 US Federal Census is the most recent census available to the general public and contains information about approx. 123 million people. There is a 72 year waiting for period (for privacy reasons) before census records are released to the general public. The 1940 census will be available in 2012. That seems a long way off but I can't believe that it's been almost 6 years since 1930 became available. Citizens can request an extract of their specific census data for 1940 thru the more recent census years from NARA.
The census was taken in April, 1930 (except Alaska which was done 6 months earlier) and reflects the status of the household members as of April 1. The head of the household is listed first, on the same line as the street address, followed by the other household occupants and their relationship to the head of the household. There is a column indicating an "R" is the home is rented or an "O" if the home is owned. You'll also see an estimate of the value of the home if owned or the amount of monthly rent if rented. There is also a column indicating whether or not there is a radio in the home (I read somewhere that some people were reluctant to say yes to having a radio for fear that the government would tax them). Next is personal information for every member of the household: sex, race, age, marital status (including age at first marriage), college attendance, ability to read and write, birthplace, and parents' birthplaces. You will also see citizenship information including year of immigration, whether natural born, naturalized, or alien, year of immigration, language spoken before coming to the US, and ability to speak English. Occupation information includes whether or not employed and if the person worked for someone else or on his/her own account. Finally, whether or not the person served in the US military.
Here is the link for a blank 1930 census form so you can see the column headings:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1930.pdf
A few facts to keep in mind:
- a child born after April 1 was not included in the census even though they were in the household on the day the enumerator visited.
-a person who died after April 1 was included in the census even though they were not alive on the day the enumerator visited.
-servicemen were not recorded in their family's household. They were treated as residents of their duty posts.
The 1930 census was the last census before Great Depression worsened and also before all hell started breaking loose in Europe. I'm looking forward to seeing the 1940 census for many reasons. Top of the list is because I will see my dad for the first time. He was born in 1936.
The census was taken in April, 1930 (except Alaska which was done 6 months earlier) and reflects the status of the household members as of April 1. The head of the household is listed first, on the same line as the street address, followed by the other household occupants and their relationship to the head of the household. There is a column indicating an "R" is the home is rented or an "O" if the home is owned. You'll also see an estimate of the value of the home if owned or the amount of monthly rent if rented. There is also a column indicating whether or not there is a radio in the home (I read somewhere that some people were reluctant to say yes to having a radio for fear that the government would tax them). Next is personal information for every member of the household: sex, race, age, marital status (including age at first marriage), college attendance, ability to read and write, birthplace, and parents' birthplaces. You will also see citizenship information including year of immigration, whether natural born, naturalized, or alien, year of immigration, language spoken before coming to the US, and ability to speak English. Occupation information includes whether or not employed and if the person worked for someone else or on his/her own account. Finally, whether or not the person served in the US military.
Here is the link for a blank 1930 census form so you can see the column headings:
http://c.ancestry.com/pdf/trees/charts/1930.pdf
A few facts to keep in mind:
- a child born after April 1 was not included in the census even though they were in the household on the day the enumerator visited.
-a person who died after April 1 was included in the census even though they were not alive on the day the enumerator visited.
-servicemen were not recorded in their family's household. They were treated as residents of their duty posts.
The 1930 census was the last census before Great Depression worsened and also before all hell started breaking loose in Europe. I'm looking forward to seeing the 1940 census for many reasons. Top of the list is because I will see my dad for the first time. He was born in 1936.
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