Time to Complete: One month
U.S. Population: 123.2 million
On April 1, 1930, the Bureau of the Census began taking the 15th decennial census of the United States. All responses were to reflect the individual's status as of 1 April 1930, even if the status had changed between April 1st and the day of enumeration (i.e. children born after 1 April should not be listed, and people who died after 1 April should be counted).
The 1930 U.S. census highlights the country's move into the technology age by adding a new question about radio ownership. Other new questions included the individual's age at the time of his or her first marriage, which specific war a man fought in, and the value of the individual's home or the amount of rent paid each month. One other change from the 1920 census included dropping the question about year of naturalization.
The Work Progress Administration (WPA) prepared Soundex indexes of names for only 12 southern states in 1930: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky (only counties of Bell, Floyd, Harlan, Kenton, Muhlenberg, Perry and Pike), Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia (only counties of Fayette, Harrison, Kanawha, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, and Raleigh). An every name index to the 1930 U.S. census is available online from Ancestry.com for subscribing members.
Questions Asked in the 1930 Census
- street or road name; house number or farm
- name, age (at last birthday), and sex of each individual in the household
- relationship of each individual to head of household
- whether home was owned or rented, and if mortgaged
- value of home or monthly mortgage or rental payment
- whether owns a radio set
- color or race
- whether single, married, widowed, or divorced
- age at first marriage
- year of immigration
- whether naturalized (na), alien (al), or have started the naturalization process (pa = papers)
- whether attended school since 1 September 1929
- whether able to read and write
- place of birth
- father's place of birth
- mother's place of birth
- language spoken in home prior to coming to the United States
- whether able to speak English
- profession, occupation, or trade
- type of industry or business
- whether worked yesterday
- whether a veteran and, if so, what war
1930 Census Online
- Ancestry.com - 1930 Census Images & Index - Digital images and an every name index. Subscription required
