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Using Census Records for Genealogical Research
By Curt B. Witcher, MLS, FUGA
 More of this Feature
• Pt 1: 1790 - 1870
• Pt 3: Census Indices
• Pt 4: Special Schedules
• Pt 5: Census 'Gotchas'
• Pt 6: Census Substitutes
• Pt 7: Bibliography
 
 Special Chat!
Curt B. Witcher, president of the National Genealogical Society and Head of the Allen County, IN Public Library's Historic Genealogy Department, was a guest in our chat room on March 7, 2001 to answer questions about Using Census Records for Family History. This special lecture iwas a part of an ongoing series sponsored by the U.S. National Genealogical Society.
Read the Transcript!
 
  Related Resources
• Census Around the World
• Common Soundex Mistakes
• U.S. Census Online
 
 Elsewhere on the Web
• National Genealogical Society
• Allen County Public Library Genealogy Dept.
 
 

1790 - 1840 Federal Population Census

The census records in this category are the zenith of population schedules with regard to data provided. All are indexed in one fashion or another.

1880: name; relationship to head of household; sex; race; age; marital status; born within the year; married within the year; profession, occupation, or trade; number of months unemployed during census year; whether  person is sick or temporarily disabled; if so, what is the sickness or disability; whether blind, deaf and dumb, idiotic, insane, maimed, crippled or bedridden; attended school within the year; ability to read and write; place of birth of person, father, and mother. 

1890: destroyed by fire at the Commerce Building in 1921.  No complete schedules for any state exist--only fragments.

1900: name; relationship to head of household; color or race; sex; month and year of birth; age at last birthday; marital status; if wife is listed within the household then the number of years married, number of children born to that marriage, and number of children living; places of birth of each individual and of the parents of each individual; citizenship; if the individual is foreign born, then the year of immigration and the number of years in the United States; the citizenship status of foreign born individuals over 21; occupation; able to read, write, and speak English; whether home is owned or rented; whether home is mortgaged.  

1910: name, relationship to head of household; sex; race; age; marital status; number of years in present marriage; for women, number of children born and number now living; birthplace and mother tongue of person and parents; if foreign born, year of immigration, whether naturalized, and whether able to speak English, or if not, language spoken; occupation or class of worker; whether out of work during the year; literacy; school attendance; home owned or rented; if owned whether mortgaged; whether farm or house; whether a survivor of Union or Confederate Army or Navy; whether blind or deaf and dumb.  

1920: name; relationship to head of household; home owned or rented; if owned, free or mortgaged; sex; color or race; age at last birthday; marital status; year of immigration; whether naturalized; if naturalized, year of naturalization; whether attended school any time since September 1, 1919; whether able to read and write; birth place and mother tongue of person and parents; whether able to speak English; occupation, type of industry, business, or establishment in which person works; whether the person is an employer, salary or wage worker, or working on own account.  

1930: name; relationship to head of household; home owned or rented; value of home if owned or monthly rental if rented; sex; color or race; age at last birthday; martial status; age at first marriage; whether attended school since September 1, 1929; whether able to read and write; birth place and mother tongue of person and parents; year of immigration and naturalization; whether able to speak English; language spoken in home before coming to the United States; occupation; whether at work last working day--if not, number on unemployment schedule; whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval force; what war or expedition; and number on farm schedule (farm schedules do not survive).

The category headings on federal censuses can often be difficult to read on the actual census sheets. There are several sources which list the various category headings by year including a publication entitled Twenty Censuses Population and Housing Questions 1790 - 1980.

Next page > Using Census Indices and the Soundex > Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

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