Census records were, and are, purely for demographic information for the government, but oh, what a treasure trove they are for genealogists! They can carry us back several generations. We get to see parents with children and often, their parents and/or siblings. We might learn that great great grandmother Elizabeth married her next door neighbor or her neighbor’s nephew. There is often a clue that someone was married more than once or that there were children who died before reaching adulthood. In my opinion, the census is the most important genealogical resource we have, simply because of the wealth of information in one place. I highly recommend a subscription to Ancestry.com for the census hunt.
The census records are released when they reach 75 years old. The 1930 census was released in 2005. We won’t see 1940’s until 2015 and believe me, you’ll be chompin’ at the bits to get your hands on it. If you’re relatively new to your genealogy search, you might be wondering exactly what we find in the census? Where do we start? In this article I’ll cover the 1850 through 1930 census noting only the most pertinent things to genealogists. Prior to 1850, only heads of households were named. It get’s tricky with the earlier census.
When you begin your search, it’s always best to start at the latest date possible. Late, as in closest to now. Start with latest and work your way back, so we’ll begin with 1930.
(Note: the official date means all information was to be accurate on *that* date, not the date the census taker actually visited the house.)
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1930
Official date – April 1, 1930
What’s included:
- Street address
- Name of each person living in household
- Relationship of each person to the head of the household
- Home owned or rented and value of home or rent paid each month
- Did they have a radio
- Did they live on a farm
- Sex
- Color or race
- Age at last birthday
- Married, single, widowed or divorced
- Age at first marriage (That’s the very first marriage, no matter that they might be on their fourth by this time.)
- Whether attended school or college any time since September 1, 1929
- Whether able to read or write
- Place of birth of each person, their mother and father (State or country. They don’t get specific.)
- Mother tongue
- Year of immigration to the US
- Naturalized or alien
- Able to speak English
- Occupation and industry
- Employed or unemployed
- Whether a veteran of the US military or Naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition and if so, which one
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1920
Official date – January 1, 1920
- Street address
- Name of each person living in the household on January 1, 1920
- Relationship of each person to the head of the household
- Home owned or rented
- If home was owned, was it free or mortgaged
- Sex
- Color or race
- Age at last birthday
- Single, married, widowed or divorced
- Year of immigration to the US
- Naturalized or alien
- If naturalized, year of naturalization
- If attended school any time since September 1, 1919
- Able to read or write
- Place of birth of each person, their mother and their father
- Native tongue
- Able to speak English
- Profession, industry and employer
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1910
Official date – April 15, 1910
- Street address
- Name of each person in household on April 15, 1910
- Relationship of each person to head of household
- Color or race
- Age at last birthday
- Single, married, widowed or divorced
- Number of years of present marriage
- If a woman, how many children born to her and how many are living
- Place of birth of each person
- Year of immigration to the US
- Whether naturalized or alien
- Able to speak English
- Occupation and industry
- Whether an employee, employer or working on own account
- Whether out of work on April 15, 1910
- Number of weeks out of work during 1909
- Able to read or write
- Attended school any time since September 1, 1909
- House owned or rented
- If owned was it free or mortgaged
- Farm or house
- Whether a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy
- Whether blind (in both eyes)
- Whether deaf and dumb
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1900
Official date – June 1, 1900
- Street address
- Name of each person living in household
- Relationship of each person to head of household
- Color or race
- Sex
- Date of birth (month and year)
- Age at last birthday
- Number of years married
- Mother of how many children
- Number of children living
- Place of birth of each person and their mother and father
- Year of immigration to the US
- Number of years in the US
- Naturalization
- Occupation
- Months not employed
- Whether attended school during the year
- Able to read or write
- Able to speak English
- Home owned or rented
- If owned, whether free or mortgaged
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Unfortunately, the 1890 census was mostly destroyed by fire
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1880
Official date – June 1, 1880
- Street address
- Name of each person living in the household
- Relationship of each person to the head of household
- Color or race
- Sex
- Age at last birthday
- If born within the census year, show the month (ex. If born in April it would look like this: 4/12)
- Whether single, married, widowed or divorced
- If married durint the census year
- Occupation
- Months unemployed, if any
- If the person is sick or disabled on the date of enumeration. If so, what is the nature of the illness.
- Whether blind, deaf and dumb, idioc, insane or maimed, crippled, bedridden or otherwise disabled
- Whether attended school during the school year
- If they cannot read or write
- Place of birth of person, their mother and father
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1870
Official date – June 1, 1870
- Name of each person living in household
- Age at last birthday
- If under a year old, give age in months (ex. 4/12)
- Sex
- Color
- Occupation
- Value of real estate
- Value of personal estate
- Place of birth
- If father or mother was foreign born
- If born within the year, state month
- If married within the year, state month
- If attended school within the year
- If they cannot read or write
- Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper or convict
- Male citizens of US of 21 years of age and upwards
- Male citizens of US of 21 years of age and upwards where rights to vote is denied on other grounds than rebellion or other crime
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1860
Official date – June 1, 1860
- Name of each person living in household
- Age
- Sex
- Color
- Occupation
- Value of real estate
- Value of personal estate
- Place of birth
- If married within the year
- If attended school within the year
- Persons over 20 years of age who cannot read and write
- Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper or convict
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1850
Official date – June 1850
- Name of each person in household
- Age
- Sex
- Color
- Occupation
- Value of real estate owned
- Place of birth
- If married within the year
- If attended school within the year
- Persons over 20 years of age who cannot read and write
- Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper or convict
