Census Guide

Explanation of Census Records

• The United States government has conducted a census of each state and territory every ten years since 1790 and, in some places, other years, for the purpose of apportioning representatives to the lower house of Congress.
• To protect the privacy of the individuals whose names appear in each schedule, population schedules are restricted for seventy-two years after the census is taken and are not generally available.
• Population censuses are arranged by state and within each state by county; within each county by township or enumeration district; and within each district households are listed as they were taken by the enumerator as he went door to door. The 1790 census schedules – those parts available – were published by the government in the early 1900s and have since been privately reprinted. Published census schedules for 1790 are for Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Vermont. The schedules for the remaining states – Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, Tennessee and Virginia – were burned during the War of 1812. Substitute schedules, made from names in state censuses or tax lists, have been published for many of the missing states.
• Federal census records from 1790 through 1840 contain little genealogical information. Only the head of household is given by name; all others in the family are counted only in specific age groups by sex.
• The 1850 census was the first to include the name of each person in a household, including age, sex, color, occupation, and birth place (state, territory or foreign country) and value of real estate and personal property (usually just for the head of the household).
• In 1870 the census gave the month of birth if born during the year, the month of marriage if married within the year, and whether the father or mother of each individual was foreign born.
• The 1880 census added two valuable pieces of information: the relationship of each person to the head of the household and the birthplace of the father and mother of each person.
• The 1890 census was largely destroyed by fire in 1921 and only fragments of it are available.

Census Takers or Enumerators

Census records cannot always be relied on as accurate. Persons giving the information may not have known the exact ages or places of birth of each member of the household. And there’s always been vanity about ages. In some cases people aged only five years in the ten years between the censuses! Census takers spelled what they heard and many of them spelled badly. And apparently they weren’t hired because of their penmanship.

• Many enumerators were not well qualified.
• Some enumerators did not follow instruction (i.e. initials only, no birth places listed, etc.)
• Some enumerators used unfamiliar abbreviations and ditto marks (i.e. Conn., Ct., Cn., Cnct. were all used for Connecticut).
• Incorrect information was sometimes given by family members. Memory might be poor. Most people did not read or write. Incorrect information was sometimes given due to lack of understanding the question. If adults were not home, sometimes answers were requested of small children or neighbors or the enumerator guessed the answers himself. Families were sometimes left off the census because they were away visiting relatives. Some families lived in multi-dwelling units or remote country dwellings and were overlooked. Some families were missed, due to the length of time it took to take the census.

Source: The USGENWEB Census Project, http://www.us-census.org

Jun 3, 1880: Federal Census for Leadville, Lake County, Colorado: (Isaac Willard Chatfield)
Chatfield, I.W.: age 43, born Ohio, father born Connecticut, mother born Vermont, merchant
Eliza: age 37, wife, born Iowa, father born Ohio, mother born Ohio, keeping house (age 40)
Ella S.: age 21, daughter, born Kansas, father born Ohio, mother born Iowa
Elmer E.: age 17, son, born Colorado, father born Ohio, mother born Iowa, handling horses
Phil Vanwest: age 14, son, born Colorado, father born Ohio, mother born Iowa (Van Wert)
Jacqueline: age 12, daughter, born Colorado, father born Ohio, mother born Iowa
Charles H.: age 9, son, born Colorado, father born Ohio, mother born Iowa
Callie: age 1, daughter, born Colorado, father born Ohio, mother born Iowa
Note: four other lodgers live in household, one a bookkeeper, the other working as grain merchants.

U.S. Census Records

The Federal Census has been undertaken every ten years since 1790. Census records can provide snapshot descriptions of families, including names, ages, places of birth, and occupations. It is important to note that information found in a census may not be completely reliable, since people sometimes reported inaccurate information and census officials did make errors.

1900 CENSUS
The 1900 census schedules give for each person: name; address; relationship to the head of the household; color or race; sex; month and year of birth; age at last birthday; marital status; if a wife is listed within the household, then the number of years married, number of children born of 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 U.S.; the citizenship status of foreign born individuals over age 21; occupation; whether or not person can read, write, and speak English; whether home is owned or rented; whether or not home is a farm; and whether or not home is mortgaged.

1910 CENSUS
The 1910 census schedules record the following information for each person: name; relationship to head of household; sex; color or race; age at last birthday; marital status; length of present marriage; if a mother, number of children and number of living children; place of birth; place of birth of parents; if foreign born, year of immigration and citizenship status; language spoken; occupation; type of industry employed in; if employer, employee, or self-employed; 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, free, 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; and if deaf and dumb.

1920 CENSUS
The 1920 census schedules record the following information for each person: name; relationship to head of household; sex; color or race; age at last birthday; marital status; place of birth; place of birth of parents; if foreign born, year of immigration and citizenship status; year of naturalization; mother tongue; language spoken; occupation; type of industry employed in; if employer, employee, or self-employed; ability to read and write; if attended daytime school since September 1, 1919; if home is rented or owned; if home is owned, free, or mortgaged; if home is a house or a farm.

1930 CENSUS
The 1930 Federal Census was released to the public on April 1, 2002. It includes information about place of abode, name of each person living there, relationship of each person to the head of the family, information about the home (including value if owned), personal data (including sex, age, marital status and age when first married), education, place of birth of the person and the person’s parents (usually the country), mother language, citizenship (including year of immigration and naturalization status), occupation, employment, veteran status, and farm schedule (if applicable).

1940 CENSUS
The Sixteenth United States Census will be released to the public in April 2012. A number of new questions were asked including where people were 5 years before, highest educational grade achieved, and information about wages. One in 20 people were asked additional questions on the census form.

Source: Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute, Center for Jewish History, New York http://genelogy.cjh.org

U.S. Census – Background

The US Federal Census is taken because it was mandated by our Constitution. George Washington signed the papers making this act a law in 1790. The Constitution directs that there will be “an enumeration of inhabitants”, and nothing more.

In 1790, the U.S. population was 3,231,533. This did not include slaves or the untaxed Indians. One of the main goals of the census was to provide information on men eligible for the military. We had only recently gained our independence from England and the men of the day knew it was important to assemble a viable military, if the need arose.

The federal census is taken every 10 years, in the year ending with zero. Individual states often took their own Census in some of the years between the federal enumeration. The state census was taken mainly for the purpose of taxation.
Much of the 1790 Census was destroyed by the British during the War of 1812. Some states were totally destroyed, others only partially. Whenever possible, tax lists from that era are used as an alternate source for names. The 1890 Census was also destroyed. (note: by a fire in 1921)

The law states that the census shall remain private for 72 years. This is to encourage truthful answers and accurate information. Not much of a negative consequence could happen after 72 years. Most of those listed would be gone. Because of the 72-year law, the latest Census available to the public is the one taken in 1930 (note: now 1940).

Census Takers: Who were they?

Everyday people like you and me. Some were young, some old. In the earlier censuses, they were usually men on horseback, carrying their clipboards with blank census sheets ready to be filled with information. They may have been school teachers on summer break or farmers trying to supplement their income. They came from all walks of life. They all knew how to read and write and they usually lived in the area they enumerated.

The government paid them to go door to door with the goal of getting a head count of all people living in the United States. Then, as today, some were excellent workers, producing accurate, legible records. They took pains to get all pertinent information and record it on their papers. Others, however, were mainly interested in payday and did less than an admirable job.

The census taker could walk many different paths to cover his territory. There was no instruction on the direction he should take, only that he must cover the entire territory assigned to him. In farm land and early times, the paths of the census takers often meandered in strange patterns.

When people weren’t home or only children were present to answer the census questions, some workers filled in the blanks from their own knowledge or gave educated guesses. Usually, however, questions were answered by an adult of the household, making the information generally correct.
Source: Treasure Maps, Genealogy E-Mail Newsletter, Robert Ragan http://amberskyline.com/treasuremaps

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Note: I presume someone in the family served as a census taker, as this 1910 census badge was in the belongings of my mother, Noreen (Chatfield) Clemens, born in 1915. Made of stamped pewter, the plain reverse side has a large thick pin spot-welded onto the frame. Rules for using the badge are found in the official 1910 U.S. Census Instructions to Enumerators. It concludes: The badge “must not leave your possession, but may be retained as a souvenir after the completion of the enumeration.”

Census Enumeration Dates

1790 Census: Begun Aug 2, 1790

Head of the family and categorized inhabitants as follows:
1. free white males at least 16 years of age (to assess the country’s industrial and military potential)
2. free white males under 16 years of age
3. free white females
4. all other free persons (reported by sex and color)
5. slaves

1800 Census: Begun Aug 4, 1800

1. City or township
2. Name of the head of family
3. Number of free white males under age 10
4. Number of free white males age 10-15
5. Number of free white males age 16-25
6. Number of free white males age 26-44
7. Number of free white males age 45 and over
8. Number of free white females under age 10
9. Number of free white females age 10-15
10. Number of free white females age 16-25
11. Number of free white females age 26-44
12. Number of free white females age 45 and over
13. Number of all other free persons
14. Number of slaves

1810 Census: Begun Aug 6, 1810

1. City or township
2. Name of the head of family
3. Number of free white males under age 10
4. Number of free white males age 10-15
5. Number of free white males age 16-25
6. Number of free white males age 26-44
7. Number of free white males age 45 and over
8. Number of free white females under age 10
9. Number of free white females age 10-15
10. Number of free white females age 16-25
11. Number of free white females age 26-44
12. Number of free white females age 45 and over
13. Number of all other free persons
14. Number of slaves

1820 Census: Begun Aug 6, 1820

1. Name of the head of family
2. # of free white males under age 10
3. # of free white males age 10-16
4. # of free white males age 16-18
5. # of free white males age 16-26
6. # of free white males age 26-45
7. # of free white males age 45 and up
8. # of free white females under age 10
9. # of free white females age 10-16
10. # of free white females age 16-26
11. # of free white females age 26-45
12. # of free white females age 45 and up
13. # of foreigners not naturalized
14. # of persons engaged in agriculture
15. # of persons engaged in commerce
16. # of persons engaged in manufacture
17. # of male slaves under 14
18. # of male slaves age 14-26
19. # of male slaves age 26-45
20. # of male slaves age 45 and up
21. # of female slaves under 14
22. # of female slaves age 14-26
23. # of female slaves age 26-45
24. # of female slaves age 45 and up
25. # of free male colored persons under 14
26. # of free male colored persons age 14-26
27. # of free male colored persons age 26-45
28. # of free male colored persons age 45 and up
29. # of free female colored persons under 14
30. # of free female colored persons age 14-26
31. # of free female colored persons age 26-45
32. # of free female colored persons age 45 and up
33. # of all other persons except Indians not taxed

1830 Census: Begun Jun 1, 1830

• Name of head of family
• Address
• Number of free white males and females
• in five-year age groups to age 20
• in 10-year age groups from 20 to 100
• 100 years and older
• number of slaves and free colored persons in six age groups
• number of deaf and dumb
• under 14 years old
• 14 to 24 years old
• 25 years and older
• number of blind
• foreigners not naturalized

1840 Census: Begun Jun 1, 1840

• Name of head of family
• Address
• Number of free white males and females
• in five-year age groups to age 20
• in 10-year age groups from 20 to 100
• 100 years and older
• number of slaves and free colored persons in six age groups
• number of deaf and dumb, by race
• number of blind, by race
• number of insane and idiotic in public or private charge, by race
• number of persons in each family employed in seven classes of occupation
• number of schools and number of scholars
• number of white persons over 20 who could not read and write
• number of pensioners for Revolutionary or military service

1850 Census: Begun Jun 1, 1850

• name
• age
• sex
• color (white, black or mulatto) for each person
• whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane or idiotic
• value of real estate owned (required of all free persons)
• profession, occupation or trade of each male over 15 years of age
• place (state, territory or country) of birth
• whether married within the year
• whether attended school within the year
• whether unable to read and write (for persons over 20)
• whether a pauper or convict

1860 Census: Begun Jun 1, 1860

• 1. Dwelling-houses—numbered in the order of visitation
• 2. Families numbered in the order of visitation
• 3. The name of every person whose usual place of abode on the first date of June 1860, was in this family
• 4. Age
• 5. Sex M or F
• 6. Color (White, black, or mulatto) W, B or M
• 7. Profession, Occupation, or Trade of each person, male and female, over 15 years of age
• 8. Value of Estate Owned: Value of Real Estate
• 9. Value of Estate Owned: Value of Personal Estate
• 10. Place of Birth, Naming the State, Territory, or Country
• 11. Married within the year.Marked with ‘/’
• 12. Attended School within the year.Marked with ‘/’
• 14. Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict
• 13. Persons over 20 years of age who can not read and write.Marked with ‘/’

1870 Census: Information as of Jun 1, 1870 (also may identify Civil War survivors)

• Dwelling-houses numbered in the order of Visitation
• Families numbered in the order of visitation
• Names
• Age
• Sex
• Color
• Profession
• Value of Real Estate
• Value of Personal Estate
• Place of Birth (State, Territory, Country)
• Father’s Birthplace*
• Mother’s Birthplace*
• If born within the year, state month
• If married within the year, state month
• Attended School within the Year (Y/N)
• Cannot Read (Y/N)
• Cannot Write (Y/N)
• Deaf & dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict
• Male Citizens of U.S. of 21 years of age or upwards
• Male Citizens of U.S of 21 years of age and upwards where rights to vote is denied on grounds other than rebellion or other crime

1880 Census: Begun Jun 1, 1880 (anyone born or died after Jun 1 were not to be included)
Five schedules were authorized by the 1880 Census Act, four of which were filled out by the enumerators:

• Schedule 1 (Population), which was similar to that used for the previous census, with a few exceptions.
• Schedule 2 (Mortality), which used the same inquiries as in 1870, and added inquiries to record marital status, birthplace of parents, length of residence in the United States or territory, and name of place where the disease was contracted, if other than place of death.
• Schedule 3 (Agriculture), which greatly expanded inquiries concerning various crops (including acreage for principal crop), and included questions on farm tenure, weeks of hired labor, annual cost for fence building and repair, fertilizer purchases, and the number of livestock.
• Schedule 5 (Manufacturing), which expanded to include information on the greatest number of hands employed at any time during the year, the number of hours in the ordinary work day from May to November and November to May, the average daily wages paid to skilled mechanics and laborers, months of full-and part-time operation, and machinery used.

Schedule 4 (Social statistics) was the responsibility of experts and special agents, rather than the enumerators. The majority of the data came from correspondence with officials of institutions providing care and treatment of certain members of the population. Experts and special agents also were employed to collect data on valuation, taxation, and indebtedness; religion and libraries; colleges, academies, and schools; newspapers and periodicals, and wages.

1890 Census: Begun Jun 1, 1890 (due to a fire, only a fragment of records are available)

• address
• number of families in house
• number of persons in house
• names
• whether a soldier, sailor or marine (Union or Confederate) during Civil War widow of such person
• relationship to head of family
• race, described as white, black, mulatto, quadroon, octoroon, Chinese, Japanese, or Indian
• sex
• age
• marital status
• married within the year
• mother of how many children, and number now living
• place of birth of person, and their father and mother
• if foreign-born, number of years in U.S.
• whether naturalized
• whether naturalization papers have been taken out
• profession, trade or occupation
• months unemployed during census year
• ability to read and write
• ability to speak English, and, if unable, language or dialect spoken
• whether suffering from acute or chronic disease, with name of disease and length of time afflicted
• whether defective in mind, sight, hearing or speech, or whether crippled, maimed or deformed, with name of defect
• whether a prisoner, convict, homeless child, or pauper
• home rented, or owned by head or member of family, and, if owned, whether free from mortgage
• if farmer, whether farm is rented, or owned by head or member of family; if owned, whether free from mortgage; if rented, post office box of owner

1900 Census: Begun Jun 1, 1900

• address
• name
• relationship to head of family
• sex
• race (listed as “Color or race” on the census)
• age, month and year born
• marital status and, if married, number of years married
• for women, number of children born and number now living
• place of birth of person, and their parents
• if foreign born, year of immigration and whether naturalized
• occupation
• months not employed
• school
• ability to speak English
• whether on a farm farmer
• home owned or rented, and, if owned, whether mortgaged

1910 Census: Begun Apr 15, 1910

• address
• name
• relationship to head of family
• sex
• race
• age
• marital status and, if married, number of years of present marriage
• for women, number of children born and number now living
• place of birth and mother tongue of person, and their parents
• if foreign born, year of immigration; whether naturalized; whether able to speak English, if unable, language spoken
• occupation, industry and class of worker
• if an employee, whether out of work during year
• literacy
• school attendance
• whether home owned or rented, and, if owned, whether mortgaged
• whether farm or house
• whether a survivor of Union or Confederate Army or Navy
• whether blind, deaf or dumb

1920 Census: Begun Jan 1, 1920 (information as of Jan 1, 1920

• address
• name
• relationship to head of family
• sex
• race
• age
• marital status
• if foreign born, year of immigration to the U.S., whether naturalized and, if so, year of naturalization
• school attendance
• literacy
• birthplace of person and parents
• if foreign-born, the mother tongue
• ability to speak English
• occupation, industry, and class of worker migratory
• whether home owned or rented, and, if owned, whether free or mortgaged

1930 Census: Begun Apr 2, 1930

• address
• name
• relationship to head of family
• home owned or rented, if owned, value of home, if rented, monthly rent
• whether owned a radio set
• whether on a farm
• sex
• race
• age
• marital status and, if married, age at first marriage
• school attendance
• literacy
• birthplace of person, and their parents
• if foreign born: language spoken at home before coming to the U.S., year of immigration, whether naturalized, ability to speak English
• occupation, industry and class of worker
• whether at work previous day (or last regular work day)
• veteran status
• if Indian: whether of full or mixed blood, tribal affiliation

1940 Census:

• address
• home owned or rented
• if owned, value
• if rented, monthly rent
• whether on a farm
• name
• relationship to head of household
• sex
• race
• age
• marital status
• school attendance
• educational attainment
• birthplace
• if foreign born, citizenship
• location of residence five years ago and whether on a farm
• employment status
• if at work, whether in private or non-emergency government work, or in public emergency work
• if in private or non-emergency government work, hours worked in week
• if seeking work or on public emergency work, duration of unemployment
• occupation, industry and class of worker
• weeks worked last year
• wage and salary income last year

Source: en.wikipedia.org

2019. Compiled by Catherine (Clemens) Sevenau.