Census records are usually where we search first for our ancestors. But are you getting everything you can out of them? Do you know what questions were asked in each one?
In this blog post, I’ll highlight some of the unique questions to make sure you don’t miss important information.
The one research skill I think most of us lack is the ability to squeeze every drop of information from every record. I’m guilty of that, too. By knowing some of these unique census questions, perhaps we’ll develop the good habit of reading each word. And finding out more about our ancestors’ lives.
Why Was The Census Created?
When George Washington became president in 1789, no one knew how many people lived in the United States. The Constitution stated that a census, taken every 10 years, should count the population to grant fair representation and to divide taxes among the states.
Congress passed “an Act providing for the enumeration of the Inhabitants of the United States” in March 1790. U.S. marshals went door-to-door collecting information. They didn’t finish until 1791 but the final count was an estimated 4 million people.
To learn more about this history of the census, visit www.census.gov/history.
Census Headings
One of the best ways to know the census is to look at the headings. Many are difficult to read because the were handwritten or typed in a small font. For blank census forms and worksheets that are easy to read, click here.
Let’s see what unique questions were asked in each census record:
1790 Census
The focus of 1790 was only to get a population count. The list included:
- head of household by name
- number of free white males 16 years and older
- free white males under 16
- free white females
- all other free persons
- slaves
Not every state used a printed form. Here are examples of the 1790 census from Boston (left) and York County, Pennsylvania (right):
1800 and 1810 Census
Along with the head of household, the 1800 and 1810 census introduced expanded age categories for free white males and females, giving a more detailed breakdown of age groups. The list for both included:
- under 10
- 10 but under 16
- 16 but under 25
- 25 but under 45
- 45 and over
- All others
- Slaves
Again, there was no standardized form to use so the difference in what the enumerators had to work with is clear. The top picture is from Charleston, South Carolina, and the bottom Flushing, Queens, New York.
1820 Census
No much changed for the 1820 census. The age ranges remained the same from 1810 except for the addition of a category for males age 16 years but under 18 years. So, if a male was 16 or 17 years old he could be listed in two separate categories. Don’t let that confuse you. You’ll need to correlate with other records to make sure you have the number of people in your ancestor’s household correct.
1830 Census
The major change in the 1830 census was the expansion of the age categories. Free white males and females were listed as
- under 5 years
- 5 to 10 years
- 10 to 15 years
- 15 to 20 years
- 20 to 30 years
- 10 year age ranges to the last category of 100 years and up
The age categories of of slaves and free persons of color were also expanded.
- under 10 years
- 10 to 24 years
- 24 to 36 years
- 36 to 55 years
- 55 to 100 years
- 100 years and up
In 1830 you also had questions outside of age, such as how many in the household were deaf and dumb, blind or aliens (white persons who were foreigners and not naturalized).
The 1830 census is two pages so make sure to look at both for your ancestors.
1840 Census
In addition to the same age categories as in 1830, this census asked the names and ages of Revolutionary War pensioners living in each household. This can lead you to find more valuable information in military records.
Information about colleges, universities, primary, and grammar schools were also included in this census.
1850 Census
For the first time, every individual in the household was listed by name, along with their age, sex, race, occupation, and place of birth. This marked an important shift towards more detailed and personalized data for our ancestors.
This example is from Cumberland County, Maine. You’ll notice the value of real estate was also collected. This should lead you to go find land records. In the smaller columns (10-12), information about marriage, school, and the ability to read and write was also gathered.
Also, 1850 was the year the first slave schedule was published. Slaves were not listed by their name, but rather under their owner’s name. In the color category, “B” stood for black, while “M” stood for mulatto (mixed race). There were also columns for freed slaves (manumitted) and the number of slaves who escaped from their owner.
This example is from Horry County, South Carolina:
1860 Census
There was one more category added to this census year. People were asked about the value of their personal estate in addition to their real estate.
There was also a slave schedule for the 1860 census. The categories did not differ from 1850.
1870 Census
In 1870 questions of parentage started to come about. Tick marks in columns 11 and 12 indicated whether a person’s father and mother, respectively, were of foreign birth. This example is from Cape Elizabeth, Cumberland, Maine:
Column 13 asked if a person was born in the last year, in what month were they born. Column 14 asked if a person was married within the last year, which month? The last two columns wanted to find out who in the household was a male 21 years old and older and if that persons right to vote was denied for “rebellion or other crimes.”
1880 Census
There are two important additions to the 1880 census – we finally see a relationship to the head of household category and we get the parent’s place of birth.
This example is from Hendricks County, Indiana:
Remember that the relationship listed is to the head of household. You could have blended families where the children are his, but are not his wife’s.
1890 Census
Unfortunately, most of the 1890 census records were destroyed in a fire, making it difficult to find your ancestors. But fragments of some states do exist, so search online for those records.
1900 Census
The 1900 census had several new categories: (the above image is from South Portland, Maine)
- Street name
- Month and year of birth
- Number of years married
- How many children born and how many still living
- Citizenship information – year of immigration, number of years living in the U.S., and whether naturalized.
- Education questions about being able to read and write
- Home ownership questions
All of these new questions can add so much depth to your ancestor’s life. Be sure to look at every column in this important census record.
1910 Census
The biggest takeaways from the 1910 census include whether the person could speak English and if not, what language did they speak. Also, a more detailed report of the occupation was given along with work history.
Don’t overlook column 30 that asks if the person is a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy. This again, could point you toward military records.
This example is from Elkton, Cecil, Maryland:
1920 Census
The 1920 census is similar to 1910 asking about citizenship, “nativity and native tongue.” Here’s a look at Beverly Hills, California:
1930 Census
The biggest change in the 1930 census is the classification of race as shown in this example from Musgokee County, Oklahoma.
The races include:
- W – White
- Neg – Black
- Mex – Mexican
- In – American Indian
- Ch – Chineses
- Jp – Japanese
- Fil – Filipino
- Hin – Hindu
- Kor – Korean
All other races were to be written out in full.
Enumerators also asked if the household owned a radio and if they lived on a farm. Marriage information included “age at first marriage.” This can be meaningful to see if this was their first marriage or a subsequent one.
Column 30 and 31 are important military questions. Was the person a veteran of the U.S. military for any war or expedition? And if so, which one?
1940 Census
The 1940 census featured several new questions and a new section of the record. Enumerators asked where the person lived on April 1, 1935 and if over the age of 14, employment information. This was in response to the Great Depression providing important data to assess how the country was doing economically.
Random people on the census (marked with a symbol next to their name) contributed additional information at the bottom of the census page. These supplemental questions included information about their parents’ birthplace, military service and social security. Don’t miss seeing if your ancestor was one of the ones selected for this added information.
Also, important to note, the 1940 census lets us know the informant’s identity. Look for an “X” with a circle around it to see who provided the information about the household.
1950 Census
The 1950 census is the latest to be released to the public (72 year waiting period from the time it was taken). And it happens to be the shortest with only 20 questions asked.
With post-war housing shortages and expansion into the suberbs, the 1950 census focused on housing-related questions, including homeownership status, property value, and access to modern amenities like indoor plumbing and electricity.
This census also includes supplemental questions for those ancestors selected.
“Other” Census Records
This blog post was all about the population census schedules. For information about some of the “other” census records, such as agriculture and industry, check out this blog post.
Finally
As you can see census records provide more than just names and ages. They can give valuable information on their own, or they can point you to other records to add to the lives of your ancestors. Make sure to find every census record for every ancestor, even those not in your direct line. You never know where that golden nugget of information will come from.
Genealogy tip: Information in census records is only as good as the informant. And for most censuses the informant is unknown. The information may not be accurate. The person providing information to the enumerator may have been the head of household, but it could have been a next door neighbor or a child. Each census is one clue in your ancestors’ stories and should be correlated with other records you find.
If you need help finding your ancestors in census records or any other type of record, I’d love to help. Schedule your free no-obligation consultation by clicking the button below.
