A Columbian reader asks me to explain censuses and how they can be used for genealogy.

The first US census, the one taken in 1790, contains information on people born before the American Revolution. The 1930 schedule contains information on people who are still living. With census records, it is possible to trace a family line from a living person back to an ancestor born more than 250 years ago.

For the years 1790 through 1840, census records list only the name of the head of the household. They do not give the names of other people living in the house. The number of other people in the household is grouped by age and sex.

Beginning in 1850, the name of every household member was recorded. The 1850 census lists the name, age, sex, color, occupation (of those over 15), birthplace (country or state), married within the year, attended school this year, cannot read or write, and whether deaf, blind, or insane. Additional questions were added to later schedules. The 1860 census asks the value of each head of household's personal estate. The 1870 census indicates if the parents of the individual were born in a foreign country and asked about the U.S. citizenship of every male aged 21 years or older.

In 1880, the birthplace (country or state) of the parents of each individual was added. Relationship between the head of household and other members of the household is identified. This is the first census to be indexed by Soundex, but only for those households in which a child under ten was living.

Most of the 1890 population census was destroyed by a fire in 1921. A separate census of Union veterans and widows of Union veterans was saved.

The 1900 census asked the number of years of marriage, the year of immigration, citizenship status, the month and year of birth, number of months not employed, number of months attended school, can speak English, home owned or rented, mortgage status, farm or house, and for married women, the number of children born and the number of children then living.

The 1910 census is similar to 1900. Survivors of the Civil War are indicated.

In 1920, the year of naturalization was added. Also included is the 'mother tongue' of the individual. Deleted items are: number of years of present marriage, number of children, survivor of Civil War, weeks out of work, and if blind, deaf, or dumb.

© 2000-2006

Connie Lenzen, CG