Genealogists use Federal Censuses as a basis for locating ancestors and learning more about them. The Federal Census, in my opinion, is the second most important step in your family history research.
The Federal Census may have detailed information that gives us a peek into the personal lives of our ancestors.
Interviewing living relatives is the first step in researching your tree, and using the Federal Census is the very next step you should take.
You can follow along with the video GENEALOGY RESEARCH SERIES: FEDERAL CENSUS.
Or you can read about here.
What is a Census Record?
A census record is a survey taken by a government, (county, state, or Federal). The Census aims to count the population of the country, in the location where each person lives.
Our founding fathers believed that it was so important to conduct a census that it was mandated by Article 1 Section 2 of the Constitution and was to take place every 10 years.
The census was mandated to ensure that communities get the right number of representatives in their governments.
Why Do Governments Need a Census?
Representation in America is determined by the population of a certain area. Data taken from the Census determines the number of seats each state has in the US House of Representatives.
Representation is not the only reason for the census.
Federal funds and grants that support local governments in cities, counties, and States, are also based on population totals. The census helps the Federal government decide how much money is to be given for schools, hospitals, roads, and other public entities.
The first Federal Census was taken in 1790 and continued to be taken every 10 years since. The last census taken was 2010. A census must be 72 years old before its released to the general public, because of the personal information about families that are recorded in a Census. The 1940 census was the most recently released census. It was released on April 2, 2012.
The 1950 Census will be released on April 2022.
Exploring the Census
I will be exploring the use of the Federal Census for genealogical research in this post. There have been 16 Federal Censuses released to the public beginning with the 1790 and the ending with the most recently released, the 1940 Census.
Because there have been 16 Federal Censuses available to genealogists, I will explore one Census at a time beginning with the most recent Census released, the 1940 Census, and work our way backward. This will take several posts to cover the subject sufficiently.
Information Varies from One Census to Another
This series will examine each census and evaluate the data that can be retrieved that is beneficial in genealogical research.
The data found on census records vary from year to year. Census data is recorded on a standard form specific to that year. For instance, the 1790 census has a different set of data categories than the 1850 Census has.
The more recent censuses have better information relating to our families, but none of them can be discounted for research.
What Can We Learn From Census Records?
1790-1840 Censuses
Censuses before 1850 have limited information about our families. The head of the household is listed, but the other members in the family are only tallied in age bracket categories. The categories include the number of free white males and females and the number of slaves. These early censuses, while helpful for identifying families, should be used alongside other documents to build your family tree.
1850-1870 Censuses
1850, 1860, and 1870 Censuses have each person listed by name and age. The head of the household is listed first, usually the husband/father, the mother, and then the children listed from the oldest to the youngest. Relationship to the head of the household is not listed, but with the help of later censuses or other documents, you can establish those relationships.
Other categories include sex, occupation, and place of birth.
1880-1940 Censuses
These censuses are loaded with helpful information about our families. Beginning with the 1880 Census you can find the names of individuals with their ages and relationship to the head of the household. Each of these censuses has different information on them that help fill in the personal details about our ancestors. The exception is the 1890 census. Almost all of the 1890 census was destroyed in a fire. There are a few fragments of that census, but not many.
Census Records Online
Years ago, searching the Federal Census was a very time-consuming way to research your family tree. It was a necessary step in your genealogy journey, but it meant reading hours and hours of microfilm to locate your family.
Today it is much easier. Many genealogy websites have copies of the Federal Census and they are searchable by entering your ancestor’s names.
Some sites will give you a transcribed version of the record along with a digitized copy of the actual image. Be sure to look at the image of the census record because transcribers can make mistakes.
Census Records were handwritten and taking a look at the actual page of the census record may clear up questionable transcriptions. Not all census enumerators have the most pristine handwriting skills.
Valuable to Genealogists
The Census records can help genealogists learn details about ancestors and their family groups. They give us a glimpse into the personal lives of our families and how they may have lived. Researching the U.S Census is a great tool that helps us move backward from generation to generation and the details we learn will enrich the stories of our histories.
STAY TUNED!
Stay tuned to the Genealogy Research Series for tips on how to trace your family tree.
I will be adding more posts about the Census Records and the specific information we can gather from them.
Remember, I will teach you what records will help you learn about your ancestors and where to find them.
So, if you are interested in tracing your family tree and don’t know where to begin, or if you have been just dabbling with genealogy a little bit and are ready to get serious about it, then stick around for lots of information to guide you on your journey.
You can go to this PAGE for a list of other posts and videos in the GENEALOGY RESEARCH SERIES that are guaranteed to guide you in your search for ancestors!
Until then,
Happy Hunting!
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