In previous articles, we taught you how to get started on your family history by searching for a relative in the 1930 U.S. Federal Census. We followed up by teaching you how to decipher the information in the 1930 census and showing you what other records it could point you to (e.g., an immigration year might lead you to passenger lists or naturalization records). Finally, we taught you how to create a basic family tree where you could save this record, along with all the names, dates, and facts you gleaned from it.
Once you’ve located a family member in the 1930 census, besides looking to other records (immigration, military, vital, etc.) that the information in that census points you to, it’s a good idea to start tracing your ancestors back through other census records. You may be able to trace back quite a ways since we offer a complete set of available census records dating back to 1790, the first year the federal census was taken. This complete set is not available anywhere else online.
However, each census is a bit different from the one before, and the information tends to get more limited as you go back in time, though it can still be very useful for putting together a picture of your family’s history.
Knowing these basic facts about each census should help you as you trace back through the years and make the most of each record.
1900 Through 1920 U.S. Federal Census Records (1900, 1910, 1920)
The 1900 census includes some of the most precise information recorded in any of the census records, including those that came after. It is the only census that records the exact month and year of birth of every person enumerated. All the censuses before and after, to-date, include only ages.
The 1900 census is also the only census to include the number of years a couple was married, the number of children born to the mother, and how many of those children were still living.
In addition, this census was the first (though not the only one) to indicate how long an immigrant had been in the country and whether he or she had been naturalized; whether individuals owned a home or farm, or merely rented it; and whether owned property was free of mortgage.
The 1910 census included a unique question about whether the individual was a veteran of the Union or Confederate army or navy, which could lead you to Civil War records.
The 1920 census included a new question about the year of naturalization (as opposed to just whether the individual was naturalized or not) as well as new questions about the mother tongue of the individual and his parents. This information can be helpful because boundary modifications in Europe after WWI caused some confusion about what country of origin people should list. Knowing your immigrants’ native tongue can help clarify their origins.
An image of the 1920 census for Agana, Guam. The 1920 census was also the first to include individuals from Guam, American Samoa, and the Panama Canal Zone.1890 U.S. Federal Census Record
One of the great tragedies for family historians is that most of the 1890 U.S. census was destroyed by a fire in the U.S. Commerce Department in 1921.
However, Ancestry.com has created an 1890 Census Substitute to assist researchers looking for family members who were alive during this time. It contains fragments of the original 1890 census that survived, veterans schedules, several Native American tribe censuses from the time, city and county directories, and voter registration documents.
To access the 1890 Census Substitute, click here.
1860 Through 1880 U.S. Federal Census Records (1860, 1870, 1880)
The 1860, 1870, and 1880 census records have less information than those that followed, but still contain a significant amount of information that is very useful to family historians.
The 1860 census was the first that asked the value of people’s personal estates; however, because people may have lied to avoid paying taxes, the accuracy of this information is questionable.
The 1870 census was the first to include the country someone came from if they were of native birth. It also included whether aliens were naturalized and eligible to vote.
The 1880 census was the first to provide the address where individuals were living (street name and house number). It was also the first to indicate individuals’ relationship to the head of the household; any illness or disability at the time of the census; marital status; the number of months unemployed during the year; and the state or country of birth of every person’s mother and father.
An image of the 1880 U.S. census from Henryville, Renville, Minnesota. 1850 U.S. Federal Census Record
The 1850 U.S. Census is sometimes referred to as the first modern census because it was the first to record the name of each individual in the household, and because of the improved census-taking techniques. For instance, enumerators were specifically instructed to visit each house they enumerated, rather than rely on word of mouth for information.
Besides including the name of every person in the house, the 1850 census included the individuals’ ages; the occupation of every male older than 15; the value of any real estate owned; the place of birth of every individual (usually only the state or territory); whether the person was married within the year or attended school within the year; and whether the individual was “deaf,” “dumb,” “blind,” “insane,” “idiotic,” “pauper,” or “convict.”
All of this personal data makes the 1850 census extremely valuable to researchers.
In addition to the “standard” census forms, the 1850 census also included a slave schedule. A schedule is simply another portion of census records to be filled out for a certain group of people.
The slave schedules, also available on Ancestry.com, include the name of the slave owner and the number of slaves, including their age, sex, and color. Unfortunately, they do not include the names for most slaves. There is also a slave schedule for the 1860 census.
1790 Through 1840 U.S. Federal Census Records (1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840)
The 1790 census was the first U.S. census and was taken in order to determine the population so that the appropriate number of seats could be assigned in the House of Representatives—also, to assess federal taxes. After that, censuses continued to be taken every ten years.
The government did not provide printed forms for the census until 1830; before that, everything was handwritten.
From 1790 to 1840, only the names of the heads of household were recorded. Others were tallied according to age, gender, and race.
For example, the 1790 census asked for the name of the family head; the number of free white males 16 years and older (so that the country’s industrial and military capabilities could be determined); the number of free white males under 16; the number of free white females; the number of slaves; and the number of “other” persons.
Although only the heads of household were listed by name, these censuses can still be useful for identifying a locality for your family, so that you can search for other records. In addition, they can help you distinguish your family from others of the same name; determine family size; locate possible relatives with the same name; identify immediate neighbors who may be related; identify slaveholders; and spot spelling variations of surnames.
A 1790 U.S. census record for Brookfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut. Note that only the head of household is listed by name; other family members are tallied by gender, age, etc. in the columns to the right.
An 1810 U.S. census record for Renton, Kent, Delaware. The 1810 census asked for the name of the family head; the number of free white males and females in the following age groups: 0 to 10, 10 to 16, 16 to 26, 26 to 45, 45 and older; the number of free persons except Indians who had not been taxed; and the number of slaves.
The 1830 Census was the first one to be taken on pre- printed forms. It also included expanded age categories; information about the deaf, dumb, and blind; and information on the number of “aliens,” or unnaturalized individuals. The information in this article will help you get the most out of your search through the censuses, but you may want even more detailed information and research tips on individual censuses as you locate family in a particular year. One helpful site, which provides the instructions given to the enumerators, is http://usa.ipums.org/usa/voliii/tEnumInstr.shtml.
*The information in this article came from Finding Answers in U.S. Census Records, by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Matthew Wright.
