In a previous post we discussed the United States Census 1790-1840. Today we’ll be taking a look at the 1850-1930 censuses and what they can tell you.
1) 1850 Census – Though remember this doesn’t necessarily mean they were all related. But from 1850 onward, it becomes much easier to identify a family of your ancestry based on census information. It may also help you to identify the same ancestors in earlier censuses when not as much information was given. The 1850 Census asked each household the following:
* Name, age, sex and color of every person in the household.
* Occupation of each Male person over age 15.
* Value of real estate owned.
* Place of birth of each person.
* Asks if the person was married within the year.
* Did the person attend school within the year.
* Can each person over the age of 20 read and write.
* Is the person deaf, dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, a pauper or convict
Married “within the year” means during the year before the official census day. That would fall between June 1, 1849 and May 31, 1850, for the 1850 census.
1850 Census information is available for Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota Territory, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico Territory, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon Territory, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah Territory, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin.
2) 1860 Census – The 1860 Census asked each household the following:
* Name, age, sex and color of every person in the household.
* Occupation of each Male person over age 15.
* Value of real estate owned.
* Value of personal property owned
* Place of birth of each person.
* Asks if the person was married within the year.
* Did the person attend school within the year.
* Can each person over the age of 20 read and write.
* Is the person deaf, dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, a pauper or convict
Married “within the year” falls between June 1, 1859 and May 31, 1860, for the 1860 census
1860 Census information is available for Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
3) 1870 Census – The 1870 Census asked each household the following:
* Name, age, sex and color of every person in the household.
* Occupation of each male.
* Occupation of each female.
* Value of real estate owned.
* Value of personal property owned.
* Place of birth of each person.
* Asks if the person married within the year.
* Asks if the parents of a person are of foreign birth.
* If a person was born within the year, the month of birth was given.
* If a person was married within the year, the month of marriage was given.
* Did the person attend school within the year.
* Can the person read and write.
* Is the person deaf, dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic.
* Is the person a male citizen over 21.
* Is the person a male citizen over 21 who cannot vote.
Married “within the year” falls between June 1, 1869 and May 31, 1870, for the 1870 census.
1870 Census Information is available for Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
1880 Census – The 1880 Census asked each household the following:
* House number and street name.
* Name, age, sex and color of every person in the household.
* If a person was born within the year, the month of birth was given.
* Relationship of each person to the Head of Household.
* Is the person single, married, widowed or divorced.
* Asks if a person was married within the year.
* The occupation of each male.
* The occupation of each female.
* Asks how many months was the person unemployed during the census year.
* Asks if a person was sick or temporarily disabled, and if so, the nature of the illness.
* Asks if a person was blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, maimed, crippled, bedridden or permanently disabled.
* Did the person attend school within the year.
* Can the person read and write.
* Place of birth of each person.
* Place of birth of each person’s father and mother.
The 1880 census is more valuable than any previous census asking the standard questions in addition to providing a street and house number of residence, birth place of a person’s parents and the relationship between each person in the household, if any. Married “within the year” falls between June 1, 1879 and May 31, 1880, for the 1880 census
1880 Census information is available for Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
1890 Census – The 1890 Census asked each household the following questions:
* House number and street name.
* Name, age, sex and ethnicity of every person in the household.
* If a person was born within the year, the month of birth was given.
* Relationship of each person to the Head of Household.
* Asks if the person is single, married, widowed or divorced.
* Asks if the person was married within the year.
* Occupation of each male.
* Occupation of each female.
* Asks how many months the person was unemployed during the census year.
* Asks if a person was sick or temporarily disabled, and if so, the nature of the illness.
* Asks if a person was blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, maimed, crippled, bedridden or permanently disabled.
* Asks if a person attended school within the year.
* Asks if a person read and write.
* Place of birth of each person.
* Place of birth of each person’s father and mother.
To the devastation of many doing genealogical research, most of the 1890 Census was destroyed in a fire in 1921. Small fragments of the 1890 census survived but even those that did are usually incomplete. Fragments of surviving schedules exist for Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma and Indian Territories, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Washington DC and United States Vessels and Navy Yards.
1900 Census – The 1900 Census asked each household the following:
* House number and street name.
* Name and sex of every person in the household.
* Relationship of each person to the head of household.
* Color/ethnicity of each person.
* Month and year of birth of each person and their age on their last birthday.
* Asks if the person is single, married, widowed or divorced.
* Asks how long has a person has been married.
* Asks how many children have been born to females and how many of those children are still living.
* Place of birth of each person.
* Father’s and Mother’s place of birth.
* Asks if an immigrant, the year of immigration to the United States.
* Asks how long an immigrant has been in the United States.
* Asks if the person is naturalized?
* Asks the profession, occupation or trade of each person over age 10.
* Asks the number of months a person was unemployed in the year.
* Asks if a person attended school within the year.
* Can the person read and write.
* Can the person speak English.
* Does the family own or rent the home, is it mortgaged and is it a farm or a house.
The 1900 census is particularly helpful in that it asked the month and year of birth for every person in the house. Sadly, this is the only census that asked for that information. Another fantastic question asked here, Mother of how many children and number of these children living, can help you know if you’re missing record of a child. The 1900 Census is available for all of the United States and it’s territories.
1910 Census – The 1910 Census asked each household the following:
* Name of street, road, avenue etc and house number.
* Name of each person.
* Relationship of each person to the head of household.
* Sex and color/race of each person.
* Age of person at last birthday.
* Is person single, married, widowed or divorced.
* How many years has the person been married in their present marriage.
* Mother of how many children and how many still living.
* Place of birth of each person.
* Place of birth of the father and mother of each person.
* Year of immigration to the US.
* Is theperson an alien or naturalized.
* Can the person speak English. If not, what is language spoken.
* Occupation, trade or profession of person.
* General nature of industry, business or where this person works.
* Is the person an employer, employee or working on own account.
* If an employee, was the person working on April 15,1910.
* How many weeks during the year 1909 was the person unemployed.
* Is person able to read and write.
* Did the person attend school since Sept. 1, 1909.
* Does this family own or rent home.
* Is home owned outright or mortgaged.
* Is the dwelling a farm or house and if a farm, what is the number on the farm schedule.
* Is the person a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy.
* Is the person blind, deaf or dumb.
As the census goes on, more and more extensive questions are asked. The 1910 Census is available for all of the United States and Puerto Rico
1920 Census – The 1920 Census asked each household the following:
* Name of street, road, avenue etc and house number or farm.
* Number of dwelling in order of visitation.
* Name of each person.
* Relationship of each person to the head of household.
* Is home owned or rented, and if home is owned it is free or mortgaged.
* Sex and color/race of person
* Age of person at last birthday.
* Is this person single, married, widowed or divorced.
* What is the year of immigration to the United States.
* Is this person naturalized or alien.
* If naturalized, what is year of naturalization.
* Did this person attend school at any time since Sept. 1, 1919.
* Is this person able to read and write.
* Place of birth of this person.
* Place of birth of father and mother.
* If foreign born, give mother tongue.
* Is person able to speak English.
* Occupation, trade or profession.
* Industry, business or place of work.
* Is this person an employer, salary or wage worker, or worker working on own account.
* Number on farm schedule.
The 1920 census is available for all of the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
1930 Census – The 1930 Census asked each household the following:
* Name of street, road, avenue etc. and/or house number
* Name of each person.
* Relationship of each person to the head of household.
* Is the home owned or rented.
* Value of home if owned or monthly rental amount.
* Does the family own a radio set.
* Does the family live on a farm.
* Sex and color/race of each person
* Age of person at last birthday.
* Is this person single, married, widowed or divorced.
* Age when this person first married.
* Has this person attend school since Sept. 1, 1929.
* Is this person able to read and write.
* Place of birth of this person.
* Place of birth of the father and mother of this person.
* If person is foreign born, what is the native language.
* What year did this person immigrate to the US.
* Naturalized or alien.
* Is this person able to speak English.
* Occupation, trade of profession of person.
* Industry, or business name.
* Class of worker.
* Was person at work yesterday or the last regular working day.
* If not, list the line number of the Unemployment Schedule.
* Is this person a veteran of the U.S. Military or Naval forces and if so what war or expedition
* Number of farm schedule.
The 1930 census is the latest available census to the public at this time and is available for all of the United States, American Samoa, Guam, Panama Canal, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
