PACRAWFO-L Archives

From: "Daniel H. Burrows" <>
Subject: [PACRAWFO-L] CENSUS -- Part 1
Date: Wed, 01 Sep 1999 23:25:11 EDT

I tried posting this in one installment and it never showed on the list.
Part 2 will immediately follow.

CENSUS RECORDS -----
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THEM
by Dan Burrows, Orange County (NY) Genealogical Society

Note: This is a handout I use when giving a lecture at our annual basic
genealogiy course. It contains a couple of paragraphs on NYS Census
research also.

FEDERAL CENSUS RETURNS 1790 - 1920 (and beyond)

Census returns are beyond doubt the most informative source of
genealogical information for the period of 1790 through 1920 (and
beyond). It cannot be over emphasized that every possible census must be
researched and compared for every person of your surname of interest in
order to get a full picture of the family structures they enumerate.

The first Federal Census was taken in 1790 as a method of
proportioning representatives in the government as well as a means
distributing the tax burden according to the spread of the population. A
count of able bodied men for military purposes cannot be overlooked
either. An excellent genealogical research tool is merely a great
byproduct of this endeavor.

The 1790 census enumeration was limited in that its purpose was
to count the population. It did so by listing the number of males under
16, males 16 & over, and females (all ages listed together). There was
also a column for slaves and another for "other free persons".
Fortunately the names of heads of households were listed. In 1908 the
1790 census was printed in book form for each state and nicely indexed.
It is of course advisable to look at the original (on microfilm),
especially if you cannot find the family where they should have been.
These statewide indexes are a great aid in locating families when you are
not sure where they lived within a state.

The federal census records from 1800 through 1840 are also very
limited in information. They also list the name of the head of household
and a breakdown of household members by sex and age. The age increments,
as we shall see, became smaller with each succeeding census allowing us
to get a closer idea to the ages of each child. As earlier stated, only
by comparing all available census years for a family and all persons of
your surname of interest, can you get them most out of these early
enumerations. The information, when combined and studied, can easily
lead you to other sources such as deeds, wills, church or other local
records.

The censuses of 1800 and 1810 listed five age categories for
white males and 5 for white females, but otherwise contained no more
information than the 1790 census.

The census of 1820 added one addition age category for white
males in addition to giving age categories for other free male and female
persons. It asked how many "foreign and not naturalized" and whether
engaged in agriculture, commerce, or manufacturing.

The census of 1830 listed 13 age categories for white males and
13 for white females, 6 each for other free persons and 6 each for
slaves. The family picture begins to get much clearer at this point but
we must remember that all person listed were not necessarily family
members. Questions about the blind, deaf and dumb were asked for the
first time.

The census of 1840 had the same age and sex breakdowns but
counted persons engaged in mining, agriculture, commerce, manufacturing,
ocean navigation, canal or lake or river navigation, and learned
professors and engineers. The often overlooked bonus of the 1840 census
was the listing of names and ages of revolutionary war pensioners.

Beginning with the censuses of 1850 and 1860, a clearer picture
of the households can now be seen. Besides the head of household, other
persons living in the house are listed showing their sex, age, color,
profession, value of real estate, place of birth, married within the
year, in school within the year, able to read & write, and whether or not
deaf & dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict. There are also
slave schedules listing the owner of the slaves and other information by
age and sex.

The information that you have assembled from the various previous
census schedules will probably start to take better shape. You may also
find a few surprises. It cannot be over emphasized that it is equally,
if not more, important with these records to record all information from
each census year about all the persons of your surname of interest in the
locality (and surrounding areas) you are searching. A household with
just one person with your surname might later turn out to be important
relatives that will lead you to more information.

The census of 1870 adds information about value of personal
property, whether or not the parents are foreign born, and the month of
birth or marriages if the event occurred within the year. It was asked
whether or not the males were eligible to vote.

The census of 1880 is in a class of its own due to the fact that
relationships to the head of household (but not to each other) are now
added and no longer have to be guessed at. Do not assume the
relationship is as stated -- perhaps the niece is really just a wife of a
nephew. Marital status, health questions, and unemployment questions are
asked. Alleged states or countries of birth are listed for each
person's father and mother (these are often incorrect). A partial
Soundex index (households with children under the age of ten) was done by
state will be discussed under indexes.

The census of 1890 has mostly destroyed by fire in 1921. Very
little exists at all but the Veterans (or widow of a veteran) special
census also taken that year has survived.

The census of 1900 added the questions of "month and year" of
birth of each individual, "number of years married", and the "mother of
how many children". Important questions of "year of immigration and
"number of years in the US" along with occupational, educational, and
financial information make this a gold mine of information.

The census of 1910 asked how many children still living, what
language spoken, and if a Civil War Veteran in addition to the same
questions as the 1900 census except birth date was omitted.

The census of 1920 was similar to the 1910 but also asked the
"mother tongue of the parents of each individual.

A sneak preview of the census of 1930 shows that they asked if a
radio was owned, age at first marriage, and if a veteran of any war.


STATE CENSUS RECORDS


Many states have taken their own census enumeration and they are
readily available through filming of the Mormon Church at government
centers. For the most part they are not indexed and availability varies
with locality. State Census Records by Ann Lainhart will give you a
listing state by state of which censuses are available.

New York State conducted census enumeration for 1825, 1835, and
1845 that were similar to the federal returns for that period in that
they only listed the head of household and grouped the rest of the
household by age and sex. 1855, 1865, and 1875 took the format of the
1850 Federal census with the major difference being that relationship to
head of household was given. The 1865 and 1875 NY State censuses also
contained deaths and marriages for the period of 1 year prior to the
census date of June 1st -- a great source of untapped vital records for
the most part. The 1865 NYS census also listed persons who had died in
or of injuries from the Civil War since April 1861.

Probably the most important NY State census enumeration is the
1892 which was kind of the halfway mark between the 1875 and 1905 that
nicely fills the gap left by the destruction of the 1890 Federal Census.
Unfortunately many have been lost including Orange County but they do
exist for some other areas. 1905, 1915, & 1925 have been a great help in
recent years because of the delayed release dates of the Federal 1910,
1920 and the anticipated release of the 1930. State censuses are not
indexed unless done locally. Again -- check all censuses and all families
with your surname of interest.


INDEXES FOR 1790 THROUGH 1870 FEDERAL CENSUSES

There are now indexes for the 1800 through 1860 (and some 1870)
in book form by state. Remember the printed 1790 had its self contained
index. Never assume the surname is was spelled as you know it now. These
indexes can be very helpful but bear in mind there are certainly a
multitude of mistakes contained within them and they certainly not
complete. Names were misread and occasionally skipped, and some of the
basic index rules were not followed to the letter. Naturally 1800 - 1840
indexes contain only the head of household while the 1850 and later
indexes also list a person who lived in a household with a different
surname and sometimes the person at the top of the next page even if they
have the same surname. This can be very helpful when trying to locate
all family members as many times older children were hired out and living
with friends, neighbors, and often relatives.


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• [PACRAWFO-L] CENSUS -- Part 1 by "Daniel H. Burrows" <>