What Kind Of Data Is Included In The Census?
Census records helps you trace the migratory patterns of your ancestors, the number of people in their households, and even discover relatives by alternate name spellings. Although they can contain mistakes, they are a great way of checking information obtained from other sources. Not all United States' censuses are available to the public, because the Privacy Act of 1974 stipulated that no federal records less than 75 years old be released to the public. Below are censuses from year 1850 to 1930.
1850, 1860: By 1850, federal censuses began to include more information. For every free person living in the household is a record of name; age; sex; race; occupation; value of real estate owned; birthplace; marital status; school attendance; literacy; convict status; and
slaves set free. For each slave there is a record of the slave owner; slave's age, sex, and race, as well as whether the slave was a fugitive or not. The 1860 census includes the number of slave houses and value of personal estate.
1870: This census contains the same information as 1860, as well as month of birth or marriage if occurred within the year; denial of vote for reasons other than rebellion; and whether parents were foreign born.
1880: Indexed alphabetically by name, this census records the name, age, sex, marital status, race, sickness or disability, months unemployed during the year; school attendance, literacy, relationship to the head of the household, and birthplace of person and parents.
1890: The 1890 census was almost completely destroyed by fire and only portions exist.
1900: Address; name; relationship to household head; sex; race; age; marital status; foreign birth; year immigrated to U.S.; naturalization status; school attendance; literacy; birthplace of person and parents; native language; ability to speak English; occupation; home ownership or rental; and original amount of mortgage, balance due, and interest rate.
1910: This offers all the information included in previous censuses, as well as each female's number of children born and number living; language spoken if not English; survivor of Union or Confederate army or navy. It also lists the Indian tribe or band when applicable.
1920: Same as the preceding years, it does not have a separate American Indian listing as the 1910 census did, nor does it indicate how many years married or whether a person served in the Confederate or Union forces during the Civil War.
1930: Address; name; relationship to household head; home ownership or rental; rental fee; radio ownership; farm residence; sex; race; age; marital status; age at first marriage; school attendance; literacy; birthplace of person and parent; native language; year of immigration; naturalization status; ability to speak English; occupation; industry; worker class; veteran status; and for American Indians, whether of full or mixed blood and tribal affiliation.
Most states also have instituted their own censuses. Whenever possible, inspect the census of the state in which your ancestor lived if only to verify the information from the federal census. Census information is at national archives depositories, and can also be found at many historical libraries and public libraries.
