Free Genealogy Info In The US Census
- Leslie Ryan
- Jan 22
- 3 min read
One of the greatest FREE tools available to Family Historians is the US Census which has been gathering information about residents of America every 10 years since 1790. You can find an instant family snapshot chockful of information.
The Census counts how many people are living where, so that every state will have the correct number of representatives in Congress to speak for their interests. This was not just citizens; information was to be gathered about everyone living at one address whether owner, renter, servant, or slave in some years.
The 1840 Census only named the head of household and a breakdown by age group of males and females. 1850 got a lot more informative as seen in this screenshot of my 2nd great grandparents in the highlighted areas.
In Household #134 Henry Dorsey was a 34 year old laborer from Ireland, his wife was 36 year old Winifred, also listed as a laborer and if you move over to the next to last column on the right you will see that she was unable to read or write. The last person counted was a 64 year old Irish woman named Martha Golden, whom we now know was Winifred's mother. She, however, was counted as being able to read and write!
In 1850 and 1860 slaves were counted on separate Census schedules by owner and residence with their ages, gender and color. If you are doing African American research these can be used to back into where your ancestors were living and possibly their owners as they often took their surnames as their own when freed.
To search for your family in the US Census, start with what you KNOW. Make notes on how your family name might have been misspelled or spelled differently, i.e. Smith, Smythe, etc. If your ancestor was born before 1950, start in the most recent Census of 1950 which counted everyone in the household born as of June 1, 1950.
Each Census has different information gathered, 1950 includes what their job was, and how many hours they worked each week for example. In addition to occupation, 1940 asked how many years of schooling they had, and where they were living in 1935. In 1930 they collected the ages of the main couple when they first married, where their parents were born, and what languages they spoke! This is great stuff!
Again, this information can be gathered FOR FREE at FamulySearch.org
or at Our National Archives at https://www.archives.gov/research/census/online-resources. It is also easily accessed at the regular subscription sites, and these will pop up as HINTS if you have your tree started there.
According to the Associated Press we are facing “widespread potentially catastrophic event from Texas to the Carolinas,” this weekend with ice and snow storms. This will be a good weekend to stay home safe and warm and do some genealogy research if you are able! If you would like some FREE help with your tree or with Free Genealogy Info in the US Census, shoot me an email at WhoIComeFromInfo@gmail.com
Remember to PROTECT your PETS, PLANTS and PIPES, and keep an eye out for your neighbors this weekend.
Blessings and gratitude to all of you,
Leslie Ryan
No compensation is received for any referrals or information herein.
No copyright infringement is intended.
For more great Fashion History, check out this website, Fashion History Timeline, at https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1950-1959/
