Information Found in Census Records
  • Name
      1790–1840: Lists head of household only.
      1850–1870: Lists each resident.
      1870–1930: Asked names of slaves and Native Americans.
  • Address
      1880–1930: Lists street name and house number.
  • Birth Information
      1790–1840: Lists number of residents within specified age categories.
      1850–1930: Lists age and birthplace of each individual.
      1880–1930: Lists birthplace of each person’s mother and father.
  • Marriage Information
      1850–1890: Asked if married within previous year.
      1880–1930: Lists marital status.
      1910–1930: Asked age at first marriage.
  • Death Information
      1850–1880: Includes mortality schedule, lists data on persons who died within a previous year.
  • Children
      Pre-1850: Lists number of residents within specified age categories.
      Post-1850: Lists each child by name and age.
  • Relation to the head of household
      1880–1930: Lists each person’s relationship to the head of household.
  • Citizenship/Immigration/Naturalization
      1820: Lists number of persons not naturalized.
      1830–1840: Lists number of aliens.
      1870: Asks if parents were foreign born and if adult males were citizens.
      1880–1930: Lists birthplaces of parents.
      1890: Asks if naturalization papers had been filed.
      1900–1930: Asks for year of immigration to the U.S. and naturalization status.
      1930: Asks if a different language was spoken before immigrating to the U.S.
  • Occupation
      1820–1840: Lists employment statistics in agriculture, commerce, and manufacturing.
      1840: Includes statistics on mining, trade, navigation, engineering, and "learned professions."
      1850: Lists the occupation (including military service) of any male over the age of fifteen.
      1870: Lists the occupation of any resident, regardless of gender.
      1880: Lists the periods of employment during the census year.
      1910–1930: Lists industry as well as occupation.
      Each census asks questions concerning unemployment.
  • Military Service
      1840: Lists the name and age of military pensioners, or their widows.
      1850: Lists the occupation (including military service) of any male over the age of fifteen.
      1880: Lists enumerations of military personnel, reservists, civilian employees, and base residents.
      1890: Lists military service in Civil War, if any. An 1890 military schedule provides service details.
      1900: Lists military personnel serving abroad.
      1910: Asks all males over fifty-five if they served in the Civil War.
      1930: Asks all residents if they were veterans, and if so, from which conflict.


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