The United States Federal Census
The United States Federal Census should be the researcher's first stop while digging for family history.
Mandated by the Constitution (Article 1, Section 2), a census has been taken every ten years since 1790.
The Federal Census contains information such as place of residence, family groupings, age, race, occupation, country of origin, year of immigration, language, military service and more. In order to protect the privacy of living individuals, United States Federal Census information only becomes available to the general public after 72 years.
Serials and
Periodicals:
Margo Anderson, "The Census and the Federal Statistical System: Historical Perspectives," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 631 (2010): 152.
Coontz, Stephanie, "Why American Families Need the Census," The ANNALS of the
American Academy of Political and Social Science , 631 (2010): 141.
Websites:
US Census Bureau site contains information such as historical data : http://www.census.gov/genealogy/www/data/index.html
The National Archives website does not contain census records (except for 1940), but does contain online microfilm catalogs: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/
American Factfinder contains data, maps, patterns and surveys: http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml
Databases:
FamilySearch contains digitized files of federal censuses: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/list#page=1®ion=UNITED_STATES
Youtube Video:
1940 Census, The National Archives describes the story behind the 1940 Census.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xowzij1Ixuo&feature=plcp
Subject Headings:
Census of population; Census of the United States; Census Statistics; Census tracts;
Census districts; Census--History; Census monograph (United States. Bureau of the Census); Census--United States--Maps.
Using Census Records for Family Research:
The following chronicles a family researcher's discovery of important evidence derived primarily from census records.
http://thedeadbeatssociety.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/a-bird-of-passage-my-great-great-grandfather-angelo-ventresca/
Mandated by the Constitution (Article 1, Section 2), a census has been taken every ten years since 1790.
The Federal Census contains information such as place of residence, family groupings, age, race, occupation, country of origin, year of immigration, language, military service and more. In order to protect the privacy of living individuals, United States Federal Census information only becomes available to the general public after 72 years.
Serials and
Periodicals:
Margo Anderson, "The Census and the Federal Statistical System: Historical Perspectives," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 631 (2010): 152.
Coontz, Stephanie, "Why American Families Need the Census," The ANNALS of the
American Academy of Political and Social Science , 631 (2010): 141.
Websites:
US Census Bureau site contains information such as historical data : http://www.census.gov/genealogy/www/data/index.html
The National Archives website does not contain census records (except for 1940), but does contain online microfilm catalogs: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/
American Factfinder contains data, maps, patterns and surveys: http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml
Databases:
FamilySearch contains digitized files of federal censuses: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/list#page=1®ion=UNITED_STATES
Youtube Video:
1940 Census, The National Archives describes the story behind the 1940 Census.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xowzij1Ixuo&feature=plcp
Subject Headings:
Census of population; Census of the United States; Census Statistics; Census tracts;
Census districts; Census--History; Census monograph (United States. Bureau of the Census); Census--United States--Maps.
Using Census Records for Family Research:
The following chronicles a family researcher's discovery of important evidence derived primarily from census records.
http://thedeadbeatssociety.wordpress.com/2012/11/15/a-bird-of-passage-my-great-great-grandfather-angelo-ventresca/