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SEARCHING THE CENSUS

SEARCHING THE CENSUS. THROUGHOUT HISTORY, LISTS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KEPT. Census: Latin - meaning a count of people & their property for tax purposes. The decree that Caesar sent out was for Tax Purposes. – “that all the world should be taxed.” Luke 2:1.

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SEARCHING THE CENSUS

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  1. SEARCHING THE CENSUS

  2. THROUGHOUT HISTORY, LISTS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KEPT • Census: Latin - meaning a count of people & their property for tax purposes • The decree that Caesar sent out was for Tax Purposes. – “that all the world should be taxed.” Luke 2:1

  3. Census-type records have been around for a long time… • Chinese Taxation Record 2275 BC • England Taxation Record 1086 AD William the Conqueror’s Doomsday Book • Inca “Quipus String” 1500 AD

  4. Quipu ("knot") - Quipus were knotted-string devices that were used for record-keeping in the Inca empire. Quipus recorded both statistical information (e.g., census data and tribute records) as well as "cues" that were consulted by Inca officials to recount genealogies, histories and other types of narratives. Quipus were largely replaced by written documents soon after the Spanish conquest of the Inca empire (beginning in 1532).

  5. Kinds of Census Records Today United States • Federal Census, every 10 years since 1790 • State Census, in between Federal Census • Colonial & Territorial Census, since 1700 • Veterans Census, 1840 & 1890 • Mortality Schedules. Exist for 1850, 60, 70, 80 & some states in 1885 • LDS Church Census, 1914, 1920-60 every 5 yrs • Other Church Census

  6. Kinds of Census Records Today Foreign • Census Records are kept by most countries • See Research Outline for the country – To get Research Outlines online, see references at end of handout

  7. WHY SEARCH CENSUS RECORDS ? • They contain valuable information • Most people are listed • Readily Available • Easy to Search

  8. Most People are in a Census Year People • 1790 4 M • 1890 63 M • 1990 248 M • 2000 281 M

  9. What do Census Records Show? • 1790-1840, only Head of household & number of children • 1850 and later, added names, age, sex, birth place and occupation for everyone. • 1880 and later, added relationship to head of household, marital status and birth place of father & mother for everyone. • 1890 was almost all destroyed by fire. • 1900 shows the most information

  10. Finding Someone in the Census is usually a Two-Step Process • First find them in an Index • Then find them in the Census How do we Search the Census?

  11. Kinds of Indexes • Book Indexes, alphabetically indexed by name of head of household • Soundex, an index of names that sound alike, using names of head of household. • Many CDs in the Library • Key Internet Sites - Ancestry

  12. BOOK INDEXES • 1790-1850 Exist for all states • 1860-1880 Exist for some states. See FHLC They are indexed alphabetically by Head of Household

  13. SOUNDEX INDEXES – Names are coded so that names that sound alike are grouped together. – For Example: • Russell, Rusel, Risel, Rasoll, Resallei all have the same code R240 • Schurman, Sherman, Shireman, Shurman all have the Soundex code S655. – Names are listed by this Soundex Code

  14. SOUNDEX CODES Can be obtained from: • Books in the Library near Census films on the north wall. Filed by each state. • PAF 4 or 5 – Click on Tools, Soundex Calculator, and then enter the name.

  15. CENSUSES that are SOUNDEXED • 1880 For all states (Now obsolete – Why?) • 1900 For all states • 1910 For 29 states only – all on CD • 1920 For all states • 1930 For 10 states plus 2 partial • All on Ancestry.com

  16. – For U.S. Census click on United States Index, U.S. – Census. See list of sites. – For Foreign Census click on Census Related Sites World Wide, International… INDEXES on the INTERNET Key Internet Sites from FamilySearch: • Go to Familysearch.org, then click on Search, Web Sites, Key Genealogical Sites, Cyndi’s List. Then:

  17. Soundex Example Find Family of Andrew Anderson in the 1920 Utah Census 1. Determine Soundex Code From Book or PAF – Code for Anderson = A536 2. Find the Soundex Film for Utah that contains code A536

  18. Finding Andrew Anderson Cont. 3. Find Names with Code A536 on the Soundex Film 4. Then Look for First Name Andrew 5.Write Down: • County • E.D. # • Sheet # • Line #

  19. 4 1 2 3

  20. The following Information was obtained from the Soundex Film: • County = Sevier • E.D. Number = 113 • Sheet # = 4 • Line # = 36 This Leads to the family in the Census Film

  21. 1920 Census – Andrew Anderson Family

  22. PROBLEM – Identify these People

  23. What is Known • Name = Joseph Fischer • Born 23 May 1882 • Probably in St. Louis, Missouri • Had at least 7 brothers and sisters • His father’s name could be Frank

  24. Choosing a Census • Since Joseph Fischer was born in 1882, we would expect to find him in the 1900 censes as an 18 year old boy with several brothers and sisters Find the Soundex Code • Fischer Soundex Code = F260

  25. Find Joseph Fischer on Soundex Film • Examine all cards with F260 codes, looking for a Fischer family having several children with one named Joseph about 18 years old. • Required looking through whole roll of film • Only one Fischer family in the whole roll of F260 names matched our criteria of having several children with one named Joseph about 18 years old

  26. Soundex Cards for Fischer Family City= St Louis E.D. = 9 Sheet = 12 Line = 27

  27. Census Record with Fischer Family

  28. Head = Frank Fisher, b. Mar 1850 in Germany, Parents born Germany, married 25 yrs, immigrated to U.S. 1868, Naturalized, furniture mfgr. • Wife = Josephine, b. Sep 1855 in Germany, Parents born Germany, mother of 10, 8 living. +Frank Jr., b. Aug 1877 age 22 +Alvina, b. Sep 1879 age 20 +Joseph, b.May 1881 age 18 + 4 other children b. 1883-1897 Summary of 1900 Census Record

  29. Finding Missing Child, 1880 Census

  30. FHLC under Author/Title Section Started 1914 then 1920-1960 every five years FHLC Computer Number 134899 1914-1920 Film Number 0271394 Not taken 1945 - war Incomplete - not all wards and stakes are available Valuable in finding branch, ward, stake, town, state. Often find complete families. Taken to keep track of membership growth EXAMPLEL.D.S. Church Census Records

  31. EXAMPLE – Foreign Census ECUADOR DENMARK

  32. The Spirit of Elijah is Strong We are getting more and more records from countries that were once closed to us such as---

  33. Russian Census Type Records

  34. Find Your Ancestor In The A. I. S. THIS WAS PUT TOGETHER FROM CENSUS AND CENSUS TYPE RECORDS SUCH AS LAND AND TAX RECORDS. IT IS ON MICROFICHE - LOOK FOR YOUR ANCESTORS BY THEIR SURNAME. IT IS A VERY VALUABLE TOOL IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHERE THEY WERE AT THE TIME YOU ARE HUNTING FOR THEM.

  35. Find Your Ancestor on theI N T E R N E T • Click on: • Search, • Search by Locality • – Choose a State • Example: Missouri

  36. Census Images are free at the FHL and at FS, $70/year otherwise. A Great Deal While you are here

  37. 1930 CENSUS • 1930 Census was just released for our use in April 2002! (72 yr hold) • Census Rolls 2,668 • Soundex Rolls 2,650 • E.D. Color Maps 30 • Only 10 Southern States are fully Soundexed, 2 others partly

  38. Problems with the Census Typical Census Enumerator

  39. Errors occur in all Records Many of the census index books have whole sections explaining problems for that census. An enlightening chapter found in the 1880 Chicago, Cook County Illinois Index Book was --- “THE PRINCIPLES OF UNDERSTANDING CENSUS BLOOPERS AND CENSUS INDEXING” Census Errors History of United States Census

  40. Family did not know the information. They were paid by the name enumerated. Not home - take information from a neighbor, servant, or employee. Poor Storage Census Errors– Cont. • Misspelling or Spelling Disabilities • Variation of Names and Name Spellings • Nicknames • Negligence • Cultural Phonics

  41. One surname may be spelled many ways! Neuharth Neuhart Neihart Newharth Nythart Newhardt Newhart Neythart Neyhardt Neuthard Neyhart Newhard Neidhardt Newhardt Nythart Newhaard Neithart Nehart Neuthert Neihardt Nyhart

  42. ERRORS IN THE JANUARY 1856UTAH TERRITORIAL CENSUS • Utah territory is preparing for statehood. • Population counts. (The more the better) • Records were inflated by adding additional children to families. • According to authorities, the census books were “cooked”.

  43. Verify census data with data from other records THE FINAL BURDEN OF PROOF IN DETERMINING CORRECTNESS OR INCORRECTNESS LIES WITH THE RESEARCHER

  44. In Summary • Search Census First • Easiest records to Search • High probability of finding your people • Readily available on film, CD & Internet • Contain much valuable information • Verify results with other records • See References in handout for more info.

  45. Copy and Evaluate Your Information • Continue to re-analyze material previously obtained in light of new material. • Originally “meaningless”clues may suddenly become important. • Use other Records with the Census, follow the clues!

  46. As the sands of time continue to slip by, make each moment of your mission here at the family history center count as you search in the library in the CENSUS RECORDS

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