Genealogical Tips and Information
On the census you find one female occupation listed as ‘House Keeper’ and for another‘keeping house’. Is there a difference? The ‘House Keeper’ is employed; ‘keeping house’ ismaintaining your own household, doing the cleaning yourself, usually the wife and/or daughter. Ref: ‘family tree magazine’, December 2017, p. 31.
The circled (X) on the 1940 U.S. Federal Census, indicates who is providing the information to the census taker.
Native American information can be found in the 1930 U.S. Federal Census – Column 19 will provide the person’s degree of Indian blood, column 20 will provide the person’s tribalaffiliation. Per ‘family tree magazine’, December 2017, p. 30
She is the ‘Consort’ of Elijah means she is married, or rather, her husband outlived her. She isthe ‘Relict’ of Elijah means she is ‘widowed’, or rather, she outlived her husband.
Yes, the 1840 U.S. Federal Census is loaded with ‘tick’ marks, but did you stop to look at the far right edge of the second page? If you are so blessed, you may find a Revolutionary War Pensioner Ancestor listed in the household (This ancestor is either the head of house himself, or related possibly in some way to the head of house).
Is your ancestor a Confederate or Union Army or Navy Civil War vet? Check out column 30 in the 1910 U.S. Federal Census.
Want to know if an ancestor was in the Army or Navy and mobilized to a war or expedition? Check out Column 30 and 31 of the 1930 U.S. Federal Census.
Your father owns or rents the farm, he is listed as a ‘Farmer’; you work on the family farm, you are listed as a ‘Farm Laborer’. Your father earns ‘OA’, you earn ‘W’, or rather, your father earns his ‘own allowance’ (he is working for himself), whereas you are earning a ‘wage’.
In the 1940 and 1950 U.S. Federal Censuses, a relative was asked a ‘Supplemental Question’, lucky you. Did you look to the bottom of the page to review those Supplemental Questions? If you haven’t, you may be missing out on a few more details in their life; so go back and take a peek.
In the U.S. Federal Censuses..., for the ones that ask about one’s health, did you ever come across the statement: “Lying In”? If so, that female relative recently had a baby.
Your ancestor immigrated into the United States – so what does the AL, PA, or NA stand for? AL = she or he is still an ‘Alien’; PA = First Papers have been submitted; and NA = she or he has been naturalized, they are now a Citizen of the United States.
I see that one of my ancestors is listed as an ‘inmate’, does that mean that she or he is in jail? Inmate means they were in a hospital, asylum, or some other facility where they were being tended to. Or, if the census indicates this is a jail, it may mean they are being detained as a witness until the trial - so read the rest of the line they fall on for hopeful further details.
We throw the word immigration around a lot, but what is the difference between immigration and emigration? Immigrants are the folks moving in. Emigrants are the folks moving out. Leaving England – an emigrant. Moving into the U.S. – an immigrant. And yes, there are both types of records.
In column 30 of the 1930 U.S. Federal Census, I find an ancestor who is listed as a veteran. What do the codes in column 31 mean? WW = World War; Sp = Spanish American War; CW =Civil War; Phil = Philippine Insurrection; Box = Boxer’s Rebellion; and Mex = Mexican Expedition
Want to know the various meanings to most of the abbreviations on the 1930 and 1940 census? Look to the bottom of the page. ☺
Where were your ancestors on the 1st of April 1935? Take a look at the 1940 census to find out.
Mr. and Mrs. Baker have 5 children, yet the census states they have been married for 2 years, why is that? Mr. Baker was married once before. Also, look at the age of the last child to see if the child is his and that of the new wife.
Mr. and Mrs. Grover have 5 children, all but one child bear the surname of Taylor, and, the census states Mr. and Mrs. Grover have been married for 2 years, why is that? Mrs. Grover was married once before to a Mr. Taylor. (Note: It does not always mean Mr. Taylor died previous to this marriage). (And, possibly, the Taylor children could be related in some other way, depending on what census record you are reviewing).
Ever wonder if an ancestor was married more than once? Check out Personal Description column #8 of the 1910 U.S. Federal Census. M=married; M1=first marriage; M2=2nd marriage;M3=3rd marriage, etc. Please note, not all census takers noted if first, second, or otherwise.
How many children did she have? How many are still living? Check out the 1900 and 1910 U.S. Federal Census.
Depending on the state and the state’s census year, you can find things such as: the wife’s maiden name; birth county, state, or country; in the Army or Navy now (a good thing if it is for the 1865 state census); relationship to head of house (Fed Census doesn’t state relationships untill 1880); number of children born this parent (and number currently living); various disabilities; Religious Beliefs; Subject to Military Duty; and more.
Ever check out school records/censuses – you may learn the parent’s name, child’s name and child’s date of birth, the Post Office (area where they live), and date (date the card was signed).
Is someone indicated as deaf, dumb, idiot, insane in the 1880 U.S. Fed. Census? Check out the 1880 Defective Ancestors List on Ancestry.com
The Social Security Applications and Claims Index may contain more information than the Social Security Death Index, especially if the person is female (may contain married name(s) she was listed under, and, it may contain the names of the person’s parents. This index can be found on Ancestry.com
A Guide to Interpreting Passenger List Annotations -- https://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/Manifests/
Census records that provide immigration clues – (1820, 1830 & 1850-1950); however, more specifically...
1900 will provide immigration year, number of years in the U.S., and naturalization status.
1910 will provide immigration year and naturalization status.
1920 will provide immigration year, and naturalization status, and year of naturalization if naturalized.
1930 will provide immigration year and naturalization status.
1940 will provide citizenship of the foreign born.
1950 will ask if the person is naturalized; otherwise, if born aboard to American Parents
Immigration/Naturalization Sources:
o Passenger Lists – (if there are numbers later written in after their name, good indication“person later applied for naturalization”). See https://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/Manifests/
o St Albans Passenger Lists (1895-1956) – many folks came to the U.S. by way of Canada Boarder Crossings
o Arrival Manifests (planes)
o Alien Registration Records / Cards
o Immigration Lists
o Visa Records – https://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/visa-records
o Declaration of Intent – “A declaration of intent expired if the immigrant didn’t file apetition to naturalize in a timely manner. Therefore, you might find multiple declarationsfor one person.” (See definition later below).
o Petition to Naturalize
o Naturalization Application Papers
o Oath of Allegiance (See later below)
o Alien Case Files – “...investigations into citizenship applicants." applicants." https://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/aliens
o Emigration Records
o Many of the above can be found on www.ancestry.com; www.familysearch.org; www.MyHeritage.com; and www.FindMyPast.com
o Immigration and Naturalization information -- www.archives.gov/research/immigration
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U.S. Federal Census are conducted every 10 years, since 1790. For privacy reasons, census records are released after 72 years – meaning: 1940 censuses came out in 2012; and the1950 censuses came in 2022; and the 1960 census will come out in 2032.
State Census, they are usually conducted in the middle of a decade. I.E. 1905, 1915, 1925,etc. However, not always, some states took censuses at other times of the year as well. Some took an 1892 census, (a nice make-up for the loss of the 1890 Census). Some states involved only certain counties.
Canadian Censuses are conducted the first year after the decade. I.E. 1901, 1911, 1921, etc.Canadian Censuses are released after 92 years – meaning, 1911 Canadian Census came outin 2003 and the 1921 Canadian Census came out in 2013 (actually, they were late). The 1931Canadian Census should come out in 2023.
England, like Canada, conducts their censuses the first year after the decade as well. England censuses are released every 100 years, meaning, 1911 was released in 2012, and 1921 should be released by 2022. Note: The 1931 England Censuses were destroyed by fire –Scotland records survived; and no census was conducted in 1941 due to the war. As a resultof this gap a 1939 England Register has been released – if you are a ‘Find My Past’ or‘Ancestry.com’ customer, you will be able to view this register.
Burial Websites: www.findagrave.com; www.billiongraves.com; www.abmc.gov; https://gravelocator.cem.va.gov; www.interment.net; http://usgwarchives.net
How to Search United States WWII Military Records. https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/military-records-search-ww2-us/
Most of us have discovered that YouTube.com can be a cool site to go to for genealogical training materials and videos, but have you discovered you can also find training videos on how to USE various genealogical software and/or web hosted programs such as: AncestralQuest, Legacy Family Tree, Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, Find A Grave, and more? Give it a go, see what you find, better yet, see what else there is to learn about these software programs and/or web hosted sites.
One-Step Web Pages – https://stevemorse.org/
Charts and Forms, Resources for the Genealogist, via the National Archives –https://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/charts-forms?_ga=2.196341996.1933460973.1628183111-670033820.1626579008
1950 Instructions to Enumerators (Reading this may assist in understanding the questions asked, or why it was asked) – https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/technical-documentation/questionnaires/1950/1950-instructions.html
1950 Census, via FamilySearch. (You’ll love this one – it shows the question being asked). Besides information, here are other forms & questions within the census –https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/United_States_Census_1950
U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 – One of our viewers, SharonRichardson, provided this suggestion: The Social Security Applications and Claims Index “lists any name changes. Great way to find women's married names. I solved one mystery because a man had changed both his first and last names, and it was on the index.” Thank you very much Sharon.
A health term in the 1880 U.S. Federal Census. The person was listed as having: Anxious Laziness – that was a new one. I googled the terminology. Anxious Laziness is a mental emotional health issue. One suffers with Anxiety so extreme as to render them exhausted after working a few moments, so exhausted as to be described as Anxious Laziness. This form of extreme anxiety was (and still is) considered a disability. (Today, there is treatment, more so than in 1880).
What is a ‘Gretna Green’ – https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Gretna_Greens_in_the_United_States
Have you ever checked out a City Directory? Perhaps this could be your next gold mine ofinformation. City Directories may not only provide where a relative was residing, it may providean address, occupation, and, others in the household. Be sure to check all of the same surnamed persons on the directory page. Check out Ancestry; FamilySearch (Misc PublicRecords), and My Heritage. My Heritage has a feature I really like “See who else lived at this address” – you might be in for a surprise or two.
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More census tips via Charlotte County Genealogical Society.Inc - https://ccgsi.org/