How many of us >have >failed to read the instructions for searching the census? I know I've >been >guilty of just assuming what I see was the truth, and subsequently, may >have >dismissed some census, especially those in the time period previous to >1850, >as not being the correct line, because it didn't fit my preconceived >notions >of the number of people in that family. Of course, people being people, > >these instructions may not have been totally followed by every census >taker, >but it does help to know about this surprising instruction. > > > > Here are some details about the mechanics of taking a census that >most of >us probably haven't paid much attention to. Beginning with the 1790 >(first) > > federal census and continuing with every census thereafter, each >enabling > > law authorized by Congress specified a census day for gathering the >census information from every household in America. From 1790 to 1820, >the >census day was the first Monday in August. > > > > The census day was NOT the day the enumerator arrived at a household, >it >was the day for which all the statistics of the census were collected. >The > > actual instructions given to all the U.S. Marshals right before the >1820 > > census explains: > > > > "....all the questions refer to the day when the enumeration is to >commence; the first Monday in August next. Your assistants will thereby >understand > > that they are to insert in their returns all the persons belonging to >the > > family on the first Monday in August, even those who may be deceased >at >the time when they take the account; and, on the other hand, that they >will >not include in it, infants born after that day." > > > > Similar instructions have been given for every census since 1790, but > >with different census days. Census day for each census, 1790-1920, and >the >time allowed to take the census: > > > > 1790 2 August 9 months > > 1800 4 August 9 months > > 1810 6 August 10 months > > 1820 7 August 13 months > > 1830 1 June 12 months > > 1840 1 June 18 months > > 1850 1 June 5 months > > 1860 1 June 5 months > > 1870 1 June 5 months > > 1880 1 June 1 month > > 1890 1 June 1 month > > 1900 1 June 1 month > > 1910 15 April 1 month > > 1920 1 January 1 month > > > > Genealogists should record two dates when copying information from >the > > censuses: the census day and the enumeration date. No matter how many > >months it took for an enumerator to reach a house, he was supposed to >gather the > > information as if time had stopped on the census day. Every person >whose > > regular abode was in a particular household on the census day was to >be > > enumerated, even if a person were away at the time of the >enumeration. > > > > Understanding the impact of the census day versus the enumeration >date >may explain why certain people appear in a census listing, even though >you >have other evidence to show the person died before the household was >enumerated. If a person were alive on the census day, that person was to >be included - even if it took some time for the enumerator to get around >to the house >to take the census. The person could have been dead for several months. > > > > Or, you may wonder why that youngest child in a family was not listed >in >a census. If a child were born after the census day, that child was not >to >be included - even if the census taker had visited the house and was >aware >of a playful little toddler crawling around in front of him. > > > > For example, on the 1880 Census the information was to be as of 1 >June >1880. Births before 1 June would be counted; those coming after 1 June >would >not be counted. People dying before 1 June would not be enumerated but >those > > dying after 1 June would be enumerated. That means if someone died >June 2 > > but the census was not enumerated until 15 September, the person >would be > > enumerated as though he were living. > > >This was forwarded to me by a genealogy friend; do your friends a favor >and pass it on.