Beginning Lesson #14 US Federal Census Records DearREADERS, Lesson #6 introduced the idea that there are a number of government records available to help you with your family history research. Today let's discuss one of the first choices of genealogists, namely US Federal Census Records. They are most useful for locating a family every ten years. Once you put your ancestor in that specific locality, you can look for land and courthouse records for more documentary evidence. Here is a listing of each census and the type of information available: 1790 head of household by name number of free white males number of slaves 1800 head of household by name free white males by age groups free white females by age groups number of slaves 1810 head of household by name free white males by age groups free white females by age groups number of slaves 1820 head of household by name free white males by age groups free white females by age groups number of slaves number of male & female slaves by age groups number of foreigners (meaning not naturalized citizens) 1830 head of household by name free white males by age groups free white females by age groups number of slaves number of male & female slaves by age groups number of foreigners (meaning not naturalized citizens) number of deaf, dumb, blind by categories 1840 head of household by name free white males by age groups free white females by age groups number of slaves number of male & female slaves by age groups number of foreigners (meaning not naturalized citizens) number of deaf, dumb, blind by categories whether receiving federal military pension whether attending school 1850 all household members by name sex color birthplace occupation value of real estate whether married within the year deaf, dumb, blind, insane whether a pauper whether a convict whether able to read, write whether attended school during last year 1860 all household members by name sex color birthplace occupation value of real estate value of personal property whether married within the year deaf, dumb, blind, insane whether a pauper whether a convict whether able to read, write whether attended school during last year 1870 all household members by name month of birth if born during last year sex color birthplace occupation value of real estate value of personal property whether married within the year month of marriage if married during last year deaf, dumb, blind, insane whether able to read, write whether attended school during last year whether father or mother of foreign birth 1880 all household members by name street name & house number relationship to head of family month of birth if born during last year sex color birthplace occupation marital status whether married during last year whether disabled whether crippled, maimed or deformed time unemployed during census year deaf, dumb, blind, insane whether able to read, write whether attended school during last year birthplaces of father and mother whether father or mother of foreign birth 1890 only 6% remains due to fire damage 1900 all household members by name street name & house number relationship to head of family month of birth if born during last year sex color birthplace occupation whether naturalized and when number of years in US whether home, property mortagaged marital status time unemployed during census year whether able to speak English whether able to read, write whether attended school during last year birthplaces of father and mother whether father or mother of foreign birth number of living children if a woman whether soldier, sailor or marine duing Civil War (Union of Confederate) or widow number of years in present marriage number of children born 1910 all household members by name street name & house number relationship to head of family sex color birthplace occupation whether naturalized and when number of years in US whether home, property mortagaged marital status time unemployed during census year whether deaf, dumb, blind or insane whether able to speak English whether able to read, write whether attended school during last year birthplaces of father and mother whether father or mother of foreign birth number of living children if a woman whether soldier, sailor or marine duing Civil War (Union of Confederate) or widow number of years in present marriage number of children born mother tongue 1920 all household members by name street name & house number relationship to head of family sex color birthplace occupation (3 categories) whether naturalized and when number of years in US whether home, property mortagaged marital status whether deaf, dumb, blind or insane whether able to speak English whether able to read, write whether attended school during last year birthplaces of father and mother whether father or mother of foreign birth number of children born mother tongue mother tongue of father mother tongue of mother year of naturalization Federal census records for 1930 and later are currently protected by right to privacy laws. As you can see from this line-up, quite a lot of pertinent information can be gleaned from the US Federal Census Records. You will be viewing the census records on microfilm arranged by state, county and enumeration district. Microfilms are available at your local National Archives Field Branch, your local LDS Family History Center, the AGLL (American Genealogical Lending Library), state archives (films for that state only), as well as your public library if they belong to the National Archives Microfilm rental program or have purchased the microfilms as part of their regular collection.