Common questions

How is the 1940 census different than the ones that followed it?

How is the 1940 census different than the ones that followed it?

Census records are the only records that describe the entire population of the United States on a particular day. The 1940 census is no different. Some questions asked in earlier years were moved to the supplemental census, a 5 percent sampling of the population (or two people listed on every page of the census).

What are the headings on the 1940 census?

The 1940 Census gives the same basic information obtained from previous census years: name, age, place of birth, family relationships, place of residence, gender, education, and citizenship.

What is Code A on census?

Code A – leave blank. 9-12 Personal Description. 9 Sex – Male (M), Female (F). 10 Color or race.

How do I access the 1940 census in one step?

It is available for online searching free of charge at http://1940census.archives.gov or Population Schedules for the 1940 Census. In order to locate someone, it may be helpful to know his or her address and the Census enumeration district in which that address was located.

What does citizenship 4 mean on census?

According to this a 4 in the citizenship column, means that the person was foreign born, but an American citizen at birth.

Can you complete census without code?

You can request a new access code to start a new census if you’ve lost or not received a code in the post. This can be sent out to you either via text message or by post. A new access code, however, will start a new census which means any questions previously answered you will lose.

What is the difference between a census tract and zip code?

Census tracts are polygons and cover a well-defined geographic area. ZIP codes are clusters of lines; the U.S. Postal Service does not define ZIP Code boundaries. Census tracts provide more granularity (73,000 areas) than ZIP Codes (43,000).

How do I find my name in the 1940 census?

What was the date of the 1940 census?

An original blank 1940 Federal Decennial Census Population Schedule. The census day was April 1, 1940. The 1940 census questionnaire was printed on 23 3/4″ x 12 1/2″ paper. These double sided forms provided space for 40 entries on each side plus two additional lines for the 5% sample questions.

What did the code m mean on the 1940 census?

The enumerator wrote “M,” meaning the person was married. The code “7” was written in later to show that the person did not have a spouse living with them. (This could have been for any number of reasons, including the spouse was working elsewhere or had abandoned the household, or the enumerator was wrong or was lied to.)

Is there an occupation code on the census?

These codes were put on the census pages well after the enumeration was done, and therefore provide no additional information. However, sometimes knowing the code can help you determine the occupation in cases where the quality of the microfilm is poor or the handwriting of the enumerator is difficult to read.

What did the Census Bureau write on census pages?

The Census Bureau did statistical analysis after the census was taken and wrote some of their codes on the census pages. Sometimes you will see “M 7” as a marital status. The enumerator wrote “M,” meaning the person was married.

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Ruth Doyle