Augusta Genealogical Society offers tips on using census for genealogy
Have you taken the time to really look at census records?
If you are having trouble locating your ancestor or writing a narrative of their life or just seeking proof of relationships, the census is a good place to start.
Keep in mind that over the years questions changed the way the census was presented. New questions were asked and other questions deleted. Therefore, it is important to look at each one individually.
Personal descriptions are a good place to start, especially if you discovered people with the same name and you are trying to determine which is your relative. The censuses can reveal to you the ethnicity of the person and the household by age and sex. Some early censuses listed the number of slaves in a household, whether male or female. Another asked for the number of other persons of certain mixed origin, as well as Asians and Indians. This can be very useful for minorities or Indians, who are researching their families.
Later censuses asked for each person’s name, age or birth month or date in the household. This is helpful if you are trying to prove kinship and relationship to the head of the household. That relationship should be closely reviewed, because a person listed could be a domestic worker or boarder and not related. Also review how many children a mother had given birth to and how many were living at the time of the census. Another interesting question is the number of males eligible and ineligible to vote.
A good clue when researching nationality is to review the questions that ask the number of persons in the household that were “Foreigners Not Naturalized”; the name of the country where each person was born or if the mother and/or father were foreign born. Other censuses ask for the place of birth of the mother, father and all others in household.
An additional query is whether the person is naturalized or if papers have been taken out to be naturalized at the time the census was taken. Documentation of the year of immigration to the U.S. or the number of years in U.S. offer clues if you are looking for the home country of your ancestors. You may not be looking for a relative in another country – it could be as simple as learning a parent was born in another state. Narrowing down the location and the time period to search could help point you to information about where they lived.
Health, military service documented
You would not expect to find a person’s health record on the censuses, but there is limited information. Censuses had a place to indicate whether a member of the household by age was “deaf or dumb, blind or insane, an idiot, crippled, deformed, maimed, a pauper, convict or homeless.” Did a person suffer from a chronic disease; and if so, what was the name of the “defect”? This, together with the death certificate, might be important information on hereditary health issues.
Military service was also addressed on many censuses. There was a place to report those who served in the Revolutionary War, Civil War or Military Service, or classified as a widow. These details may help with lineage research or if you are trying to obtain membership in a genealogical organization.
Education was another important factor. Some censuses asked to list the school grade completed. Another asked if he/she could read or write. Did he/she attend school this year and the number of months attended during the year. Was the person in school during the last year? Could the person over the age of 21 read and write? There were questions asked of whether the ancestor spoke English and what was the mother’s native language.
Type of work
Occupation was asked on most census surveys with questions about the type of employment the family was engaged in – agriculture, commerce, manufacture, mining, ocean navigation, river/canal/lake navigation or learned professions and engineers.
From time to time, it was asked if the person had been unemployed and, if so, the number of months. Others asked how long the employment was during the year, designate employee or employer or self-employed/working on own account, and unemployment periods. A question asked during the depression era was related to assignment to public emergency work such as the WPA, NYA, CCC, etc.
Women and children were not left out. There were questions for them; such as, were you engaged in home housework, in school, unable to work or other.
The Agricultural Census Schedule is a good place to find out more about farm life. It asked questions such as how much land was improved or unimproved, the cash value of the farm together with the cash value of the equipment and machinery, and the kinds and number of livestock. Other questions were about the number of each type of plant raised at the farm and seed or bushes produced.
Were your ancestor’s wealthy? The value of their real estate or personal property listed may give you a clue. Use the online Inflation Calculator to get an idea of their worth. An example: personal property valued at $1,500 in the1800s would be valued today at $32,344.76.
Where your ancestors lived is important for your research. Later censuses ask for street, house number and family number. This information can assist in locating relatives by looking at those who lived next door or nearby.
One census asked if the family lived in a city/town/village of 2,600 or more, did they live in a state or in a foreign territory or on a farm, did they rent or own their own home and was it mortgage free?
Census records are available on the internet – some sources are free and some charge a fee. Local libraries usually have census records available and local genealogical societies have surrounding areas available.
State censuses are underutilized but can be a valuable source of information that is not available in the national censuses.
You may be surprised that looking closer at censuses may give you that clue that you had overlooked and might open doors that had been previously shut.
If you have a question for the Augusta Genealogical Society, e-mail it, with “Ancestor Search” in the subject line, to AugustaGenSociety@comcast.org.
How to visit
The Augusta Genealogical Society/Adamson Library is located at 1058 Claussen Road, Suite 108, in Augusta. The library is open by appointment only with assistance by a volunteer Librarian of the Day. Length of time per visit is three hours for a maximum of two patrons who must adhere to CDC guidelines. Nonmembers also may visit for a small fee. To make an appointment, email AugustaGenSociety@comcast.net and allow one week for a response.
Quarterly program
The next Augusta Genealogical Society Virtual Quarterly Program, “Tips and Tricks for Researching Family Search,” will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 25. To register, email AugustaGenSociety@comcast.net.
