Use the 1940 U.S. Census Research Guide for detailed ancestry research.
This is an essential guide for researching the 1940 U.S. Census. The 1940 U.S. Census is a list of questions asked to the U.S. Federal Population in 1940. The census captures the moment in time for each person recorded in the 1940 Census.
Use this guide to learn about and discover the stories of the people who lived during and before the 1940s. With the 1940 U.S. census information, you can, for starters, build individual and family profiles, write narratives, build family trees and find related records to research.
Table of Contents for 1940 U.S. Census Guide
The 1940 U.S. Census Research Guide for Beginners contains the following sections:
- Additional 1790-1950 U.S. Federal Census Resources
- Important Details about the U.S. 1940 U.S. Census
- How to Search and Use the 1940 U.S. Census Data
- How 1940 U.S. Census Can Lead to Military Records
- Use the 1940 U.S. Census to Calculate the Birth Year
- What is the 1940 U.S. Federal Census?
- What Can You Find in U.S. Census
- Questions Asked in the 1940 U.S. Census
- Author B. Schreiber’s Introduction to U.S. Census Research
Why use the Essential 1940 U.S. Census Research Guide for Beginners
This guide is based on 1,000s of hours of my first-hand experience in researching the U.S. Censuses for purposes related to writing individuals and family narratives, family history, and genealogy. Writers, family historians, and genealogists can, for example, use this essential research guide to:
- Learn 100’s of census research tips and tricks
- Correctly connect related individuals and family
- Complete and extend ancestral family trees
- Recognize, decipher and use clues from census data
- Build and expand individual family profiles
- Learn about and find other historical records
- Conduct exhaustive background research for writing narratives
- Write compelling individual and family narratives
- Find local, regional, state and national record repositories
Why the 1940 U.S. Census Research Guide was written
I’m Author B. Schreiber, a professional writer and blogger. I first started researching the U.S. Censuses to gain background information for stories and narratives I was writing about individuals and families I was related to.
Researching the U.S. Censuses can be complex and overwhelming. I spend hundreds of hours learning about each census and how to solve my research problems. This 1940 U.S. Census Research Guide is a compilation of what I learned and continue to apply. I am sharing this information because I understand how frustrating U.S. Census research can be. Perhaps this knowledge can help you. See the section: Author B. Schreiber’s Introduction to the U.S. Census.
Additional 1790-1950 U.S. Federal Census Resources
Essential censuses research guides
Click on any of the following years, and you will be taken to that years’ essential census research guide:
Census and historical record research articles
Throughout this U.S. federal census guide, please find links to resources that I have specifically prepared to help you. In addition, I have written and assembled other resources to provide you with a more in-depth understanding of the census research process. I have tried to cover every possible question and angle you are likely to face in your U.S. census research. I would encourage you to use the resources often. The resources include:
- 35 Important U.S. Census Research Tips and Tricks
- Pre-1850 U.S. Census Research Tips for Historians
- Where to find 1850-1940 Censuses Research Clues
- Introduction to 1790-1940 U.S. Censuses Ancestry Research
- How to Use Naming Patterns in Ancestry Research
- 5 Step Ancestry Research Process for Historians
- How to Cite and Verify Ancestry Research
- How to Conduct Detailed Exhaustive Historical Research
- Introduction to Ancestry Research and Historical Records
- 15 Strategies to Find Ancestor Names in Historical Records
- Keep Ancestry Research Focused with These 28 Simple Tips
Where to find the 1940 U.S. Census online. The following are some standard resources I have consulted:
Details about the U.S. 1940 U.S. Census
The following are a few of the details that are important to understand about the U.S. 1940 U.S. Census:
Number of persons included in the 1940 U.S. Census: 132,164,569 people were living in the United States.
1940 U.S. Census day: April 1, 1940, and was completed by May 31, 1940
1940 U.S. Census duration: 1 month
1940 U.S. Census geography:
- States and territories enumerated: 48 states, District of Columbia and seven territories were included in the census.
- Territories included: Alaska, American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, Panama Canal Zone, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands
- The available states include: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
A few essential facts about the 1940 U.S. Census include:
Numeration date. The numeration date is April 1, 1940, and was completed by May 31, 1940.
President during the census. Franklin D. Roosevelt
Census privacy
The 1940 U.S. Census was ordered to keep the answers to the census strictly private and could not share the information with anyone. This was the beginning of the 72-year privacy rule. The general public would not be allowed to view the content of the census for 72 years.
Social Security Death Index
If an individual is listed in this census, make sure you check the Social Security Death Index.
Census maps
The Census Bureau produced maps for every district visited by the enumerators (census takers). Each enumerator was the household in the order it was found. The Number of original maps made of the 147,000 enumeration districts. The maps were used as guides for enumerators to personally visit every house, building, tent, cabin, hut or another place where a person might be living or staying. Enumerators were instructed to begin their canvass by carefully checking for completeness and accuracy of the map they were provided. Each enumeration district was designed so a single enumerator could easily canvas it in about two weeks in urban areas or a month in rural areas.
First use of questions asked only on a sample basis
The 1940 U.S. Census was the first in which enumerators asked a random sample of the population (roughly 1 in 20 people or 5%) an extra set of more detailed questions, including place of birth of their mother and father, mother tongue, veteran status (or whether wife, widow or child of the vet), whether deductions for Social Security were made from wages, occupation, industry and class of worker, and, for women who had ever been married, whether they had been married more than once, age at first marriage, and the number of children ever born. All in all, 34 questions were asked of all households, with another 16 asked of the one in 20 samples.
New in 1940. Questions new to the census included residence five years earlier, income, the highest school completed and new, detailed questions on unemployment history. Many of these questions were added to measure the effects of the Great Depression.
Enumerators and personal visits
There were approximately 120,000 enumerators in 1940. In the 1940 U.S. Census, enumerators were told to visit every house, building, tent, cabin, hut or other place where a person might be living or staying. During each visit, enumerators then interviewed residents and filled out their answers on a portfolio-sized book.
How to Search and Use the 1940 U.S. Census Data
Learn how to search and use the data found in the 1940 U.S. Census. In this section of the Essential 1940 U.S. Census Research Guide for Beginners, you are provided a review of each group of the 1940 U.S. Census questions, including research insights, tips and tricks, and must-know information to aid your research.
- Definition: Column equals the column of the census where the information is recorded for each person.
Census Question Table of Contents
The following is a list of the 1940 U.S. Census questions. Each category provides research insights.
- Location Questions (Columns 1-2)
- Household Data Questions (Col. 3-6)
- Name Question (Col. 7)
- Relationship Question (Col. 8)
- Personal Description Questions (Col. 9-12)
- Education Questions (Col. 13-14)
- Place of Birth Question (Col. 15)
- Citizenship Question (Col. 16)
- Residence as of April 1, 1935 Questions (Col. 17-20)
- Employment Status Questions (Col. 21-27)
- Occupation Questions (Col. 28-31)
- Income in 1939 Questions (Col. 32-34)
- Place of Birth and Mother Tongue Questions (Col. 35-38)
- Veterans Questions (Col. 39-41)
- Social Security Questions (Col. 42-44)
- Usual Occupation Questions (Col. 45-47)
Each of the following categories will provide you what I consider to be some of the essential research insights, tips and tricks, and more for each of the questions.
Location Questions (Col. 1-2)
How can I use 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 1-2) location questions in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for columns 1-2
The questions are as follows:
Location
Col. 1: Name of street, avenue, road, etc.
Col. 2: House number (in cities and towns).
We are provided with the city/town/village/borough, county, state and enumeration district where the family resides. This can help in defining geographic areas to search for family and records.
Research tips and insights include:
Counted in order
The dwelling was the Number of houses that were counted.
Cities only
The census taker recorded the following for those living in the city: Name of street, house number, dwelling number in order of visitation, and family number in order of visitation.
Top of the form
At the top of every census form, we are provided with the following information: State, county, township or division of county (e.g., township, town, precinct, district or other civil division), name of institution, ward of the city, supervisor’s district number, enumeration district number and enumeration date and enumerator.
Find someone who lived in a hotel, tourist home, trailer camps, or one-night lodging house
People living in those places, except hotels, were counted on April 8, and people living in hotels were counted on April 9 and can be found on separate pages.
Name of street and Number in urban areas
This census provides the name of the street and house numbers in urban areas.
Use Google maps to find the address
The name was written at the very left of the census page, with the Number written in column 2. See if the house/residence still exists today by placing the address, city and state in Google maps to see what appears.
Find the home of an individual online
When you put the address in websites like Zillow.com and Realtor.com, you can see when the dwelling was built. You will be able to determine if this is, in fact, the same place your family lived in. You can also learn what the home is worth in today’s market, square footage, Number of bedrooms, baths and images. If the homes were built much after 1940, chances are the individual did not live in the home, but rather is the land where your family lived.
Websites
Search online for genealogy-related websites hosted by historical and genealogical societies, city, county, and state libraries/archives, civic and state governments.
Use the address to find the Enumeration District (E.D.) to find your family
If you are having difficulty finding individuals in the census, try searching for the enumeration district. As used by the Bureau of the Census, an enumeration district was an area that could be covered by a single enumerator (census taker) in one census period. Enumeration districts varied in size from several city blocks in densely populated urban areas to an entire county in sparsely populated rural areas. You will need first need to have a physical address for your family.
The address can include the state, county or township, ward, or street name and Number. If you don’t know the address, you can search death certificates of the family that died just before or after the 1930 census, period phone books and city directories, and deed records of the family that owns homes. Once you have the address information, you use Enumeration District (E.D.) search tools found on database sites such as Ancestry.com and Stephen P. Morse‘s website.
As a backup, you enumeration district maps that show boundaries and the numbers of the census enumeration districts, which were established to help administer and control data collection, which you can then use to locate the enumeration district. Do a Google search for “finding enumeration district maps.”
- Enumeration District numbering. Numbering was altered for 52 of the 56 states and territories enumerated. Each county was assigned a number based on the alphabetical order of the county. The specific enumeration numbers would then follow that Number for that county, such as 4-1, 4-15, 6-7, 22-52. American Samoa, the Canal Zone, Guam, and the Virgin Islands did not use this system.
- When no one lived in the Enumeration District, if no one lived in the district, the enumerator wrote: “no population” on the sheet, which was not included in the 1930 census filming.
When you don’t know where your family lived
If you don’t know where your family lived in the 1940 U.S. Census, start your search in the 1930 census. There is a good chance your family stayed in the same place/area.
Expand research with historical and genealogy societies
Search for historical/genealogical society in the county to learn about the community; records developed when your family lived in the area, connect with other genealogists researching the same surname, groups (i.e., church) your family belonged. When you contact societies, ask them what records they have available or exist in the county in the area when the individual lived there.
Use the address as a reference point
I have used the address as a reference to verify that I have the right family when searching other records.
Use the location to find other resources
Use the location to look for resources such as churches, cemeteries, courthouses, schools, funeral homes, libraries and much more.
Use the location to find modern-day repositories
Use the location to identify modern-day record repositories that are near the place your family lived (e.g., historical societies, genealogical societies, libraries, archives, courthouses.)
Household Data Questions (Col.3-6)
How can I use 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 3-6) household data questions in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for columns 3-6
This was the actual Number of families counted. The questions are as follows:
Household Data
Col. 3: Number of household in order of visitation.
Col. 4: Home owned (O) or rented (R).
Col. 5: Value of home. If owned, or monthly rental, if rented.
-
- Where the owner’s household occupies only a part of a structure, estimate the portion occupied by the owner’s household. Thus, the value of the unit occupied by the owner of a two-family house might be approximately one-half the total value of the structure.
Col. 6: Does this household live on a farm? (Y or N)
Research tips and insights include:
Order of household visited
The census is recorded in the order of households visited. Take special note of the dwelling location versus the family number. For example, you could have dwelling 1 and dwelling 2, but you could have families 2, 3 and 4 living in dwelling 2. This could be an apartment building or several families living in the same home. If you have people living in the same building, we need to be asking how they are related.
Learn about the circle of influence
You can begin to build the circle of influence for individuals by seeing who the neighbors were.
Search the neighbors
Often neighbors move with neighbors. Are they the same family? Members of the same congregation? Friends? If you can’t follow family or find the family in the census, see if you can follow neighbors. Are the given names similar among the neighbors and your family? Similar names run in families. This might be a clue that they are more than just neighbors. It has been my experience that neighbors are related even when they don’t share the same name. Look for the neighbors being the wife’s parents, sister of the husband, siblings of the wife, aunts and uncles and so forth. When I couldn’t find someone in location, I searched for known neighbors’ names to find my family. Make sure you include the names of neighbors in your family profile.
Renting/ownership and value of the home (Col. 4-5)
Answers to these questions for searching land and tax records.
Live on the farm (Col. 6)
If you see a yes, this will give you a reason to search land records.
Name Question (Col. 7)
How can I use the 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 7) name question in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census question for column 7
Provides members of the household by name. The question is as follows:
Col. 7: Name of each person whose usual place of residence on April 1, 1940, was in this household.
Enumerators Instruction:
-
- Persons temporarily absent from household. Write “Ab” after names of such persons.
- Children under 1 year of age. Write “Infant” if child has not been given a first name.
- Enter X after name of person furnishing information.
Research tips and insights include:
As of April 1, 1940
ist the persons who lived in the home as of April 1, 1940.
When you see the “X
“An “X” is placed by the name of the person giving the information (informant), defining who provided the information. Was it a family member or other person who helps define the credibility of the information given? If the person was not a family member/household (i.e., Neighbor), the census taker was instructed to write the name of this person in the left-hand margin, opposite the entries for the household, thus: “Information from Mary Schreiber, neighbor.”
Individual names of persons living in the home
A listing of all the people who were currently living in the home was provided. If the individual lived in the home but was absent, their name would be marked with “Ab.”
Understand the census list order
In general format, family members are listed in the following order: husband, wife, children by age, parents, brothers, sisters, and so forth.
Death or birth after April 1, 1940
Individuals who died or the birth of children born after April 1, 1940, were not included in the census.
When you see the word “infant” in the name column
If there was a child under the age of 1 who had not been given the first name, they would be marked as “Infant.”
Establish “Bookends” by following an individual through the censuses
I have found it valuable to follow an individual through the census to create what is called bookends. For example, My great-great-grandfather was born in 1846 and died in 1923. I will then list all the available Federal and state censuses to search for his and his family’s records. This exercise will guide me in knowing where to look and maximize my time. The first census where he could have appeared in 1850, and the last is 1920, thus creating “bookends.”
Follow family through the census
Make it a priority to follow your family through censuses during their lifetime (e.g., federal, state, territorial, and local censuses) as well as census schedules if they exist (e.g., population, agriculture, manufacturing, social statistics, crime, mortality, veterans, slave.)
Check original census images
Always seek to see the images of the original census to compare against the transcription.
Surname spellings
By 1940 most individuals could read and write. It was common practice for the enumerator to ask individuals to spell their surname. As a standard practice, I will always search for the phonetic spelling of my last name.
Using the Soundex to identify spelling variations of your last name
I like to go to the Soundex converter on RootsWeb and use it to gather my alternate surnames.
Search for the same surname
Look closely at persons with the same surname. Could they be a relative? Does the individual show up as a child in the earlier census? Search other records such as deeds, wills to see if the person shows up. Could individuals be in-laws? Check marriages of the entire town, neighboring towns and county for husbands of sisters, aunts, and mothers.
Too many persons with the same name
There have been times when I search for common names such as John Smith, where I have found many options. Let’s say the person you were searching for was John Daniel Smith, who was married to Virginia. The following are few examples of search options for this person or family member. Search 1) DL Smith 2) John D Smith 3) Jon Smith 4) Virginia Smith (a unique first name of a family member can be more valuable than ahead of a household name.) If you still haven’t found your family, use the country and another place of origins (county, state).
Search pages before and after the listing of individuals/families
I have found it essential to search for the surname several pages before and after the page where you find your family. This can also help in suggesting relationships between neighbors. Look for added clues such as given first names, occupations, places of origin. When I contact the genealogical/historical societies, I have often sought to find the genealogists researching these surnames to compare research.
Extract all with the same surname
Make it a practice to extract all the persons with the same surname living in the same county. Are they family? They could be a family connection or related connection, such as where they came from. If your family lives near a state our county border, go ahead and extract the persons with the same surnames from neighboring counties. I have usually found important clues and connections among those with the same surname to enhance my research.
What to do when you find nicknames in the census
If an individual uses a nickname, check to see if you can find the alternate names. See the articles:
- Use Naming Patterns and Nicknames in Census and Record Research
- Search 494 Male Birth Names and Associated Nicknames
- Search 582 Male Nicknames and Associated Birth Name
- Search 606 Female Birth Names and Associated Nicknames
- Search 702 Female Nicknames and Associated Birth Name
Ages of children
I will always look carefully at the ages of the children and associate them with their parents. For example, if the mother is 28 and some children are children who are 10-14, you have to ask the question, “Is this the mother, or a second marriage?” If a woman lost her husband and remarries, she will be listed as a wife, not a widow.
Social Security Death Index
If a person was listed in this census and lived past 1935, make sure you check the Social Security Death Index.
My family just isn’t listed. Is it possible that your family just wasn’t counted? Yes. There are a lot of reasons why a family wasn’t counted. As I have searched the topic, I have seen it possible that up to 15% of anyone’s census could have been missed.
Relationship Question (Col. 8)
How can I use the 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 8) relationship question in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for columns 8
The census asked for the relationship to head of household. The questions are as follows:
Relation
Col. 8: Relationship of this person to the head of the household, as wife, daughter, father, mother-in-law, grandson, lodger, lodger’s wife, servant, hired hand, etc.
Research tips and insights include:
Meaning of Family
For the census, the word “family” means a group of persons living together in the same dwelling. The persons included in this group may or may not be related to each other.
Family relationship titles
In this census, you will be seeing titles such as husband, wife, son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, niece, nephew and so forth. When you see titles such as niece, nephew, uncle, and aunt, you will still need investigation to understand which side of the family they belong to. As you connect research from other census years, this will become clearer.
Nonfamily titles
If the family isn’t related to the family, you will see titles like none, hired, servant, and so forth.
Home-maker title
Home-maker refers to the person who was responsible for the care of the home and family.
- Use of “H.” After the word mother, wife or another term, you will see the “wife-h,” which identifies that person as being related to the head-of-household. Only one person will receive this designation per household.
A wife may not be the mother of children
Please take special note of the wife as to whether she is the mother of the children. Look at age gaps between children. Is the age gap normal? For example, every two years. Are the age gaps more significant than expected? This could be a clue that there was another child or spouse that had passed away. Look at the age of husband and wife. Are they about the same age? Is one spouse much older than the other? If yes, this could be a clue that there is a second marriage. Look at the ages of children and the place of birth. This might provide clues of where the parents were married or from where the family migrated.
Discovering unknown surnames
The relationships column has helped discover previously unknown surnames for married daughters, mother-in-law, cousins, and other relatives living with the family.
Research all relationships
Ensure that you research all the relationships of an individual, including the siblings and their families (i.e., spouses, children), aunts and uncles, grandparents, and even cousins. As you build out the family tree, you will discover critical pieces of information about your direct line when searching extended family. For example, when I couldn’t find information about the parents of my direct line in the late 1800s, I learned the information from research I did on siblings.
Personal Description Questions (Col. 9-12)
How can I use 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 9-12) personal description questions in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for columns 9-12
The following provides insight into the personal description questions. The questions are as follows:
Sex (Col. 9). You will either see (M) for males and (F) for females. Research tips and insights include:
Color or race (Col. 10). In this census, these were the choices enumerators used for color: White (W), Negro (Neg), Chinese (Chi), Japanese (Jp), Filipino (Fil), Hindu (Hin), Korean (Kor). Other groups were to be spelled out. This information may help determine the person’s origins.
Age at last birthday (Col. 11). This is not the exact date of birth, but it will provide a “ballpark” number that you can use to help you track the person in the next census and search for birth event records of the period.
Marital status (Col. 12). In this series of columns, we are told whether the person is single (s), married (M), Widowed (Wd) or divorced (D).
Research tips and insights include:
Children under the age of 1. Children under the age of 1(born after April 1, 1939) were represented months as fractions such as 1/12 meaning 1 month, 4/12 meaning for months.
- April 1939 (11/12)
- May 1939 (10/12)
- June 1939 (9/12)
- July 1939 (8/12)
- August 1939 (7/12)
- September 1939 (6/12)
- October 1939 (5/12)
- November 1939 (4/12)
- December 1939 (3/12)
- January 1939 (2/12)
- February 1939 (1/12)
- March 1939 (0/12)
Search other records
There are good chances that many individuals listed in this census did not have civil birth records. I would always first check to see if there are birth records and then look for church records. Start your search for these types of records at the genealogical/historical society.
Look closely at age gaps
Look at age gaps between children. Is the age gap normal? For example, every two years. Are the age gaps more significant than expected? This could be a clue that there was another child or spouse that had passed away. Look at the age of husband and wife. Are they about the same age? Is one spouse much older than the other? If yes, this could be a clue that there is a second marriage. Look at the ages of children and the place of birth. This might provide clues of where the parents were married or from where the family migrated.
Children of same age
If you find children who are the same age, don’t just assume they are twins. Make sure they are not cousins who are being raised in the same home.
Search military records
Make sure you search all the males in our family over of 1 year old for military records associated with possible U.S. military service. Yes, you read right when I said 1 year old. Individuals who are 1 will most likely be involved in military service in the 1950s and later. The military service periods can include Indian Wars (before 1890), Spanish American War (1898), Philippine Insurrection and Boxer Rebellion(1899-1902), WWI (1918), WWII (1939-1945), Korean War (1950-1953), Vietnam (1955-1975). Search out the military records on not only your direct line but also male siblings, uncles, brothers-in-law, and cousins. I have found important information about my direct line when reviewing the pension files of extended family. See the section “Expand your census research with military records.”
Marital status (Col. 12)
In this series of columns, we are told whether the person is single (s), married (M), Widowed (Wd) or divorced (D). Research tips and insights include:
- Widowed. If the person is widowed, consider looking for wills and probate records, military pensions, death event records of a spouse.
- Divorced. If the person is divorced, search court records for divorced proceedings.
Education Questions (Col. 13-14)
How can I use 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 13-14) educations questions in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for columns 13-14
This identifies if the person had gone to school since March 1, 1940. The questions are as follows:
Column 13: Attend school or college any time since March 1, 1940? (Y or N)
Col. 14: Highest grade of school completed.
Research tips and insights include:
This identifies if the person had gone to school since March 1, 1940
This will provide clues to look for school records that can associate children with parents. Look for records such as school census.
Highest grade completed
Questions related to education had been asked in the previous census, but this was the first time where the highest grade completed was asked. Census takers were instructed to answer as follows:
- None (0)
- Elementary school, 1st-8th (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- High School, 1st-4th year (H-1, H-2, H-3, H-3, H-4)
- College, 1st-4th year (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4)
- College, 5th or subsequent year
Place of Birth Question (Col. 15)
How can I use the 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 15) place of birth question in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for column 15
questions are as follows:
Place of Birth
Col. 15:
-
- If born in the United States, give State, Territory, or possession.
- If foreign-born, give country in which birthplace was situated on January 1, 1937.
- Distinguish Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State (Eire) from Northern Ireland.
Research tips and insights include:
This census provides the birthplace of each person along with the mother tongue. If born in the United States, they were to give the state or territory. If the individual had a foreign birth, they were to give the country.
Place of birth
This information is critical to helping you develop scenarios of where to search for family.
Narrow search to geographic areas
Use this information to narrow your search for records to the geographic area, even town. Also very helpful with clues to immigration or migration.
How to read numerator codes
When the enumerator recorded place of birth, they could have used a two-letter code for a state or written the state’s name out or another abbreviation. For example, North Dakota could have been written as N.D., North Dakota. If you see a code that is only one letter, such as O, it could mean Oklahoma, Ohio, or Oregon. Make no assumptions. You will need to check the 1920 and 1930 censuses to see if you can find clues to help resolve the limited information.
Citizenship Question (Col. 16)
How can I use the 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 16) citizenship question in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for column 16
questions are as follows:
Col. 16: Citizenship of the foreign-born
Research tips and insights include:
The 1940 U.S. Census asks for the year of the immigration and whether naturalized. This will make it easier to start looking for the individuals’ paper trail/records in the U.S. Look carefully indicate whether the person has applied for citizenship or naturalized (A or A.L. – Alien; N.A. – Naturalized; N.R. – Not Reported; P.A. – First Papers Filed). Research tips and insights include:
- Alien (AL). An individual who is board abroad has not taken any steps toward becoming an American citizen.
- Naturalize (N.A.). An individual has become a full citizen by taking out the second or final naturalization papers.
- First Papers (P.A.). An individual has declared the intention of becoming an American citizen.
- When naturalized. If an individual was naturalized, look at records related to immigration, such as ships passenger lists. Other clues on the census that will help you search will be “Mother Tongue” and the year of immigration.
Residence as of April 1, 1935 Questions (Col. 17-20)
How can I use 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 17-20) residence as of April 1, 1935 questions in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for columns 17-20
This series of questions help to establish a residence of 5 years previous. Questions are as follows:
Residence, April 1, 1935
Enumerator instructions. The person was asked in what place the person was lived on April 1, 1935. The enumerator was given the following instructions:
-
- For a person who, on April 1, 1935, was living in the same house as at present, enter in Col. 17 “Same house,” and for one living in a different house but in the same city or town, enter “Same place,” leaving Cols 18, 19, and 20 blank, in both instances.
- For a person who lived in a different place, enter the city or town, county, or State as directed in instructions. (Enter actual place of residence, which may differ from mail address.
- Enter “R” for all other places (city, town, or village) having 2,500 or more inhabitants and then they were to fill in the county (col 18), State or territory or foreign country (col 19), on a farm-Y or N (Col 20).
Col. 17: City, town, or village having 2500 or more inhabitants. Enter “R” for all other places.
Col. 18: County
Col. 19: State (or Territory or foreign country).
Col. 20: On a farm? (Y or N)
Research tips and insights include:
Reason for questions
One of the reasons for the question was Census Bureau’s desire to learn about migration in the U.S. during the 1930s, commonly due to the Depression. Definitions used by the enumerators were:
Migrants were those persons who lived in 1935 in a county, or quasi county, different from the one in which they were living in 1940. (A quasi county was a city that had 100,000 inhabitants or more in 1930.)
- Non-migrants were living in the same county, or quasi county, in 1935 as in 1940.
- Immigrants were living in the continental United States in 1940 who reported that their residence in 1935 was in an outlying territory, possession of the United States, or in a foreign country.
Employment Status Questions (Col. 21-27)
How can I use 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 21-27) employment status questions in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for columns 21-27
The questions are as follows:
Persons 14 Years Old and Over—Employment Status
Col. 21: Was this person AT WORK for pay or profit in private or non-emergency work during week of March 24-30? (Y or N)
Col. 22: If not, was he at work or assigned to, public EMERGENCY WORK (WPA, NVA, CCC etc.) during the week of March 24-30 (Y or N)
-
- If neither at work nor assigned to public emergency work. (“No” in Cols 21 and 22):
Col. 23: Was this person SEEKING WORK? (Y or N)
Col. 24: If not seeking work, did he HAVE A JOB, business, etc.? (Y or N)
-
- Enter “Yes” for a person (not seeking work) who had a job, business, or professional enterprise, but did not work during week of March 24-30 for any of the following reasons: Vacation; temporary illness; industrial dispute; layoff not exceeding 4 weeks with instructions to return to work at a specific date; layoff due to temporarily bad weather conditions.
For persons answering “No” to quest. 21, 22, 23, and 24:
Col. 25: Indicate whether engaged in home housework (H) in school (S) or other (Ot).
If at private or non-emergency Government work (“Yes” in col. 21).
Col. 26: Number of hours worked during week of March 24-30, 1940.
If seeing work or assigned to public emergency work. “Yes” in col 22 or 23:
Col. 27: Duration of unemployment up to March 30, 1940 – in weeks.
Research tips and insights include:
Public emergency work related to Col. 22
The census asked if anyone in the household during the week of March 24–30, 1940, was at work on, or assigned to, public emergency work projects conducted by the WPA, the NYA, the CCC, or state or local work relief agencies. The following provides details behind the acronyms:
- The WPA, established May 6, 1935, developed programs to move unemployed workers from relief to jobs. The WPA workers, among other things, rebuilt the national infrastructure, wrote guides to the 48 states, worked in the arts and theater, and assisted with disaster relief.
- The NYA, established under the WPA, gave part-time jobs to high school and college students to earn money to continue their education.
- The CCC, created March 31, 1933, employed men aged 18–25 in conservation work in the national parks and forests.
Occupation Questions (Col. 28-31)
How can I use 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 28-31) occupation questions in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for columns 28-31
This indicates the person’s occupation and related information can help one search for employment records. The questions are as follows:
Occupation, Industry, and Class of Worker
Enumerator Instruction. The enumerator was given the following instructions
-
- For a person at work, assigned to public emergency work, or with a job (Yes” in Col. 21, 22 or 24), enter present occupation, industry, and class of worker.
- For a person seeking work (“Yes” in Col 23): (a) If he has previous work experience, enter last occupation, industry, and class of worker: or (b) if he does not have previous work experience, enter “New worker” in Col 28, and leave Cols. 29 and 30 blank.
Col. 28: OCCUPATION: Trade, profession, or particular kind of work as – frame spinner, salesman, laborer, rivet heater, music teacher.
Col. 29: INDUSTRY: Industry or business, as – cotton mill, retail grocery, farm, shipyard.
Col. 30: Class of worker
- Wage or salary worker in private work (PW)
- Wage or salary worker in Gov’t work (GW)
- Employer (E)
- Working on own account (O.A.)
- Unpaid family worker (NP)
Col. 31: Number of weeks worked in 1939 (Equivalent full-time weeks).
Research tips and insights include:
Search for professional directories
When occupations are mentioned, search for occupational directories. Directories can list as little as a name to entire profiles of families.
Look carefully at the occupation/trade
Look carefully at the person’s occupation/trade and define what types of records might exist. You will see answers such as frame spinner, salesman, laborer, rivet heater, music teacher. I had an individual who was a merchant, which led me to look for a business license, business/professional directory, ads for his business in the newspaper and related documents, all of which I found. Another genealogist had an ancestor who was a clergy member, which led them to search and find church records.
Income in 1939 Questions (Col. 32-34)
How can I use 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 32-34) income in 1939 questions in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for columns 32-34
The questions are as follows:
For Persons 14 Years Old and Over Social Security
Col. 42: Does this person have a Federal Social Security Number? (Y or N)
Col. 43: Were deductions for Federal Old-Age Insurance or Railroad Retirement made from this person’s wages or salary in 1939? (Y or N)
Col. 44: If so, were deductions made from all, ½ or more, part but less than ½, of wages or salary?
Research tips and insights include:
Supplementary Questions (For persons enumerated in lines 14-29)
At the bottom of each schedule, a supplementary census asked additional questions of two people enumerated (approximately 5% of those enumerated or 1 in 20 persons) on preselected lines on the form. These supplemental questions are related to the
- Birthplace of the respondent’s parents
- Veterans’ service
- Social Security and Railroad Retirement, two new national insurance plans
- On both the complete form and the supplemental form, people gave the industry they work in and their specific occupation
Place of Birth and Mother Tongue Questions (Col. 35-38)
How can I use the 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 35-38) place of birth and mother tongue questions in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for columns 35-38
The questions are as follows:
Supplementary Questions
Enumerator Instruction. For Persons Enumerated on Lines 14 and 29.
Col. 35: NAME
For Persons of All Ages Place of Birth of Father and Mother
Enumerator Instruction. The enumerator was given the following instructions
-
- If born in the United States, give State, Territory, or possession
- If foreign-born, give country in which birthplace was situated on January 1, 1937
- Distinguish Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State (Eire) from Northern Ireland.
Col. 36: Father
Col. 37: Mother
Mother Tongue
Col. 38: Language spoken in home in earliest childhood
Research tips and insights include:
Place of birth
If born in the United States, they were to give the state or territory. If the individual had a foreign birth, they were to give the country. This information is critical to helping you develop scenarios of where to search for family.
American citizen not born in the U.S
If a person was born abroad, but of American parents, both the birthplace and “Am. cit.” An American citizen was recorded in the column. For a person born at sea, “At sea” was recorded. Enter the Place of Birth exactly as the enumerator wrote it.
Narrow search to geographic area
Use this information to narrow your search for records to the geographic area, even town. Also very helpful with clues to immigration or migration.
Understanding the numerator code
When the enumerator recorded place of birth, they could have used a two-letter code for a state or written the state’s name out or another abbreviation. For example, North Dakota could have been written as N.D., North Dakota. If you see a code that is only one letter, such as O, it could mean Oklahoma, Ohio, or Oregon. Make no assumptions. You will need to check the 1930 and 1920 censuses to see if you can find clues to help resolve the limited information.
Mother’s tongue is spoken at the earliest age
The enumerator was to record the first language the individual spoke. If the language is other than English, this is a clue to look for immigration records.
Veterans Questions (Col. 39-41)
How can I use the 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 39-41) place of birth and mother tongue questions in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for columns 39-41
The questions are as follows:
Veterans
Col. 39: If so, enter “Yes.”
Col. 40: If child, is veteran – father dead? (Y or N)
Col. 41: War or Military Service
-
- World War (W)
- Spanish-American War; Philippine Insurrection or Boxer Rebellion (S)
- Spanish-American War & World War (S.W.)
- Regular establishment (Army, Navy or Marine Corps) Peace-Time Service only (C)
- Other war or expedition (Ot)
Research tips and insights include:
How to use
Use this question as a clue to look for military records.
Enumerator coding for war or military service. The enumerator would use the following coding for answers given:
- World War (W)
- Spanish American War, Philippine Insurrection or Boxer Rebellion (S)
- Spanish American War and World War (S.W.)
- Regular establishment (Army, Navy or Marine Corps) Peace-time Service only (R)
- Other war or Expedition (Ot)
- Note: This is the first time that when Civil War service was not asked.
Who responded to the questions
The wife, widow, or under the 18-year-old child of a veteran was also required to answer the questions.
Social Security Questions (Col. 42-44)
How can I use 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 42-44) Social Security questions in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for columns 42-44
The questions are as follows:
For Persons 14 Years Old and Over Social Security
- Col. 42: Does this person have a Federal Social Security Number? (Y or N)
- Col. 43: Were deductions for Federal Old-Age Insurance or Railroad Retirement made from this person’s wages or salary in 1939? (Y or N)
- Col. 44: If so, were deductions made from all, ½ or more, part but less than ½, of wages or salary?
Research tips and insights include:
No Social Security numbers are found in the 1940 U.S. Census
In the supplemental schedule, the 1940 U.S. Census included three questions about social security.
Social Security Death Index. If an individual was listed in this, make sure you check the Social Security Death Index.
Usual Occupation Questions (Col. 45-47)
How can I use the 1940 U.S. Census (Col. 45-47) usual occupation, industry and a class of worker questions in my research?
The 1940 U.S. Census questions for columns 45-47
The questions are as follows:
Usual Occupation, Industry, and Class of Worker
Enumerator instruction for section. Enter that occupation which the person regards as his usual occupation and at which he is physically able to work. If the person is unable to determine this, enter that occupation at which he has worked longest during the past 10 years and at which he is physically able to work. Enter also usual industry and usual class of worker. For a person without previous work experience, enter “None: in Col. 45 and leave Cols. 46 and 47 blank.
Col. 45: Usual Occupation
Col. 46: Usual Industry
Col. 47: Usual class of worker
-
- Wage or salary worker in private work (PW)
- Wage or salary worker in Gov’t work (GW)
- Employer (E)
Research tips and insights include:
Enumerator instruction for section
Enter that occupation which the person regards as his usual occupation and at which he is physically able to work. If the person cannot determine this, enter that occupation he has worked longest during the past 10 years and at which he is physically able to work. Enter also the usual industry and usual class of workers. For a person without previous work experience, enter “None: in Col. 45 and leave Cols. 46 and 47 blank.
Enumerator code for “Usual class of worker” in Col. 47
The following is the code used by the enumerator for Col. 47.
- Wage or salary worker in private work (PW)
- Wage or salary worker in Gov’t work (GW)
- Employer (E)
(Col. 48-50): All women who are or have been married
How to use the “Age at 1st marriage” question
Use the age of first marriage to estimate the year the person was married to find marriage records.
The Number of children born
This will help to identify if members if any members of the family are missing. I define missing as children who have reached an age to leave home or died between census enumerations. Women were instructed not to include stillbirths.
[Return to Category TOC]
[Return to Article TOC]
How 1940 U.S. Census Can Lead to Military Records
The records available for these veterans vary but can yield important clues and knowledge about the individual and their family. Research tips and insights include:
- Pension applications. Search for pension applications and records of pension payments for veterans, their widows, and other heirs. The pension applications usually provide the most information. They can include supporting documents such as marriage, birth, death records/certificates, pages from family Bibles, family letters, dispositions of witnesses, affidavits, discharge papers and other supporting documents. Even if an individual did not receive a pension, look to see if his pension request was denied.
- Search family photographs and artifacts. Family photographs can be an excellent source for identifying which persons were involved in which war or military conflict they may have served. It is rare for individuals serving in the military not to have their photographs in their uniforms. You may also find cards, letters, and related military memorabilia. I have also found the local newspaper to be a rich source of information about family during periods of war.
Search for military records. Start your search by looking for these military records:
Civil War 1861-1865
Look for military records of men who would have served in the U.S. Civil War who are 90+ in the 1930 census. These men would have been born in 1855 and earlier. Keep in mind that many young men lied about their age and served with their father, brother (s), or other family members. If a person lived in the Union or Confederate states, they could have served in their army. Many men who were in the Union served in the Confederacy. And many men from the South served in the Union Army. Make sure that you search for all male family members (i.e., father, sons, brothers, uncles, and nephews.) The Civil War enlistment card will give you clues of your ‘s location and place of residence. See the article: How to Find Civil War Soldier Records for Writing Narratives
Later Indian Wars (Before 1890)
Look for military records of men serving in the later Indian Wars who are 70+ in the 1930 census. These men would have been born before 1880.
Spanish American War 1898
Look for military records of men serving in the Spanish American War 60+ in the 1940 U.S. Census. These men would have been born before 1880.
World War I 1917-1919
Be aware that many of the males between the ages of 40-60 in the 1940 U.S. Census were most likely be involved in the most recent World War I. These men would have been born in 1900 and before. See the article: How to Find WWI Soldier Records for Writing Narratives
World War II 1917-1919
Be aware that many of the males under the age of 50 years old in the 1940 U.S. Census will most like be involved or register for the draft in the future World War II. These men would have been born in 1910 and before. See the article: How to Find WWII Soldier Records for Writing Narratives
Korean War 1950-1953
The Korean War was a war between North and South Korea, in which a United Nations force led by the United States of America fought for the South. Be aware children as young as 1 could have fought in this war. These men and women were more likely to have been born in 1920 or later.
Vietnam War 1955-1975
The Vietnam War was a conflict, starting in 1954 and ending in 1975, between South Vietnam (later aided by the U.S., South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, and New Zealand) and the Vietcong and North Vietnam. The U.S.’s highest involvement was during the 1960s and 70s. These men and women were more likely to have been born as early as 1930 or later.
Researching military headstones
Military headstones have evolved through time. See the following articles for details: Meaning of Each Religious Emblem of Belief for U.S. Military Headstones
(Video) Introduction to U.S. Military Headstones. An introduction to U.S. military headstones provides an understanding of the design, history, symbolism, and individual and family research.
Use the 1940 U.S. Census to Calculate the Birth Year
In Column 11 of the 1940 U.S. Population Census, learn the age of each household member. The following 1930 U.S. Census Birth Year Reference Chart will provide the approximate corresponding birth year for the age provided. For more information, see the following article: How to Use the Census to Calculate the Birth Year
Age calculated as of April 1, 1940.
| 1940 U.S. Census Birth Year Reference Chart | |||||
| Age | Birth Year | Age | Birth Year | Age | Birth Year |
| Mar 0/12 | 1940 | 28 | 1912 | 67 | 1873 |
| Feb 1/12 | 1940 | 29 | 1911 | 68 | 1872 |
| Jan 2/12 | 1940 | 30 | 1910 | 69 | 1871 |
| Dec 3/12 | 1940 | 31 | 1909 | 70 | 1870 |
| Nov 4/12 | 1940 | 32 | 1908 | 71 | 1869 |
| Oct 5/12 | 1939 | 33 | 1907 | 72 | 1868 |
| Sep 6/12 | 1939 | 34 | 1906 | 73 | 1867 |
| Aug 7/12 | 1939 | 35 | 1905 | 74 | 1866 |
| Jul 8/12 | 1939 | 36 | 1904 | 75 | 1865 |
| Jun 9/12 | 1939 | 37 | 1903 | 76 | 1864 |
| May 10/12 | 1939 | 38 | 1902 | 77 | 1863 |
| Apr 11/12 | 1939 | 39 | 1901 | 78 | 1862 |
| 1 | 1939 | 40 | 1900 | 79 | 1861 |
| 2 | 1938 | 41 | 1899 | 80 | 1860 |
| 3 | 1937 | 42 | 1898 | 81 | 1859 |
| 4 | 1936 | 43 | 1897 | 82 | 1858 |
| 5 | 1935 | 44 | 1896 | 83 | 1857 |
| 6 | 1934 | 45 | 1895 | 84 | 1856 |
| 7 | 1933 | 46 | 1894 | 85 | 1855 |
| 8 | 1932 | 47 | 1893 | 86 | 1854 |
| 9 | 1931 | 48 | 1892 | 87 | 1853 |
| 10 | 1930 | 49 | 1891 | 88 | 1852 |
| 11 | 1929 | 50 | 1890 | 89 | 1851 |
| 12 | 1928 | 51 | 1889 | 90 | 1850 |
| 13 | 1927 | 52 | 1888 | 91 | 1849 |
| 14 | 1926 | 53 | 1887 | 92 | 1848 |
| 15 | 1925 | 54 | 1886 | 93 | 1847 |
| 16 | 1924 | 55 | 1885 | 94 | 1846 |
| 17 | 1923 | 56 | 1884 | 95 | 1845 |
| 18 | 1922 | 57 | 1883 | 96 | 1844 |
| 19 | 1921 | 58 | 1882 | 97 | 1843 |
| 20 | 1920 | 59 | 1881 | 98 | 1842 |
| 21 | 1919 | 60 | 1880 | 99 | 1841 |
| 22 | 1918 | 61 | 1879 | 100 | 1840 |
| 23 | 1917 | 62 | 1878 | 101 | 1839 |
| 24 | 1916 | 63 | 1877 | 102 | 1838 |
| 25 | 1915 | 64 | 1876 | 103 | 1837 |
| 26 | 1914 | 65 | 1875 | 104 | 1836 |
| 27 | 1913 | 66 | 1874 | 105 | 1835 |
Census taker instructions for age on 1940 U.S. Population Census. The following are the exact instructions given to the census taker (Enumerator):
458. Column 11. Age at Last Birthday.-Enter the age of the person at his last birthday before 12:01 a.m., April 1, 1940. Thus, a person whose 18th birthday occurred on April 8, 1940, should be reported as 17 years of age because that was his age on his last birthday before April 1, 1940. For persons 1-year-old and over, this question calls for the age in completed years at last birthday.
459. Ages of Infants.-The entry in col. 11 for children less than a year old should indicate age in completed months, expressed as twelfths of a year. Ask the following question in each household: “Are there any children in this household who were born on or after April 1, 1939?” For each child born after April 1, 1939, ascertain the actual birth date and determine the proper entry for col. 11 by referring to the table showing ages by birth dates at the foot of the schedule. Thus the age of a child born on May 2, 1939, should be entered as 10/12. Note that a child born after 12:01 a.m., April 1, 1940, is not to be enumerated.
460. Infant Card.-You must fill out an Infant Card (Form P-4), in addition to the line of entries on the Population schedules, for each child born during the 4 months from 12:01 a.m. December 1, 1939, to 12:01 a.m., April 1, 1940. That is, fill out an Infant Card for each child for whom the entry in col. 11 is 0/12, 1/12, 2/12, or 3/12.
461. Note that questions 1 to 10 on this form are to be filled out at the time the enumerator is obtaining information for the Population schedule. The answers to questions 11 to 23 may be copied from the Population schedule at the end of each day of canvassing. The numbers in parentheses at the end of questions 11 to 23 refer to the column numbers on the Population schedule from which the information is to be transcribed.
462. If the infant’s father is not a member of the household in which the infant resides, enter “Not a member of household” in answer to question 14 and leave questions 15 to 19 blank. If the mother is not a member of the household, enter “Not a member of household” in answer to question 20 and leave questions 21, 22, and 23 blank.
463. The completed Infant Cards must be turned in with your portfolio to your Supervisor upon the completion of the enumeration of your district.
464. Ages in Round Numbers.-The age of the person will sometimes be reported in a round number, like 30 or 45, or “about 50” when that is not the exact age. If an age ending in “0” or “5” is reported, you should inquire whether that is really the exact age. If, however, the exact age is not know, enter the approximate age, rather than “Unknown.”
What is the 1940 U.S. Federal Census?
A census is a government-sponsored enumeration of the population in a particular area. It contains a variety of information — names, heads of household (or all household members), ages, citizenship status, ethnic background, and so on. Here are some different types of census records you are likely to come across in your research.
U.S. federal census is also called a population schedule. Federal census records provide the building blocks of your research, allowing you to confirm the information and learn more. Compiled in the United States for every decade since 1790, census population schedules are comprehensive, detailed records of the federal government’s decennial survey of American households. The federal government uses information from the schedules for demographic analysis.
The schedules themselves, of interest primarily to genealogists, contain the personal information of the survey respondents. To protect the people’s privacy whose names appear in each schedule, census records are restricted for 72 years after the census is taken and are not available to researchers during that time.
What Can You Find in U.S. Census
Use the 1940 U.S. Census Guide to learn about and discover the stories of the people who lived during and before the 1940s. With the 1940 U.S. census information, you can, for starters, build individual and family profiles, write narratives, build family trees and find related records to research. For example, you can use the census to:
- Identify head of household
- Identify members of the household by name
- Identify relationships—surnames of married daughter, mother-in-law, cousins, other relatives
- Indicate that wife may not be the mother of kids
- Identify ages of individuals by name
- Begin to establish family relationships (e.g., spouse, children, siblings, parents)
- Identify people of color: White (W), Negro (Neg), Chinese (Chi), Japanese (Jp), Filipino (Fil), Hindu (Hin), Korean (Kor)
- Begin to identify possible remarriages and step relationships
- Identify birthplace of parents-immigrant information
- Supplement birth/marriage info. Due to relationship info.
- Locate and identify birthplaces
- Identify month of birth
- Identify year of marriage
- Determine year of immigration
- Identify occupations
- Locate and identify real estate
- Locate and identify a family who are neighbors
- Identify spelling variations
- Locate and identify a family in other census substitute records (e.g., probate inventories, tax lists)
- Locate and identify children not yet known
- Locate and identify possible parents
- Locate and identify possible children not listed in later censuses
- Differentiate between families of the same name
- Locate and identify possible neighbors who might be family
- Give clues to genetic symptoms or diseases.
Questions Asked in the 1940 U.S. Census
The following are the questions found on the 1940 U.S. federal census:
The following are the questions found in the 1940 United States Census.
LOCATION
Col. 1: Name of street, avenue, road, etc.
Col. 2: House number (in cities and towns).
HOUSEHOLD DATA
Col. 3: Number of household in order of visitation.
Col. 4: Home owned (O) or rented (R).
Col. 5: Value of home. If owned, or monthly rental, if rented.
- Where the owner’s household occupies only a part of a structure, estimate the portion occupied by the owner’s household. Thus the value of the unit occupied by the owner of a two-family house might be approximately one-half the total value of the structure.
Col. 6: Does this household live on a farm? (Y or N)
NAME
Col. 7: Name of each person whose usual place of residence on April 1, 1940, was in this household.
BE SURE TO INCLUDE:
- Persons temporarily absent from household. Write “Ab” after names of such persons.
- Children under 1 year of age. Write “Infant” if child has not been given a first name.
- Enter X after name of person furnishing information.
RELATION
Col. 8: Relationship of this person to the head of the household, as wife, daughter, father, mother-in-law, grandson, lodger, lodger’s wife, servant, hired hand, etc.
PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
Col. 9: Sex
- Male (M)
- Female (F)
Col. 10: Color or race
- White (W)
- Negro (Neg)
- Chinese (Chi)
- Japanese (Jp)
- Filipino (Fil)
- Hindu (Hin)
- Korean (Kor)
- Other reaches, spell out in full.
Col. 11: Age at last birthday
Enter age of children born on or after April 1, 1939 as follows: Born in:
- April 1939 (11/12)
- May 1939 (10/12)
- June 1939 (9/12)
- July 1939 (8/12)
- August 1939 (7/12)
- September 1939 (6/12)
- October 1939 (5/12)
- November 1939 (4/12)
- December 1939 (3/12)
- January 1939 (2/12)
- February 1939 (1/12)
- March 1939 (0/12)
Do not include children born on or after April 1, 1940.
Col. 12: Marital status
- Single (S)
- Married (M)
- Widowed (Wd)
- Divorced (D)
EDUCATION
Column 13: Attend school or college any time since March 1, 1940? (Y or N)
Col. 14: Highest grade of school completed.
- None (0)
- Elementary school, 1st-8th (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- High School, 1st-4th year (H-1, H-2, H-3, H-3, H-4)
- College, 1st-4th year (C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4)
- College, 5th or subsequent year
PLACE OF BIRTH
Col. 15:
- If born in the United States, give State, Territory, or possession.
- If foreign-born, give country in which birthplace was situated on January 1, 1937.
- Distinguish Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State (Eire) from Northern Ireland.
CITIZENSHIP
Col. 16: Citizenship of the foreign born
- Naturalized (Na)
- Having first papers (Pa)
- Alien (Al)
- American citizen born abroad (Am Cit)
RESIDENCE, APRIL 1, 1935
In what place did his person live on April 1, 1935?
- For a person who, on April 1, 1935, was living in the same house as at present, enter in Col. 17 “Same house,” and for one living in a different house but in the same city or town, enter “Same place,” leaving Cols 18, 19, and 20 blank, in both instances.
- For a person who lived in a different place, enter the city or town, county, or State as directed in instructions. (Enter actual place of residence, which may differ from mail address.
Col. 17: City, town, or village having 2500 or more inhabitants. Enter “R” for all other places.
Col. 18: County
Col. 19: State (or Territory or foreign country).
Col. 20: On a farm? (Y or N)
PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER – EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Col. 21: Was this person AT WORK for pay or profit in private or non-emergency work during week of March 24-30? (Y or N)
Col. 22: If not, was he at work or assigned to, public EMERGENCY WORK (WPA, NVA, CCC etc.) during the week of March 24-30 (Y or N)
If neither at work nor assigned to public emergency work. (“No” in Cols 21 and 22):
Col. 23: Was this person SEEKING WORK? (Y or N)
Col. 24: If not seeking work, did he HAVE A JOB, business, etc.? (Y or N)
- Enter “Yes” for a person (not seeking work) who had a job, business, or professional enterprise, but did not work during week of March 24-30 for any of the following reasons: Vacation; temporary illness; industrial dispute; layoff not exceeding 4 weeks with instructions to return to work at a specific date; layoff due to temporarily bad weather conditions.
For persons answering “No” to quest. 21, 22, 23, and 24:
Col. 25: Indicate whether engaged in home housework (H) in school (S) or other (Ot).
If at private or non-emergency Government work (“Yes” in col. 21).
Col. 26: Number of hours worked during week of March 24-30, 1940.
If seeing work or assigned to public emergency work. “Yes” in col 22 or 23:
Col. 27: Duration of unemployment up to March 30, 1940 – in weeks.
OCCUPATION, INDUSTRY, AND CLASS OF WORKER
- For a person at work, assigned to public emergency work, or with a job (Yes” in Col. 21, 22 or 24), enter present occupation, industry, and class of worker.
- For a person seeking work (“Yes” in Col 23): (a) If he has previous work experience, enter last occupation, industry, and class of worker: or (b) if he does not have previous work experience, enter “New worker” in Col 28, and leave
Cols. 29 and 30 blank.
Col. 28: OCCUPATION: Trade, profession, or particular kind of work as – frame spinner, salesman, laborer, rivet heater, music teacher.
Col. 29: INDUSTRY: Industry or business, as – cotton mill, retail grocery, farm, shipyard.
Col. 30: Class of worker
- Wage or salary worker in private work (PW)
- Wage or salary worker in Gov’t work (GW)
- Employer (E)
- Working on own account (O.A.)
- Unpaid family worker (NP)
Col. 31: Number of weeks worked in 1939 (Equivalent full-time weeks).
INCOME IN 1939 (12 months ending December 31, 1939)
Col. 32: Amount of money wages or salary received (including commissions).
Col. 33: Did this person receive income of $50 or more from sources other than money, wages or salary? (Y or N)
Col. 34: Number of Farm Schedule.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS
- For Persons Enumerated on Lines 14 and 29.
Col. 35: NAME
FOR PERSONS OF ALL AGES PLACE OF BIRTH OF FATHER AND MOTHER
- If born in the United States, give State, Territory, or possession
- If foreign-born, give country in which birthplace was situated on January 1, 1937
Distinguish Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State (Eire) from Northern Ireland.
Col. 36: Father
Col. 37: Mother
MOTHER TONGUE
Col. 38: Language spoken in home in earliest childhood.
VETERANS
Col. 39: If so, enter “Yes.”
Col. 40: If child, is veteran – father dead? (Y or N)
Col. 41: War or Military Service
- World War (W)
- Spanish-American War; Philippine Insurrection or Boxer Rebellion (S)
- Spanish-American War & World War (S.W.)
- Regular establishment (Army, Navy or Marine Corps) Peace-Time Service only (C)
- Other war or expedition (Ot)
FOR PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER SOCIAL SECURITY
Col. 42: Does this person have a Federal Social Security Number? (Y or N)
Col. 43: Were deductions for Federal Old-Age Insurance or Railroad Retirement made from this person’s wages or salary in 1939? (Y or N)
Col. 44: If so, were deductions made from all, ½ or more, part but less than ½, of wages or salary?
USUAL OCCUPATION, INDUSTRY, AND CLASS OF WORKER
- Enter that occupation which the person regards as his usual occupation and at which he is physically able to work. If the person is unable to determine this, enter that occupation at which he has worked longest during the past 10 years and at which he is physically able to work. Enter also usual industry and usual class of worker. For a person without previous work experience, enter “None: in Col. 45 and leave Cols. 46 and 47 blank.
Col. 45: Usual Occupation
Col. 46: Usual Industry
Col. 47: Usual class of worker
Wage or salary worker in Gov’t
Author B. Schreiber’s Introduction to U.S. Census Research
I first used the U.S. census to help find and discover the past of my step-father, John. I was interested in writing a personal narrative about his life. I wanted to answer questions like.
- Where was he born?
- Who was his family?
- What was his family story?
- What was it like during different periods of his life?
- Are there any family records (e.g., birth, marriage, school, death, etc.) that exist?
- Are there any photos, journals, letters, memorabilia about the individual or family?
- Are there living families or descendants that I can interview or help tell the story?
I did not have much information. I knew where he was buried. He was born in either the 1920s/1930s. He was born in one of four states, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania. John had been married to my mother for about 5 years. After their divorce, my mother lost track of him until she received a call from the police department one day asking if she knew John. John’s body had been left in a hospital’s emergency room parking lot without any personal identification. His body was taken to a local morgue, where he remained for four months until he was identified by my mother. My mother then took steps to have John’s remains buried in a nearby cemetery with a military headstone.
I shared the story with a friend of mine who was a genealogist/family historian. She asked me if I had ever thought of looking in the U.S. Census. I responded with the answer of no and questioned her about how the c
She invited me to join her at a local library, where over the next couple of hours, she began to show me the census of the 1940s, 1930s, and 1920s. Within a couple of hours, she helped me find John and his related family in and around Jersey City, New Jersey. From those humble beginnings, I used the census as a steppingstone to finding records, locating living members of John’s family, and so much more.
In short, John was born in the late 1920s in Jersey City. Growing up, he became a bookie for the mob when he was in his early 20s. When he was caught stealing from the mob, the mob put out a contract on his life.
Desperately needing help, John went to his brother, a captain for the local police department, for safety. His brother was able to work directly with the mob to negotiate for John’s life. John was required to pay the money back with interest and leave town, never to return. He was a soldier in WWII and was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. When he met my mom, he was a dispatcher for a taxi cab company.
From that first experience, I spent 1000s hours learning how to use the U.S. 1940-1790 Censuses as a primary resource for my narrative and background research about individuals, families, and character development.
