| Most genealogists working in the US have | | | | point you toward more documents, like tax, |
| learned what a valuable tool the US Census | | | | property, military, immigration and |
| is. But the ins and outs of each census | | | | naturalization records. Searching census and |
| record are intricate. It seems like each | | | | other records can be a time-consuming task. |
| decade something changed about the | | | | A professional genealogy research service |
| information included or the way it was | | | | can provide you with thoroughly-researched, |
| recorded. This perception is quite often the | | | | pertinent information from census and other |
| case. The history of the US Census Records | | | | records.Tracing Your Ancestors with the |
| is important to understand when using it as a | | | | 1790-1810 CensusesBy order of the |
| resource to trace your ancestors. This | | | | Constitution, an official enumeration of |
| article features census searching tips and | | | | United States citizens needed to be made to |
| covers the history of the US Census from 1790 | | | | determine the exact number of representatives |
| to 1810. Part two in this series covers US | | | | each state warranted in the new Congress. |
| Census history from 1820 to 1880, including | | | | Repeated every ten years, the census was |
| 1850, a watershed year in census history. | | | | posted in a public place for verification and |
| The third and last article covers the history | | | | sent to Congress.The first censuses listed |
| of the census from 1890 to the present.Census | | | | each head of household by name and gave the |
| Searching TipsTry any and all spellings of | | | | number of free white persons and slaves in |
| first and last names, or use Soundex if | | | | the household. Beginning in 1810, these |
| possible. Some enumerators were quite | | | | counts were divided by age group and gender. |
| "creative" in recording people's names. | | | | For example, a family might be listed by the |
| Especially in earlier censuses, many people | | | | father's name and indicate that there was one |
| could not write or spell their own name for | | | | free female under 10, one slave female and |
| the enumerator. Recent immigrants might also | | | | one slave male 10-16 years old, one free |
| have had thick accents. McCollum, for | | | | female between 16 and 26, one free male 26-45 |
| example, might be rendered McCullum, | | | | and one free male over 45. For these six |
| McCullom, MacCallum (its derivation), | | | | people, we have only one name. For full |
| MacCollum, McColm, McCollin (that's straight | | | | names and exact ages, other records are |
| from the census record), etc. A fairly | | | | necessary. This notation system was used |
| common name, Franklin has fourteen extant | | | | through the 1840 census.Census records of the |
| spelling variations that might appear | | | | 1790 census are missing from Delaware, |
| (including two f's, two n's, ck for k, y for | | | | Kentucky, New Jersey, Georgia, and Virginia. |
| i, a silent e, and combinations of the four). | | | | They were lost some time before 1830. These |
| My husband's genealogy has the surname | | | | were the first but not the last census |
| Faulkner spelled four different ways in four | | | | records to be destroyed through carelessness. |
| generations, and each of those men could have | | | | It appears that the 1800 census is |
| used any or all of those spellings during | | | | complete.The 1810 census also lists |
| their lives, if they were literate. You get | | | | information on "manufacturing." Census |
| the idea. | | | | takers were not told exactly what to inquire |
| | | | about for this category, so it may include |
| Keep in mind that city, county and state | | | | personal property, livestock, etc. |
| boundaries have changed, especially from the | | | | Indications of property should also lead you |
| times of the earliest censuses. Counties | | | | to tax and deed information.A descendant of |
| existed then that don't now, and vice versa. | | | | many avid genealogists, Jordan McCollum works |
| There is a map guide to help you find | | | | for 10x Marketing, an internet marketing |
| locations in each census.When reading census | | | | firm. For more information on tracing your |
| records, read every column, all the way | | | | ancestors or professional genealogist |
| across the page. The wealth of information | | | | research, see Heirlines Family History & |
| contained in each census records helps you to | | | | Genealogy. |
| learn more about your ancestors. It can also | | | | |