Difference between revisions of "1840 U.S. Census"

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(→‎Comparison of Census Information, 1790-1940)
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The same research strategies used in the previous census apply to the 1840 census. A significant bonus comes from the question regarding revolutionary war pensioners. A search of revolutionary war sources may provide a wealth of genealogical information. A refinement of the occupation categories makes it possible to pursue other occupational sources and easier to distinguish individuals of the same name in the ever-growing population. Reading and writing skills and some indication of the educational level attained add an interesting and more personal dimension to a family history. An indication of the 'insane' within a household might point to guardianship or institutional records. For a state-by-state listing of census schedules, see [http://www.archives.gov/publications/microfilm-catalogs/census/1790-1890/index.html ''The 1790'1890 Federal Population Censuses: Catalog of National Archives Microfilm'']. For boundary changes and identification of missing census schedules, see Thorndale's and Dollarhide's [http://www.amazon.com/Guide-U-S-Federal-Censuses-1790-1920/dp/0806311886/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269277868&sr=1-2 ''Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790'1920''].
 
The same research strategies used in the previous census apply to the 1840 census. A significant bonus comes from the question regarding revolutionary war pensioners. A search of revolutionary war sources may provide a wealth of genealogical information. A refinement of the occupation categories makes it possible to pursue other occupational sources and easier to distinguish individuals of the same name in the ever-growing population. Reading and writing skills and some indication of the educational level attained add an interesting and more personal dimension to a family history. An indication of the 'insane' within a household might point to guardianship or institutional records. For a state-by-state listing of census schedules, see [http://www.archives.gov/publications/microfilm-catalogs/census/1790-1890/index.html ''The 1790'1890 Federal Population Censuses: Catalog of National Archives Microfilm'']. For boundary changes and identification of missing census schedules, see Thorndale's and Dollarhide's [http://www.amazon.com/Guide-U-S-Federal-Censuses-1790-1920/dp/0806311886/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269277868&sr=1-2 ''Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790'1920''].
  
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=Comparison of Census Information, 1790-1930=
+
=Comparison of Census Information, 1790-1940=
  
  
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|1920
 
|1920
 
|1930
 
|1930
 +
|1940
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Name of family head only
 
|Name of family head only
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|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
−
|colspan="8"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="9"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Headcount by age, gender, ...
 
|Headcount by age, gender, ...
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|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
−
|colspan="8"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="9"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="4"|Standard census form
 
|colspan="4"|Standard census form
 +
|x
 +
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|x
 
|x
 
|-
 
|-
−
|colspan="7"|Names of all individuals
+
|colspan="8"|Names of all individuals
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|x
 
|x
 
|-
 
|-
−
|colspan="7"|Age
+
|colspan="8"|Age
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|x
 
|x
 
|-
 
|-
−
|colspan="7"|Sex
+
|colspan="8"|Sex
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|x
 
|x
 
|-
 
|-
−
|colspan="7"|Color
+
|colspan="8"|Color
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|x
 
|x
 
|-
 
|-
−
|colspan="7"|Profession or occupation
+
|colspan="8"|Profession or occupation
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|x
 
|x
 
|-
 
|-
−
|colspan="7"|Place of birth
+
|colspan="8"|Place of birth
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|x
 
|x
 
|-
 
|-
−
|colspan="7"|Attended school that year
+
|colspan="8"|Attended school that year
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 +
|x
 +
|-
 +
|colspan="15"|Highest grade completed
 
|x
 
|x
 
|-
 
|-
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|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
−
|colspan="4"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="4"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="7"|Read or write
 
|colspan="7"|Read or write
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|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 +
|colspan="2"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="7"|Deaf, blind, insane, idiotic, ...
 
|colspan="7"|Deaf, blind, insane, idiotic, ...
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|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
−
|colspan="2"|x
+
|x
−
|colspan="3"|x
+
|
 +
|x
 +
|colspan="4"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="7"|Real estate value
 
|colspan="7"|Real estate value
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
−
|colspan="6"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="5"|
 +
|x
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="8"|Personal estate value
 
|colspan="8"|Personal estate value
 
|x
 
|x
−
|colspan="6"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="6"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="7"|Separate slave schedule
 
|colspan="7"|Separate slave schedule
 
|x
 
|x
−
|colspan="7"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="7"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="9"|Father of foreign birth
 
|colspan="9"|Father of foreign birth
−
|colspan="6"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="6"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="9"|Mother of foreign birth
 
|colspan="9"|Mother of foreign birth
−
|colspan="6"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="6"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="11"|Month of birth
 
|colspan="11"|Month of birth
−
|colspan="4"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="4"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="9"|Month of birth that year
 
|colspan="9"|Month of birth that year
 
|x
 
|x
−
|colspan="5"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="5"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="9"|Male citizen over 21 years
 
|colspan="9"|Male citizen over 21 years
−
|colspan="6"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="6"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="9"|Male over 21 denied vote
 
|colspan="9"|Male over 21 denied vote
−
|colspan="6"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="6"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="7"|Visitation number of dwelling
 
|colspan="7"|Visitation number of dwelling
 +
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="7"|Visitation number of family
 
|colspan="7"|Visitation number of family
 +
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="10"|Street name in city
 
|colspan="10"|Street name in city
 +
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="10"|House number in city
 
|colspan="10"|House number in city
 +
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="10"|Relationship to family head
 
|colspan="10"|Relationship to family head
 +
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="10"|Marital status
 
|colspan="10"|Marital status
 +
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
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|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="9"|Month of marriage that year
 
|colspan="9"|Month of marriage that year
−
|colspan="6"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="6"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="10"|No. of months unemployed
 
|colspan="10"|No. of months unemployed
 
|x
 
|x
−
|colspan="4"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="4"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="10"|Father's birthplace
 
|colspan="10"|Father's birthplace
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|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 +
|sup
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="10"|Mother's birthplace
 
|colspan="10"|Mother's birthplace
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|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 +
|sup
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="10"|Sickness on census day
 
|colspan="10"|Sickness on census day
−
|colspan="5"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="5"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="11"|Year of birth
 
|colspan="11"|Year of birth
−
|colspan="4"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="4"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="11"|No. of years present marriage
 
|colspan="11"|No. of years present marriage
 
|x
 
|x
−
|colspan="3"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="3"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="11"|Mother how many children
 
|colspan="11"|Mother how many children
 
|x
 
|x
−
|colspan="3"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="2"|
 +
|sup
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="11"|Number of children living
 
|colspan="11"|Number of children living
 
|x
 
|x
−
|colspan="3"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="3"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="11"|Year of immigration to US
 
|colspan="11"|Year of immigration to US
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|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="11"|No. of years in US
 
|colspan="11"|No. of years in US
−
|colspan="4"|x
+
|x
 +
|colspan="4"|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="11"|Naturalization status
 
|colspan="11"|Naturalization status
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|x
 
|x
 
|x
 
|x
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
|colspan="11"|Months attended school
 
|colspan="11"|Months attended school
 
|x
 
|x
 +
|colspan="4"|
 
|}
 
|}
  

Revision as of 03:06, 1 May 2010

The United States Federal Census
Census-logo.jpg

This article is part of a series.
Overview of the U.S. Census
Finding and Reading U.S. Census Records
1790 U.S. Census
1800 U.S. Census
1810 U.S. Census
1820 U.S. Census
1830 U.S. Census
1840 U.S. Census
1850 U.S. Census
1860 U.S. Census
1870 U.S. Census
1880 U.S. Census
1890 U.S. Census
1900 U.S. Census
1910 U.S. Census
1920 U.S. Census
1930 U.S. Census
1940 U.S. Census
Census Indexes and Finding Aids
Using the Soundex with Census Records
Non-Population Schedules and Special Censuses
State and Local Censuses
Census Substitutes
African American Census Schedules
Reconstructed 1790 Census Schedules
Censuses of Native Americans
List of Useful Census References
Topics

This article originally appeared in "Census Records" by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Matthew Wright in The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy

The 1840 census began on 1 June 1840. The enumeration was to be completed within nine months but was extended to eighteen months. The official census population count was 17,063,353.

Questions Asked in the 1840 Census

The 1840 census form called for the name of the head of household; the number of free white males and females in age categories 0 to 5, 5 to 10, 10 to 15, 15 to 20, 20 to 30, 30 to 40, 40 to 50, 50 to 60, 60 to 70, 70 to 80, 80 to 90, 90 to 100, over 100; the number of slaves and free 'colored' persons in age categories; and also had the categories for deaf, dumb, and blind persons and aliens; the town or district; and the county of residence.

Additionally, the 1840 census, asked for the first time the ages of Revolutionary War pensioners and the number of individuals engaged in mining; agriculture; commerce; manufacturing and trade; the navigation of the ocean, canals, lakes, and rivers; learned professions and engineers; the number in school, the number in the family over the age of twenty-one who could not read and write, and the number of insane.

Research Tips for the 1840 Census

The same research strategies used in the previous census apply to the 1840 census. A significant bonus comes from the question regarding revolutionary war pensioners. A search of revolutionary war sources may provide a wealth of genealogical information. A refinement of the occupation categories makes it possible to pursue other occupational sources and easier to distinguish individuals of the same name in the ever-growing population. Reading and writing skills and some indication of the educational level attained add an interesting and more personal dimension to a family history. An indication of the 'insane' within a household might point to guardianship or institutional records. For a state-by-state listing of census schedules, see The 1790'1890 Federal Population Censuses: Catalog of National Archives Microfilm. For boundary changes and identification of missing census schedules, see Thorndale's and Dollarhide's Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790'1920.

Comparison of Census Information, 1790-1940

Personal Info on Census 1790 1800 1810 1820 1830 1840 1850 1860 1870 1880 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940
Name of family head only x x x x x x
Headcount by age, gender, ... x x x x x x
Standard census form x x x x x x x x x x x x
Names of all individuals x x x x x x x x
Age x x x x x x x x
Sex x x x x x x x x
Color x x x x x x x x
Profession or occupation x x x x x x x x
Place of birth x x x x x x x x
Attended school that year x x x x x x x x
Highest grade completed x
Married that year x x x x x
Read or write x x x x x x x x
Deaf, blind, insane, idiotic, ... x x x x x
Real estate value x x x x
Personal estate value x x
Separate slave schedule x x
Father of foreign birth x
Mother of foreign birth x
Month of birth x
Month of birth that year x x
Male citizen over 21 years x
Male over 21 denied vote x
Visitation number of dwelling x x x x x x x x x
Visitation number of family x x x x x x x x x
Street name in city x x x x x x
House number in city x x x x x x
Relationship to family head x x x x x x
Marital status x x x x x x
Month of marriage that year x
No. of months unemployed x x
Father's birthplace x x x x x sup
Mother's birthplace x x x x x sup
Sickness on census day x
Year of birth x
No. of years present marriage x x
Mother how many children x x sup
Number of children living x x
Year of immigration to US x x x x
No. of years in US x
Naturalization status x x x x
Months attended school x

References

Coming soon...

External Links


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