“Beyond the Basics” Genealogy: Nonpopulation Census Records Claire Kluskens will show you how to better understand our ancestors’ lives from information in the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 census schedules of agriculture, industry, mortality, and social statistics, as well as the 1935 census of business. Saturday, May 18, at 10 a.m. Room G-25, Research Center (Penn. Ave. Entrance) Original Caption: Enumeration, a Farmer Supplies Answers to the 232 Questions on the Farm Schedule, 1940 - 1941
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“Beyond the Basics” Genealogy: Nonpopulation Census Records

Claire Kluskens will show you how to better understand our ancestors’ lives from information in the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 census schedules of agriculture, industry, mortality, and social statistics, as well as the 1935 census of business.

Saturday, May 18, at 10 a.m.
Room G-25, Research Center (Penn. Ave. Entrance)

Original Caption: Enumeration, a Farmer Supplies Answers to the 232 Questions on the Farm Schedule, 1940 - 1941

Find your family at the National Archives in Boston with this free genealogy workshop “Census, Passenger Lists & Naturalization Records” on Tuesday, January 8, at 2 p.m. The presentation is intended for novice and experienced family historians, and is one of the most popular workshops. After the lecture, the public is invited to use the resources of the National Archives with assistance from the Archives staff and volunteers. To register for  “Census, Passenger Lists, & Naturalization Records,” please call toll free 866-406-2379, local 781-663-0130, or email boston.archives@nara.gov. Image: Declaration of Intention of Anna Stuart Burnett Rankin, 11/19/1941. ARC 5730593.
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Find your family at the National Archives in Boston with this free genealogy workshop “Census, Passenger Lists & Naturalization Records” on Tuesday, January 8, at 2 p.m.

The presentation is intended for novice and experienced family historians, and is one of the most popular workshops.

After the lecture, the public is invited to use the resources of the National Archives with assistance from the Archives staff and volunteers.

To register for  “Census, Passenger Lists, & Naturalization Records,” please call toll free 866-406-2379, local 781-663-0130, or email boston.archives@nara.gov.

Image: Declaration of Intention of Anna Stuart Burnett Rankin, 11/19/1941. ARC 5730593.

Chuck Norris is in the 1940 Census. He’s one month old. Staff at the National Archives in Kansas City knew Chuck Norris was born in March of 1940. This is just before the deadline to be included on the 1940 Census, which was taken April 1, 1940. They found him on the 1940 Census as Carlos Ray Norris, living with his parents in Ryan City, Oklahoma, near the Oklahoma/Texas border. Even Chuck Norris shows up in National Archives records! Text and image via the National Archives at Kansas City.
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Chuck Norris is in the 1940 Census. He’s one month old.

Staff at the National Archives in Kansas City knew Chuck Norris was born in March of 1940. This is just before the deadline to be included on the 1940 Census, which was taken April 1, 1940.

They found him on the 1940 Census as Carlos Ray Norris, living with his parents in Ryan City, Oklahoma, near the Oklahoma/Texas border.

Even Chuck Norris shows up in National Archives records!

Text and image via the National Archives at Kansas City.

Question 22 on the 1940 census provides researchers with a detailed look at how Roosevelt’s New Deal affected the lives of ordinary Americans. While both men and women were assigned jobs, only one person per household could work for the WPA at any given time. Applicants had to be over the age of 18, and there was no upper age limit. The WPA also employed individuals with disabilities as long as their past experience qualified them for work other than manual labor. Read the full article at Prologue Magazine. Image: A WPA worker receives a paycheck, January 1939. Priority employment in the WPA went to those in need of relief. (69-N-19626)
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Question 22 on the 1940 census provides researchers with a detailed look at how Roosevelt’s New Deal affected the lives of ordinary Americans.

While both men and women were assigned jobs, only one person per household could work for the WPA at any given time. Applicants had to be over the age of 18, and there was no upper age limit. The WPA also employed individuals with disabilities as long as their past experience qualified them for work other than manual labor.

Read the full article at Prologue Magazine.

Image: A WPA worker receives a paycheck, January 1939. Priority employment in the WPA went to those in need of relief. (69-N-19626)

Stumped by the census? Get help from a National Archives expert this Saturday!   Claire Kluskens will discuss census search strategies for our “beyond the basics” archival research skills lecture. Join us Saturday, October 20, at 10 a.m. in Room G-25, in the Research Center (Penn. Ave. Entrance) of the National Archives building. Image: Actor Cesar Romero is interviewed by the census enumerator for the 1950 Census.
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Stumped by the census? Get help from a National Archives expert this Saturday!   Claire Kluskens will discuss census search strategies for our “beyond the basics” archival research skills lecture.

Join us Saturday, October 20, at 10 a.m. in Room G-25, in the Research Center (Penn. Ave. Entrance) of the National Archives building.

Image: Actor Cesar Romero is interviewed by the census enumerator for the 1950 Census.

Just 2 days until the release of the 1940 Census! The 1940 census also included special housing census that had 31 housing questions that asked if there was refrigeration, running water, a radio, flush toilets or outhouses, and whether the house was lit by electricity, gas, or kerosene. (The Census of Housing for 1940 did NOT survive and the only information available today are the statistical reports compiled by the Bureau of the Census. Those reports are available on the Census Bureau web site.) This house was photographed by Dorothea Lange in March of 1940 in Olivehurst, California. The original caption reads “The beginnings of a new home. The house-trailer has been raised on posts and has an extension built on it for enlarged sleeping quarters. Note electricity, the beginnings of a flower garden, rubber tires probably used for fuel, also rabbit in shadow of trailer. Typical Oliverhurst homes in background.” Do you know if your family used electricity, gas, or kerosene for indoor lighting in the 1930s?
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Just 2 days until the release of the 1940 Census!
The 1940 census also included special housing census that had 31 housing questions that asked if there was refrigeration, running water, a radio, flush toilets or outhouses, and whether the house was lit by electricity, gas, or kerosene.

(The Census of Housing for 1940 did NOT survive and the only information available today are the statistical reports compiled by the Bureau of the Census. Those reports are available on the Census Bureau web site.)

This house was photographed by Dorothea Lange in March of 1940 in Olivehurst, California.

The original caption reads “The beginnings of a new home. The house-trailer has been raised on posts and has an extension built on it for enlarged sleeping quarters. Note electricity, the beginnings of a flower garden, rubber tires probably used for fuel, also rabbit in shadow of trailer. Typical Oliverhurst homes in background.”

Do you know if your family used electricity, gas, or kerosene for indoor lighting in the 1930s?

Source: research.archives.gov

Just 4 more days until the release of the 1940 Census! This census is a first for the National Archives: it’s the first time we have digitized and released the millions of census images online. You’ll be able to search the 1940 Census online at 9 a.m. on April 2! (And join us at 8.30 am to watch the event streamed live from the National Archives—a link to the live streaming will be available here.) This infographic comes from A Snapshot in Time on the U.S. Census Bureau website.
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Just 4 more days until the release of the 1940 Census!

This census is a first for the National Archives: it’s the first time we have digitized and released the millions of census images online.

You’ll be able to search the 1940 Census online at 9 a.m. on April 2! (And join us at 8.30 am to watch the event streamed live from the National Archives—a link to the live streaming will be available here.)

This infographic comes from A Snapshot in Time on the U.S. Census Bureau website.

Just 5 days until the release of the 1940 Census! “For the first time, the census did not ask if a person served in the Civil War. Veterans (columns 39–41) were asked if they served in the World War, Spanish-American War, Philippine Insurrection, or Boxer Rebellion and if in a Regular Establishment (Army, Navy, or Marine Corps), peacetime service only, or another war or expedition. The wife, widow, or under 18-year-old child of a veteran was also required to answer the questions.” However, it’s possible that Civil War veterans might have been enumerated in the 1940 Census. This photograph of Union and Confederate veterans at Gettysburg was taken in 1938, just 2 years before the 1940 count. Find out what else is new about the 1940 Census in this Prologue article.
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Just 5 days until the release of the 1940 Census!

“For the first time, the census did not ask if a person served in the Civil War. Veterans (columns 39–41) were asked if they served in the World War, Spanish-American War, Philippine Insurrection, or Boxer Rebellion and if in a Regular Establishment (Army, Navy, or Marine Corps), peacetime service only, or another war or expedition. The wife, widow, or under 18-year-old child of a veteran was also required to answer the questions.”

However, it’s possible that Civil War veterans might have been enumerated in the 1940 Census. This photograph of Union and Confederate veterans at Gettysburg was taken in 1938, just 2 years before the 1940 count.

Find out what else is new about the 1940 Census in this Prologue article.

Source: research.archives.gov

Just 6 more days until the 1940 Census!

This was the first time that census takers asked a random sample of the population (about 1 in 20 people) additional detailed questions. These included new questions for women. For women who had been married, they were asked: whether they had been married more than once, age at first marriage, and number of children born.

The photos above were taken by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration:

“On Arizona Highway 87, south of Chandler, Arizona. Grandmother and sick baby of migratory family camped in a trailer in an open field. They came from Amarillo, Texas, to pick cotton in Arizona. 11/1940”

“Destitute pea pickers in California. Mother of seven children, ca. 02/1936”

“Kern County, California. A couple from Oklahoma, now resettled in California. They came four years ago. Photograph is in large-scale potato field where husband is crew foreman and oldest son operates the mechanical digger. They own their home in Shafter, 04/11/1940”

You are invited to the National Archives! The 1940 Census will be released to the public on April 2 at 9 a.m., and we’re inviting the general public to join us for a special program on Monday morning. Space is limited, so RSVP now to 1940census@archives.gov by 5 p.m. on March 30. And for you folks on Twitter, there’s a an early bird tweet-up with a chance to meet the speakers and chat with our genealogy subject matter expert. RSVP to 1940census@archives.gov and join us!
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You are invited to the National Archives!

The 1940 Census will be released to the public on April 2 at 9 a.m., and we’re inviting the general public to join us for a special program on Monday morning.

Space is limited, so RSVP now to 1940census@archives.gov by 5 p.m. on March 30.

And for you folks on Twitter, there’s a an early bird tweet-up with a chance to meet the speakers and chat with our genealogy subject matter expert. RSVP to 1940census@archives.gov and join us!