A Note About Census Records

Transcriptions of census records are included in the notes section for many individuals in the databases on this web site.  While we have transcribed census records to the best of our ability, you should always check the original records.  Also, many census years included information which we have not included in our transcriptions; you may find this additional information useful.  Census images are found at numerous web sites, including Ancestry.com, Genealogy.com, etc.    Access to census records and other information is also available at Heritage Quest; free access to Heritage Quest is available at some public libraries.  Blank census forms are available free at:

http://www.ancestry.com/trees/charts/census.aspx

Information about each census is also available free at:

http://www.heritagequest.com/censusfacts/index.html

These census forms show column headings and what information was requested for each census year.  If our census transcriptions are confusing, please check the blank census forms to clarify column headings.  For example:

• In the early census records, only the head of household is listed by name, followed by numbers of males and females in various age categories.  We have generally included a more detailed description of the people in each family.  If this is missing in some cases, please check the blank census forms for more information about age categories for that census year.
• Many of the later census records included information about the person's birthplace, parents birthplace, marriage, immigration, etc.  Please check the blank census forms for more information.
• Our "shorthand" transcriptions may be confusing.  An example of how to read our transcriptions:

            For the 1900 census:  Bidix Has L. head w m Dec 1852 47 md 26 yrs NC NC NC

                    Has L. Bidix (Has Leander Biddix), head of household, white, male, born December 1852, age 47, married 26 years, born in North Carolina, father born in North Carolina, mother born in North Carolina

• Names, dates, etc. are transcribed as they were written.  We have made no corrections in spelling.  In the example above, we have not corrected the spelling of Biddix, but used the spelling on the census.

Instructions for enumerators for the 1850-1930 census enumerations are detailed at:

http://usa.ipums.org/usa/voliii/tEnumInstr.shtml