LDS Genealogy

Although census records can contain errors, they are one of my favorite research tools, because they give you a glimpse into a moment in the family’s life. Learning to get the most from them can bring your ancestor to life.

Census records are based on information given by a family member. The records you are accessing were most likely compiled by a census taker hired to conduct the interviews. Because of this, you will find the census taker often misspells names, writes badly and gets information wrong. I have found people listed as both male and the sister of the head of household, or preschoolers listed as married (although, of course, no spouse is listed.) Sometimes census takers were a bit lazy as well. If someone wasn’t home, they might well gather the information from a neighbor who is guessing at the information. It should always be a first line of search, not a final one.

When I tackle a record, I begin by simply recording all the available information into PAF. I note the source and include the information about the actual census record—town, district, household number and so on. If it is online, I record the URL. I compare the information with what I already have and note any inconsistencies. For instance, my grandfather is the wrong age in at least two census records. I suspect the father gave the information, and didn’t really remember how old the children were.

The record will tell you how long the couple has been married and how many children they have to that point. Some will also tell you how many children have died. However, the questions about children are only asked of the mother, so be aware some of the children may be from previous marriages or relationships.

The record may also give you other insights into the family’s life. It tells you the birthplaces of the parents, which may give you a location to start searching, even though it doesn’t have the names of the parents if they weren’t in the household. You’ll learn their job at the time, whether or not they could read, and if they were citizens.

Make a point of checking out the neighbors. Families are listed in order of household. Frequently, family members live next door to each other, so you may discover a sibling or parent or even a future spouse.

The neighbors also offer clues to your ancestor’s life. I notice whether or not my ancestor’s children are in school and whether the children of the neighbors who are the same age are in school. If most of the teenagers are working, but your ancestor’s teens are in school, it suggests they were more educated than those of their class. Watch for clues in the future that might tell you why they chose to let their children stay in school. Did they have a radio when no one else did? This can indicate wealth.

What sort of neighborhood did they live in? Did everyone have a similar career? Are they all the same race, or are they all immigrants from the same country? Is it a diverse neighborhood? Did your ancestors take in boarders (they will be listed with your family) and if so, what kind of borders?

What stories are hidden in this record? How many children has a mother lost? How new is the family? Picture a bride’s attempts to hide her pride as she gives the census report to the census taker, or a new mother’s excitement at naming the newest addition to the family. In one family, I found two black children living in a white home in a time past when that just didn’t happen, and to this day, I wonder what story was behind it, since they were listed as children in the family. In another I found the wife listed as head of household when the husband was alive and well…there is a story there, too. Imagine about the young mother with two children living in the home of the mother’s parents. What story brought them there?

As you follow your family through several census records, notice who is added to or missing from the census. If you discover a parent or niece has moved in since the last census, you may have a clue as to the death date of the spouse of the parent, or the parents of the niece. If a family moves, take a peek back in their old neighborhood to see if a family member took over the house and if many neighbors are gone. You may be able to spot a reason for the move in what you find. If the whole neighborhood is gone, find out what happened there that sent them all away.

Spend a little time studying the census record of your ancestor. You’re getting a small glimpse into one day of their lives. Get from it all you can and make the past come to life just a little more.