Research-Census Records

US FEDERAL CENSUS

Article One of the United States Constitution (section II) directs the population be enumerated at least once every ten years and the resulting counts used to set the number of members from each state in the House of Representatives and, by extension, in the Electoral College. The Census Bureau now conducts a full population count every 10 years in years ending with a zero and uses the term “decennial” to describe the operation. Between censuses, the Census Bureau makes population estimates and projections.

The first Census was taken in 1790 and has continued every 10 years. The 1890 Federal Census records for New Jersey (as most other states) were destroyed by a fire at the Commerce Department in Washington, DC on 10 January 1921. The last available Census today is 1940.

During the early censuses, U.S. Marshalls were responsible to collect census data, and they received little training or instruction on how to do this. In fact, it was not until 1830 that marshals even received printed schedules on which to record households’ responses. The marshals often received limited instruction from the census acts passed prior to each census.

Beginning with the 1880 census, specially hired and trained census-takers replaced the U.S. marshals. Door-to-door census by temporary census-takers was the primary method of conducting the census until the U.S. Census Bureau began mailing questionnaires to households in 1960.

As more and more households received and returned their questionnaires by mail, the role of census-taker changed. Today, the majority of households are counted by mailed questionnaires. Census-takers visit places frequented by transient households (shelters and soup kitchens, campsites, etc.) and households that do not return their mailed questionnaires (during the “Nonresponse Follow-Up” phase of the census).

Privacy

Decennial census records are confidential for 72 years to protect respondents’ privacy. Records from the 1950 to 2010 Censuses can only be obtained by the person named in the record or their heir after submitting form BC-600. Individual census records from 1790 to 1940 are maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration, not the U.S. Census Bureau.

Records from the 1950 census will be released on April 1, 2022.

Census Example

To see an example of a Federal Census record for the Morgan Weeast family in 1900 click here. Starting on line 56, Morgan Jr. is listed as the head of household (column 4). In columns 7 and 8 it lists the person’s month and year of birth, and their age at the time the census was taken. Column 10 list number of years married; 10 in this example. Columns 13-15 list the birthplace of the person, and the person’s mother and father. Column 19 list the person’s occupation. Columns 22-24 list whether the person can read, write, and speak English. Morgan’s family is listed in descending age. Also living with them is Morgan’s sister-in-law and one boarder. Morgan’s father is the last person listed. It is very common to see elderly parents living with one of their children, and taking on boarders to supplement income. To see the 1910 Census record for the same family click here.

Famous and Infamous Census Records

If you are really curious, click on this link to see census records for famous people:

To learn more about the Federal Census, you click on these links:

Federal Census History
National Archives Census Records
United States Census (Wikipedia)
List of Census Questions
Census Instructions (for enumerators)

Federal Census Years

The Census records for all of the Weast / Weeast families from 1830 to 1940 are included in each of the Family Group zip files (see Family Group Files) and were extracted using FamilySearch.org.

FamilySearch.org is a free genealogy research site (very similar to Ancestory.com which is a paid site). Although it is free, FamilySearch now requires you to set up login information (username/password) for your free account.

The following links will take you to the FamilySearch.org search page for each particular Federal Census year:

NEW JERSEY STATE CENSUS

New Jersey’s state censuses were conducted in the “five” years between the Federal enumerations and can be a rich resource for family researchers. Every ten years, from 1855 to 1915, the censuses were conducted and returns filed at the county level, and later, sent to Trenton. While there are some gaps in the records, the 1885 and 1895 censuses are nearly complete and can be of particular value as a substitute for the 1890 Federal census—most of which was lost to fire. You can view the official state Census site by clicking here.

The following links will take you to the FamilySearch.org search page for each particular State Census year, with the exception of 1875, which is an Ancestry.com search page that requires a paid subscription to view the record details:

1865: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2475024
1875: https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=61555
1885: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1803972
1895:https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2659407
1905: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1928107
1915: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2061544

The following notes pertain to the above record locations:

1885, 1895, 1905, 1915 – All counties are available.
1875 – Only Sussex and Essex counties are available.
1865 – Missing Cape May, Mercer, Morris, Ocean, Somerset, and Warren counties and incomplete for the others.
1855 – Missing Burlington, Cape May, Mercer, Middlesex, Ocean, and Salem counties and incomplete for the others.