Census Questions
Questions asked in the 1900 Census
- LOCATION
- Street
- House number
- Number of dwelling in order of visitation
- Number of family in order of visitation
- NAME of each person whose place of abode on June 1, 1900, was in this family. Enter surname first, then the given name and middle initial, if any. Include every person living on June 1, 1900. Omit children born since June 1, 1900.
- RELATION. Relationship of this person to the head of family
- PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Color or race
- Sex
- Date of Birth
- Age at last birthday
- Whether single, married, widowed or divorced
- Number of years married
- Mother of how many children
- Number of children living
- NATIVITY. Place of birth of each person and parents of each person enumerated. If born in the United States. give the state or territory. If foreign birth, give the country.
- Place of birth of this person
- Place of birth of Father of this person
- Place of birth of Mother of this person
- CITZENSHIP
- Year of immigration to the United States
- Number of years in the United States
- Naturalization
- OCCUPATION, TRADE, OR PROFESSION of each person TEN YEARS of age and older
- EDUCATION
- Attended school
- Can read
- Can write
- Can speak English
- OWNERSHIP OF HOME
- Owned or rented
- Owened free or mortgaged
- Farm or house
- Number of farm schedule
Questions asked in the 1910 Census
- LOCATION
- Street, Avenue, Road, etc.
- House number or farm
- Dwelling Number
- Number of family in order of visitation
- NAME of each person whose place of abode on April 15, 1910 was in this family. Enter surname first, then the given name and middle initial, if any. Include every person living on April 15, 1910. Omit children born since April 15, 1910.
- RELATION. Relationship of this person to the head of family
- PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Sex
- Color or race
- Age at last birthday
- Whether single, married, widowed or divorced
- Number of years of present marriage
- Mother of how many children
- Number born
- Number now living
- NATIVITY. Place of birth of each person and parents of each person enumerated. If born in the United States. give the state or territory. If foreign birth, give the country.
- Place of birth of this person
- Place of birth of Father of this person
- Place of birth of Mother of this person
- CITZENSHIP
- Year of immigration to the U.S.
- Whether naturalized or Alien (Al=Alien; Na=Naturalized)
- Whether able to speak English; or, if not, give language spoken
- OCCUPATION
- Trade, profession, or particular kind of work done by this person.
- General nature of industry, business, or establishment in which this person works.
- Whether an employer, employee, or working on own account
- If an employee-
- Whether out of work on April 15, 1910
- Number of weeks out of work during 1909
- EDUCATION
- Whether able to read
- Whether able to write
- Attended school anytime since 1 Sept. 1, 1909
- OWNERSHIP OF HOME
- Owned or rented
- Owened free or mortgaged
- Farm or house
- Number of farm schedule
- Whether a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy;
- Whether blind (both eyes)
- Whether deaf and dumb
Questions asked in the 1920 Census
- PLACE OF ABODE
- Street, avenue, road, etc.
- House number or farm
- Dwelling number
- Number of family in order of visitation
- NAME of each person whose place of abode on January 1, 1920 was in this family. Enter surname first, then the given name. Include every person living on January 1, 1920. Exclude children born after January 1, 1920.
- RELATION. Relationship to the head of family.
- HOME
- Home owned or rented
- If owned, free or mortgaged
- PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Sex
- Color or race
- Age at last birthday
- Whether single, married, widowed or divorced
- CITZENSHIP
- Year of immigration to the United States
- Naturalized or alien (Al=Alien; Na=Naturalized)
- IF naturalized, year of naturalization
- EDUCATION
- Attended school anytime since 1 Sept. 1, 1919
- Able to read
- Able to write
- NATIVITY. Place of birth of each person and parents of each person enumerated. If born in the United States. give the state or territory. If foreign birth, give the place of birth, and, in addition, the mother tongue.
- Person
- Place of birth
- Mother tongue
- Father
- Place of birth
- Mother tongue
- Mother
- Place of birth
- Mother tongue
- Whether able to speak English
- OCCUPATION
- Trade, profession, or particular kind of work done
- Industry, business, or establishment in which at work
- whether employer, salary or wage worker, or working on own account
- number of farm schedule
Questions asked in the 1930 Census
- PLACE OF ABODE
- Street, avenue, road, etc.
- House number (in cities or towns)
- Number of dwelling in order of visitation
- Number of family in order of visitation
- NAME of each person whose place of abode on April 1, 1930 was in this family. Enter surname first, then the given name. Include every person living on April 1, 1930. Omit children born after April 1, 1930.
- RELATION. Relationship of this person to the head of family.
- HOME DATA
- Home owned or rented
- Value of home, if owned, or monthly rental, if rented
- Radio set
- Does this family live on a farm?
- PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Sex
- Color or race
- Age at last birthday
- Marital condition
- Age at first marriage
- EDUCATION
- Attended school or college anytime since 1 Sept. 1, 1929
- whether able to read and write
- NATIVITY. Place of birth of each person and parents of each person enumerated. If born in the United States. give the State or Territory. If of foreign birth, give the country of birth. See Instructions for additional entries required for certain countries
- MOTHER TONGUE (OR NATIVE LANGUAGE) OF FOREIGN BORN
- Language spoken in home before coming to the United States
- Code (For office use only. Do not write in these columns)
- State or M.T.
- Country
- Nativity
- CITZENSHIP
- Year of immigration to the United States
- Naturalized or alien (Al=Alien; Na=Naturalized)
- Whether able to speak English
- OCCUPATION AND INDUSTRY
- Trade, profession, or particular kind of work, as spinner, salesman, riveter, etc.
- Industry Industry or business, as cottonmill, dry goods store, shipyard, public school, etc.
- CODE (For office use only. Do not write in this column)
- Class of worker
- EMPLOYMENT Whether actually at work
- Yes or No
- Line number for unemployed
- VETERANS Whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition
- Yes or Now
- What war or expedition
- No. of farm schedule
Questions asked in the 1940 Census
- LOCATION
- Street, avenue, road, etc.
- House number (in cities or towns)
- HOUSEHOLD DATA
- Number of household in order of visitation
- Home owned (O) or rented (R)
- Value of home, if owned, or monthly rental, if rented
- Does this household live on a farm? (Yes or No).
- NAME
- Name of each person whose usual place of residence on April 1, 1940 was in in this household. Be sure to include:
- Persons temporarily absent from household. Write "Ab" after names of such persons.
- Children under 1 year of age. Write "Infant" if child has not been given a first name.
- Enter X after name of person furnishing information.
- RELATION
- Relationship of this person to the head of the household, as wife, daughter, father, mother-in-law, grandson, lodger, lodger's wife, servant, hired hand, etc. ...
- CODE (Leave blank)
- PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
- Sex - Male(M), Female(F)
- Color or race
- Age at last birthday
- Marital status - Single(S), Married(M), Widowed(Wd), Divorced(D)
- EDUCATION
- Attended school or college anytime since 1 March. 1, 1940 (Yes or No)
- Highest grade of school completed
- CODE (Leave blank)
- Place of birth
- If born in the United States. give the State, Territory, or possession. If of foreign birth, give the country in which birthplace was situated on January 1, 1937. Distinguish Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State (Eire) from Northern Ireland.
- CODE (Leave blank)
- CITZENSHIP
- Citizenship of the foreign born
- RESIDENCE, APRIL 1, 1935
IN WHAT PLACE DID THIS PERSON LIVE ON April 1, 1935? For a person who, on April 1, 1935, was living in the same house as at present, enter in Col. 17 "Same house," and for one living in a different house but in the same city or town, enter "Same place," leaving Cols. 18, 19, and 20 blank, in both instances. For a person who lived in a different place, enter city or town, county, and State, as directed in the Instructions. (Enter actual place of residence, which may differ from mail address.)
- City, town, or village having 2,500 or more inhabitants. Enter "R" for all other places.
- County
- State (or Territory or foreign country).
- On a farm? (Yes or No).
- CODE (Leave blank)
- PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER - EMPLOYMENT STATUS
- Was this person AT WORK for pay or profit in private or nonemergency Gov't. work during week of March 24-30? (Yes or No).
- If not, was he at work on, or assigned to, public EMERGENCY WORK (WPA, NYA, CCC, etc.) during week of March 24-30? (Yes or No).
- If neither at work nor assigned to public emergency work. ("No" in Cols. 21 and 22).
- Was this person SEEKING WORK? (Yes or No).
- If not seeking work, did he HAVE A JOB, business, etc.? (Yes or No).
- For persons answering "No" to question 21, 22, 23 and 24.
- Indicate whether engaged in home housework (H), in school (S), unable to work (U), or other (Ot).
- CODE (Leave blank)
- If at private or nonemergency Govt. work. "Yes" in col. 21.
- Number of hours worked during week of March 24-30, 1940.
- If seeking work or assigned to public emergency work. ("Yes" in Col. 22 or 23).
- Duration of unemployment up to March 30, 1940 - in weeks.
- Occupation, Industry and Class of Worker:
For a person at work, assigned to public emergency work, or with a job ("Yes" in Col. 21, 22, or 24), enter present occupation, industry, and class of worker. For a person seeking work ("Yes" in Col. 23): a) if he has previous work experience, enter last occupation, industry, and class of worker; or b) if he does not have previous work experience, enter "New worker" in Col. 28, and leave Cols. 29 and 30 blank.
- OCCUPATION: Trade, profession, or particular kind of work, as frame spinner, salesman, laborer, rivet heater, music teacher.
- INDUSTRY: Industry or business, as cotton mill, retail grocery, farm, shipyard, public school.
- Class of Worker.
- CODE (Leave blank)
- Number of weeks worked in 1939 (Equivalent full-time weeks).
- Income in 1939 (12 months ended December 31, 1939):
- Amount of money wages or salary received (including commissions).
- Did this person receive income of $50 or more from sources other than money wages or salary? (Yes or No).
- No. of farm schedule
- Line No.
- SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS 35-50:
For persons enumerated on lines # and # [about a 5% sample of the population]
- FOR PERSONS OF ALL AGES
- Place of Birth of Father and Mother
If born in the United States, give State, Territory, or possession. If foreign born, give country in which birthplace was situated on January 1, 1937. Distinguish: Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State from Northern Ireland.
- Father.
- Mother.
- CODE (Leave blank)
- Mother Tongue (or Native Language):
- Language spoken in home in earliest childhood.
- Veterans:
Is this person a veteran of the United States military forces; or the wife, widow, or under-18-year-old child of a veteran?
- If so, enter "Yes."
- If child, is veteran-father dead? (Yes or No)
- War or military service.
- CODE (Leave blank)
- FOR PERSONS 14 YEARS OLD AND OVER
- Social Security:
- Does this person have a Federal Social Security Number? (Yes or No)
- Were deductions for Federal Old-Age Insurance or Railroad Retirement made from this person's wages or salary in 1939? (Yes or No)
- If so, were deductions made from (1) all, (2) one-half or more, (3) part, but less than half, of wages or salary?
- Usual Occupation, Industry, and Class of Worker:
Enter that occupation which the person regards as his usual occupation and at which he is physically able to work. If the person is unable to determine this, enter that occupation at which he has worked longest during the past 10 years and at which he is physically able to work. Enter also usual industry and usual class of worker. For a person without previous work experience, enter "None" in column 45 and leave columns 46 and 47 blank.
- Usual occupation.
- Usual industry.
- Usual class of worker.
- CODE (Leave blank)
- FOR ALL WOMEN WHO ARE OR HAVE BEEN MARRIED
- Has this woman been married more than once? (Yes or No)
- Age at first marriage.
- Number of children ever born (do not include stillbirths).
- FOR OFFICE USE ONLY - DO NOT WRITE IN THESE COLUMNS