Looking up the family tree, I often use the United States Census. The census can tell you many things. You can find family groups, approximate ages, relationship to the head of the household and much more dependin on the year. The following is a list of information on the census starting in 1850.
- 1850 census- houses and families numbered in the order visited, person listed whose usual place of abode as of June 1, 1850 was in this family, age, sex, color, profession, occupation, trade of every male over 15 in the household, value of real estate owned, place of birth naming the state, territory, or country, married within the year, attended school within the year, persons over 20 years of age who cannot read or write, whether deaf, blind, insane,dumb, idiotic, or pauper.
- 1860 census- houses and families numbered in the order visited, person listed whose usual place of abode as of June 1860 was in this family, age, sex, color, profession, occupation, trade, of every male over 15 years in the household, value of real estate, value of personal estate, place of birth, territory, state, or country, married within the year, attended school within the year, persons over 18 years of age who cannot read or write, whether deaf, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict.
- 1870 census- dwellings and families numbered as visited, persons listed place of abode as of June 1870, age at last birthday if under 1 year month in fractions, sex, color-Chinese and Indian added, proffession, occupation, trade, of each person, male, or female, value of real estate, value of personal estate, place of birth, naming state or territory in the U.S. or the country if foreign born. Parentage, Mother, Father of foreign birth, month of birth in born in the year, month if married within the year, attended school within the year, cannot read, cannot write, whether dumb, deaf, blind, insane, or idiotic,male citizen of the U.S. 21 and up. Male citizen 21 and up whose right to vote is abridged on other grounds other than rebellion or other crime.
- 1880 census- Name of street, house number, dwellings numbered in order visited, families numbered in order visited, Names of persons whose place of abode within family as of June 1, 1880. Personal description; colr same as 1870, sex, age as of June 1 1880; if under 1 year give months as fractions. If born within the census year give month of birth. Relationship to the head of family; wife, son, daughter, servant, boarder, or other. Civil condition; married, widowed, divorced . Married during census year. Profession, trade, occupation of ech person, male or female. Number of months this person has been employed during census year. Health; blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, maimed, crippled, bedridden, or otherwise disabled. Attended School within the census year. Cannot read.
- 1890 census- mostly destoyed by fire
- 1900 census- Location; street, house number, number of dwellings by order visited, number of families by order visited. Name of every person living in abode as of June 1, 1900 in this family. Surname, given name, middle initial. (every living person as of June 1, 1900, omit children born after June 1, 1900.) Relationship of every person to the head of household. Personal description; Color or race. Sex. Date of Birth- month,year. Age at last birthday, single, married, widowed, or divorced. Number of years married. Mother of how many children. Number of these children living. Nativity; state territory, or countryif born outside the United States. Person, Mother, Father place of birth. Citizenship; year of immigration to U.S., number of years in the U.S., naturlization. Occupation, trade, or profession of every person over 10 years of age, months not employed. Education; attended school in months, read, write, speak english. Ownership of home; owned or rented, owned free of mortgage, farm or house, number of farm schedule.
- 1910 census- Location; Number of dwellings by order visited, number of family in order visited, 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. Relationship of person to the Head of Household. Personal description; sex, color or race, age at last birthday, single, married, widowed or divorced, number of years in present marriage, mother of how many children. Number of children born, number still 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 of foreign birth, give the Country. Place of birth of person, place of birth of Mother, place of birth of Father of this person. Citenzenship; year of immigration, alien or naturalized, whether the person speaks english or name language spoken. Occupation; trade or profession of this person, general nature of industry, business, or particular kind of work, whether employer, employee, working on own account. If employee whether out of work on April 15, 1910, number of weeks out of work in 1909. Education; read, write, attended school any time since Sept.1, 1909. Ownership of home; owned, rented, owned free or mortgaged, farm or house, number of farm schedule. Survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy. Blind (both eyes), deaf and dumb.
- 1920 census- Place of Abode;Street, avenue, road. House number or farm, etc.
Number of dwelling house in order of visitation.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 and middle initial, if any. Include every person living on January 1, 1920. Omit children born since January 1, 1920.Relationship of this person to the head of the family. Tenure; home owned or rented, if owned free, or mortgaged. Personal description; Sex, color or race, age at last birthday, single, married, widowed, divorced. Citizenship; year of immigration, naturalization or alien. If naturalization, year. Education; attended school any time since Sept 1, 1919, read, write. Nativity and Mother tongue; person's place of birth, Mother tongue, Father; place of birth, Mother tongue, Mother; place of birth mother tongue. Whether speaks English. Occupation; Trade, profession, or particular kind of work done. Industry, business, or establishment in which at work. Employer, salary or wage worker, or working on own account. Number of farm schedule. - 1930 census- Place of Abode; street, avenue, road. House number in cities or towns.
Number of dwelling house 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 and middle initial, if any. Include every person living on April 1, 1930. Omit children born since April 1, 1930. Relationship of this person to the head of the 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 any time since September 1, 1929, whether able to read and write. Place of Birth; place of birth of each person enumerated and of his or her parents. If born in the United States, give the State or Territory. If of foreign birth, give country in which birthplace is now situated. Distinguish Canada-French from Canada-English, and Irish Free State from Northern Ireland. Person. Father. Mother. Mother Tongue (or native language) of Foreign Born; Language spoken at home before coming to the United States. Citizenship, etc.; year of immigration to the United States, Naturalization, whether able to speak English.
Occupation and Industry: Occupation; trade, profession, or particular kind of work. Industry: Industry or business, as cotton mill, dry goods store, shipyard, public school, etc. Class of worker. Employment; whether actually at work yesterday (or the last regular working day): Yes or No. If not, line number of Unemployment Schedule.
Veterans: Whether a veteran of U.S. military or naval forces; Yes or No. What war or expedition. Number of farm schedule.
I have found that not all the information is reliable, and a lot of times the information is as reliable as the person giving it and writing it down. It still is a great tool though. Ancestry. com has most of the United Staes Census on line and you can download them. There is a charge unless they are running a free trial.
