The 1940 census started April 1, 1940 from What day was the census taken each decade? at the United States Census Bureau. On April 2, 1940 Robert Hiss, the census enumerator, started recording the 16th U.S. Federal Census in Aboite Township. Unlike for the 1790-1930 census - the Internet Archivedoes not have the 1940 census on microfilm online. It is available for Free for Allen County at our ACGSI page and the entire U.S Federal census is at Find My Past.
The decennial census has always required a large workforce to visit and collect data from households. Between 1790 to 1870, the duty of collecting census data fell upon the U.S. Marshals. A March 3, 1879 act replaced the U.S. Marshals with specially hired and trained census-takers to conduct the 1880 and subsequent censuses.
During the early censuses, U.S. Marshalls received little training or instruction on how to collect census data. In fact, it was not until 1830 that marshals even received printed shedules 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). As a result, the "Instructions to Enumerators" provided here include the congressional acts U.S. marshalls reviewed during the early census, specially-published instructions for door-to-door census, and lastly, guides used for the limited number of personal interviews conducted during nonresponse follow-up operations.
The 1940 Census and Preparing for the 1950 Census published June 21, 2021 by the Allen County Public Library on YouTube, their description: For those of us devoted to family history, “Census Release Day” is an informal but long-anticipated holiday every ten years. As genealogists, we eagerly await each new release of the Census and the treasure trove of information it will bring. Unfortunately, we must wait 72 years after each Census is compiled before it will be released to the public. Along that timeline, the 1950 Census is slated for release in April of 2022. However, each Census is unique due to changing questions from the previous versions. What can we expect from the 1950 Census? How many questions will be on it? How can we prepare for the release? This presentation will answer these questions and more. Attendees will also learn how to use knowledge from the 1940 Census release to assist them in their 1950 research. Presented by Allison Singleton. Learn more about the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library at www.genealogycenter.org.
Links to Online Census Records
The 16th census is the first digital census available online from the National Archives. The 1940 census indexing volunteers started April 4, 2012 and finished just 5 months later on August 4, 2012 and the last 5 states were posted by August 21, 2014 !
the1940census.com What Is The 1940 US Census Minute? - “There should be a return on the Population schedule for each person alive at the beginning of the Census Day, i.e., 12:01 a.m. on April 1, 1940. Thus, persons who died after 12:01 a.m. should be enumerated; and infants born after 12:01 a.m. on April 1, 1940, should not be enumerated.”
Just 27 days until we release the 1940 Census online! This census covers a tumultuous time in American history. Although we associate the 1930s with the Great Depression, it was also a time of technological change across the country. This picture shows the Navajo Reservation in Arizona in 1938. The original caption reads “Which leads us to the modern flour mill - An improvement over the old method shown in the foreground." (This photograph comes from the National Archives at Riverside.
Did you know? 🧐 In 1940, the census marked who actually provided the information with a small circled “X.” That...
In 1940, the census marked who actually provided the information with a small circled “X.”
That means:
Your ancestor may not have given their own details.
Ages, birthplaces, and immigration years could be secondhand information.
When something looks “wrong,” ask: Who was the informant?
