Thread: Historic US Census Questions

The US Census has been taken in this country at the national level since 1790. Some states may have conducted state Census that are not related to the Federal Census.

Census Questions
1790-1840
Enumeration, no citizenship questions.

1850
No citizenship questions

1860
No citizenship questions

1870
Constitutional relations:
Question 19. Male citizens of United States of 21 years of age and upwards.
Question 20. Male citizens of United States of 21 years of age and upwards, whose right to vote is denied or abridged on other grounds than rebellion or other crime.

1880
Nativity:
Question 24. Place of birth of this person, naming State or Territory of United States, or the country, if of foreign birth.
Question 25. Place of birth of the father of this person, naming State or Territory of United States, or the country, if of foreign birth
Question 26. Place of birth of the mother of this person, naming State or Territory of United States, or the country, if of foreign birth

1890
[Note: Most of the 1890 completed census forms were lost in a fire and thus data is unavailable for this census year.]
Question 10. Place of birth.
Question 11. Place of birth of father.
Question 12. Place of birth of mother.
Question 13. Number of years in the United States.
Question 14. Whether naturalized.
Question 15. Whether naturalization papers have been taken out.

1900
Citizenship:
Question 16. Year of immigration to the United States.
Question 17. Number of years in the United States.
Question 18. Naturalization.

1910
Citizenship:
Question 15. Year of immigration to the United States.
Question 16. Whether naturalized or alien.
Question 17. Whether able to speak English; or, if not, give language spoken.

1920
Citizenship
Question 13. Year of immigration to the United States.
Question 14. Naturalized or alien.
Question 15. If naturalized, year of naturalization.

1930
Citizenship, etc.:
Question 22. Year of immigration to the United States.
Question 23. Naturalization.
Question 24. Whether able to speak English.

1940
Place of Birth:
Question 15. 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 (Eire) from Northern Ireland.
Question 16. Citizenship of the foreign born.

1950
Question 13. What State (or foreign country) was he born in?
· If born outside Continental United States, enter name of Territory, possession, or foreign country
· Distinguish Canada-French from Canada-other
Question 14. If foreign born:
Is he naturalized? (Yes, No, or AP for born abroad of American parents)

1960
No questions about citizenship or naturalization only place of birth for self and parents.

(P6) When was this person born?
Month ____________________
Year ____________________

(P7) Is this person - Married, Widowed, Divorced, Separated, Single (never married)?
(Leave blank for children born after March 31, 1946)
____________________

P8. Where was this person born?
(If born in hospital, give residence of mother, not location of hospital)

If born in the United States, write name of State. If born outside the United States, write name of country, U.S. possession, etc. Use international boundaries as now recognized by the U.S. Distinguish Northern Ireland from Ireland (Eire).
________________________________________
(State, foreign country, U.S. possession, etc.)

P9. If this person was born outside the U.S. -
What language was spoken in his home before he came to the United States? ____________________

P10. What country was his father born in?
United States...O OR (Name of foreign country; or Puerto Rico, Guam, etc.)

P11. What country was his mother born in?
United States...O OR (Name of foreign country; or Puerto Rico, Guam, etc.)

1970
Question 16. For persons born in a foreign country -
a. Is this person naturalized?
O Yes, naturalized
O No, alien
O Born abroad of American parents

1980
Question 12. If this person was born in a foreign country --

"This question is only for persons born in a foreign country. Fill the Yes, a naturalized citizen circle only if the person has completed the naturalization process and is now a citizen. If the person has entered the U.S. more than once, fill the circle for the year he or she came to stay permanently."

a. Is this person a naturalized citizen of the United States?

O Yes, a naturalized citizen
O No, not a citizen
O Born abroad of American parents

b. When did this person come to the United States to stay?

O 1975 to 1980 O 1965 to 1969 O 1950 to 1959
O 1970 to 1974 O 1960 to 1964 O Before 1950

1990
Question 9. Is this person a CITIZEN of the United States?
O Yes, born in the United States - Skip to 11
O Yes, born in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Northern Marianas
O Yes, born abroad of American parent or parents
O Yes, U.S. citizen by naturalization
O No, not a citizen of the United States

"A person should fill the Yes, U.S. citizen by naturalization circle only if he/she has completed the naturalization process and is now a United States citizen. If the person was born in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Northern Marianas, he/she should fill the Yes, born in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Northern Marianas circle. If the person was born outside the United States (or at sea) and has at least one American parent, he/she should fill the Yes, born abroad of American parent or parents circle."

2000
Question 13. Is this person a CITIZEN of the United States?
O Yes, born in the United States --> Skip to 15a
O Yes, born in Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Northern Marianas
O Yes, born abroad of American parent or parents
O Yes, a U.S. citizen by naturalization
O No, not a citizen of the United States

Question 14. When did this person come to live in the United States? Print numbers in boxes.
Year
[ ][ ][ ][ ]

2010
No Citizenship Questions expected to be included.


Don't you find it interesting that the 1960 Census omitted the question proir to the Amnesty of 1964? We have been asking these direct questions about citizenship and naturalization for over 100 years and it's suddendly wrong of us to ask?

Trying to keep those illegal aliens in the shadows. Additionally, since the Census data and demographics are used to determine voting districts, this could easily be gerrymandering by a Democratically controlled administration and congress.

Dixie

Very interesting Dixie!!

Here is one of the census I have on my family...I am decended from the Barclays and Elgins, they did not give much information, I have alot more but would take to much time to go through the papers


Census Records

1820 Pulaski County, Kentucky Census
pg 49 George BARCLAY & Nancy b ca 1784-1794

1830 Pulaski County, Kentucky Census
pg 46 George BARCLAY & Nancy b. ca 1780-1790

1850 Pulaski County, Kentucky Census
hh 287 RObert BARKLEY 36 Ky son of George
Sarah 28,VA
George 7 All rest Ky
Milford 4
Nancy 2
Robert 6 mo
Langford BURKHART 10

hh 205 George BARKLEY 69 VA md Nancy Graves she died in 1844!
Hugh George 19 Ky
Edney 13,KY
James 11,KY

1860 Pulaski County, Kentucky Census

Hh 253 Robert BARCLAY 41 KY son of George
Sarah 40 VA
George 15 All rest Born KY
MIlford 13 My wife's line
Nancy 11,KY
Robert 9,
Elizabeth 7
John R. 5
Margaret 3

1860 Pulaski County, Kentucky Census
hh 479 George BARCLAY 83 NC
James 21 KY
ALexander EVANS 35,KY
Mary 37,Ky
Edna 13,KY
Nancy 11,KY
George 7,KY

PC,KY Vitals KY

Alice B. Nunnelly 18-dec-1854 parents Wm Nunnelly & E. Bartley

1860 Pulaski County, Kentucky Census
hh 235 William M. NUNNELLY 48 KY
Ursley 44 KY dau of George!
WIlliam G. 23 KY
Nancy 21 KY
Margaret 20 KY
Paulina 14 KY
Louisa 11 kY
Ally B. 6 KY

Short and sweet huh! now we need 31 pages of information
************************************************** *******

I am a Descendant of Robert & Leah Barclay, Robert was the first born Generation in America, his father Robert Barclay was from Ury Scotland....I get a kick out of some of the old wills I have. Thought you might find it funny.

I have another will where one of my grandfathers leaves a certain amount of money to make sure the slaves are taken care of in their later years.

Whats is funny is how much they changed the spelling of their names in the same papers.


Wills
The Will of Robert Barclay
(Will Book C, pgs 121-122 Rowan Co, NC, probated 178

In the name of God, Amen. I Robert Barclay of the State of North Carolina & County of Rowan threw the abounding mercy & goodness of God tho' weak in body but yet of sound mind & disposing memory to make, constitute ordain and declare this my last will & testament in manner and form following viz:
First I will & order that all my debts & funeral charges be paid and dischargedby my Executors hereafter named.

I give and bequeath to my wife Leah Barclay during her lifetime the plantation whereon I now live, the third of it & her bed & furniture & one cow also the third part of my moveable estate in money.

I give and bequaeth to my eldest son Samuel all my rite of that land lying on the north side of Richard's creek called Weaver Davis place and ten pounds in money if he takes up my bond, if he does not, the land is to be sold & the money to be dividedamong the rest of my children.

I give and bequeath to my son David Barkly eight shillings.

I give to my son John one sorrel mare & fifty pounds in money.

I give to my daughter Margaret eight shillings.

I give to my daughter Elizabeth one black cow & one feather bed & furniture.

I give to my daughter Cathrine one spotted heifer and three sheep.

I give to my daughter Mary 1 red cow with a white face.

I give to my daughter Rachel one brindle cow.

I give and bequeath to my three sons Robert William & Walter all the remainder of my land together with the home plantation after the come to the years of twenty and one to be equally divided amongst them if either of them shall die before they come of age, it shall fall to the others they all three are to be bound to trades of their own choosing.

I give and bequeath to my grandson Robert Barkly five pounds when he comes of age.

I will that the Mill & land belonging to it and all the residue of my estate to be sold and equally divided amongst my four daughters and grandson, Elizabeth Cathrine, Mary, Rachel & Robert Todd. I will that part of this should be given to my grandson Robert Todd in Schooling what is allowed sufficient and I do hereby declare this and this alone to be my last will & testament and do constitute & appoint Benjamin Todd & Peter Todd Executors thereto in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal this twenty fifth day of December in the year 1786

Robert Barkley (his mark & seal)

Witnesses: Joseph Todd
Thomas Todd
John Hendrickson