Availability of Census Records About Individuals
Introduction
The U.S. population census records con-
tain a wealth of information about peo-
ple. They are useful in learning about
one's family and local social and eco-
nomic conditions at various times in his-
tory. For more recent years especially,
they are official documents for persons
who need to prove their age (in the
absence of a birth certificate), relation-
ship, citizenship, residence, and other
facts in order to qualify for pensions;
get jobs, naturalization papers, pass-
ports, or insurance policies; establish an
inheritance; or trace ancestry. There
was a population census taken in 1790
and every 10th year after that. (Page 3
lists the items covered in the existing
censuses for each year.) The U.S.
Census Bureau publication, 200 Years of
U.S. Census Taking: Population and
Housing Questions, 1790-1990
(Washington, DC, 1989), shows the spe-
cific questions and the way they appear
on the records. It also reproduces
instructions given to the enumerators
for taking each census.
This Factfinder explains what census
materials are available and how to
obtain them and also lists the sources
for some other useful records about
individuals.
Census Schedules Available
to the Public
Individual records from the Federal pop-
ulation censuses are confidential for 72
years, by law (Title 44, U.S. Code).
Thus, April 2002 is the scheduled date
for the National Archives to open the
1930 records to public use.
Microfilm copies of the original popula-
tion schedules, from 1790 through 1920
(virtually all of the 1890 records were
destroyed in a 1921 fire), are available
at the National Archives in Washington
(http://www.nara.gov) and its 13 region-
al archives (see page 4), and many
libraries in various parts of the United
States. Most have facilities for making
paper copies from the microfilm. The
National Archives also rents and sells
the microfilm rolls (see below). The
Reference Branch at National Archives
headquarters (see listing on page 4) will
accept phot