Registration opens for 2026 webinar series on December 29.

Registration opens for 2026 webinar series on December 29.

By
By
Upcoming Webinars
Historical Records Census Records

Context in the Count: Interpreting the U.S. Census With a Historical Perspective

Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal, CG®
Free

The U.S. federal census wasn’t designed with genealogists in mind; it was created to meet the changing needs of a growing nation. This session takes you beyond the names and numbers, exploring the historical context behind each census from 1790 to 1950. We’ll examine how shifting questions, enumeration methods, and national priorities have shaped the records we rely on today. By understanding the “why” behind the census, you’ll gain tools to interpret your ancestors’ entries with greater accuracy and uncover richer stories hidden in the data.

Wed, February 4 2026: 20:30 UTC
Register for free

About the speaker

About the speaker

Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal, CG®
Elizabeth Swanay O’Neal is a professional genealogist, writer, educator, and national genealogical speaker. Her specialties include methodology, technology, and online research resources. Since 1987, Elizabeth has made it her goal to research, sha
Learn more...

Related Webinars

Historical Records
Advanced Census Research: Understanding Census Enumerators and Their Instructions
Annette Burke Lyttle, CG®
Wed, February 4 2026: 16:30 UTC
Register for free
Advanced Census Research: Understanding Census Enumerators and Their Instructions
Wed, February 4 2026: 16:30 UTC
The census is one of our basic research tools, but basic doesn’t equal simple. Often a census record can raise as many questions as it answers, and some of those questions may seem unanswerable. Learn how an understanding of who the enumerators were, what their instructions prescribed, and some of the many ways they deviated from the instructions can answer many of the questions raised by census research.
Historical Records
Advanced Census Research: Understanding Census Enumerators and Their Instructions
Annette Burke Lyttle, CG®
The census is one of our basic research tools, but basic doesn’t equal simple. Often a census record can raise as many questions as it answers, and some of those questions may seem unanswerable. Learn how an understanding of who the enumerators were, what their instructions prescribed, and some of the many ways they deviated from the instructions can answer many of the questions raised by census research.
Wed, February 4 2026: 16:30 UTC
Register for free
Historical Records
The Many Faces of the Census: Beyond the Population Schedule – Agricultural, Mortality, and Industry Records
Cheri Hudson Passey
Wed, February 4 2026: 17:45 UTC
Register for free
The Many Faces of the Census: Beyond the Population Schedule – Agricultural, Mortality, and Industry Records
Wed, February 4 2026: 17:45 UTC
Most researchers stop at the population schedule, but census records also include valuable schedules that document farms, businesses, deaths, and community life. This session explores agricultural, mortality, and industry schedules, showing how they can be used to add depth to family history.
Historical Records
The Many Faces of the Census: Beyond the Population Schedule – Agricultural, Mortality, and Industry Records
Cheri Hudson Passey
Most researchers stop at the population schedule, but census records also include valuable schedules that document farms, businesses, deaths, and community life. This session explores agricultural, mortality, and industry schedules, showing how they can be used to add depth to family history.
Wed, February 4 2026: 17:45 UTC
Register for free
Historical Records
Case Studies in Census Conflicts – Resolving Contradictions Across Decades
Cheri Hudson Passey
Wed, February 4 2026: 19:00 UTC
Register for free
Case Studies in Census Conflicts – Resolving Contradictions Across Decades
Wed, February 4 2026: 19:00 UTC
Census records often contradict one another. Ages change, names vary, and places of birth are inconsistent. This session demonstrates how to analyze and reconcile those conflicts through timelines, correlation with other records, and case studies that show how to draw conclusions from imperfect evidence.
Historical Records
Case Studies in Census Conflicts – Resolving Contradictions Across Decades
Cheri Hudson Passey
Census records often contradict one another. Ages change, names vary, and places of birth are inconsistent. This session demonstrates how to analyze and reconcile those conflicts through timelines, correlation with other records, and case studies that show how to draw conclusions from imperfect evidence.
Wed, February 4 2026: 19:00 UTC
Register for free
BeginnersHistorical Records
Essential Skills for New Genealogists 3 of 12: U.S. Census Records from 1790-1950 and Beyond
Dave Mc Donald
Fri, June 5 2026: 18:00 UTC
Register for free
Essential Skills for New Genealogists 3 of 12: U.S. Census Records from 1790-1950 and Beyond
Fri, June 5 2026: 18:00 UTC
Background on census creation; constitutionally-mandated headcount; pre-1820 tables and their use; 1830 & 1840, with the slave schedules; 1850-70, including the mortality schedules; 1880, and relationships to heads of household; 1890 and its destruction; 1900-1910, with special questions; 1920-1950 with their special characteristics (1920: date; 1940, informant’s identity, etc.).
BeginnersHistorical Records
Essential Skills for New Genealogists 3 of 12: U.S. Census Records from 1790-1950 and Beyond
Dave Mc Donald
Background on census creation; constitutionally-mandated headcount; pre-1820 tables and their use; 1830 & 1840, with the slave schedules; 1850-70, including the mortality schedules; 1880, and relationships to heads of household; 1890 and its destruction; 1900-1910, with special questions; 1920-1950 with their special characteristics (1920: date; 1940, informant’s identity, etc.).
Fri, June 5 2026: 18:00 UTC
Register for free