The Coded Census: Deciphering US Census

As the US Census progressed, starting in the 20th century, the Census Bureau employed the use of various codes to categorize census data. Various types of codes covered education, employment, marriage, nativity and more. Understanding census codes can help you uncover more information about your ancestor and possibly assist in breaking down brick walls. Learn how to locate census code-related tools online and how to use them for a specific US census. Participants will learn this history of “coding the census” and how this information can improve genealogy research. Specifically we’ll cover the 1910 to 1950 US Census Population Schedules and the various codes employed. In addition, we’ll review the various census enumerator instructions to determine other notations and marks on the population schedules. Finally, we’ll cover how to take census code information and integrate it into your genealogy research results.