5.1 Census Overview

The United States Census Bureau defines census as “a complete enumeration, usually of a population, but also of businesses and commercial establishments, housing, farms, governments, and so forth.”2 This definition is important because many people are only familiar with census records in terms of a country-wide census that numbers each individual living within the boundaries of the nation. There are, actually, many types of censuses, and they are often documented as “census records” or “schedules.” In other countries, there may be different terms for these records. They may be listed as “household examination records,” “population schedules,” or some other term that applies to the specific nation. The FamilySearch Wiki has a census page for each place and explains the nuances of that area and lists options for this type of record.

Census records are not primary records, but they are a key to helping genealogists be effective and efficient. Studying census records for a family or individual can give a broad overview of their lives, including where they lived, who they lived with, their occupations, and information about the preceding and future generations. In areas where census records are available, they provide a quick way to document and visualize an outline that summarizes a lifetime, and they give researchers a timeline for vital events. Knowing where and when to look for specific records is an invaluable time saver, so obtaining census records before moving into searching for vital documents is a smart research strategy. Census schedules often provide researchers with information that helps them know where and when to look for birth, marriage, and death records.

Why aren’t census records primary records? Harvard Library defines primary sources this way: “Primary sources provide first-hand testimony or direct evidence concerning a topic under investigation. They are created by witnesses or recorders who experienced the events or conditions being documented. Often these sources are created at the time when the events or conditions are occurring.”3

Although many events are recorded on a census record, they are not recorded at the time of the event. Also, a weakness in census records is there is no way to know who the informant was and how reliable and accurate the information is. For example, Samuel may report his parents were born in a certain place but that is not first-person information, and it is not recorded at the time of the event of his parent’s birth. However, it may still be accurate and very valuable information. Consider if that same census record was not reported by Samuel but was reported by his spouse, Juliet. A researcher has no way of knowing and might fall into the trap of assuming it was Samuel reporting where his parents were born. If it was Juliet, the information is even farther removed from the original person and event. What if the nanny or an aunt or a neighbor opened the door and was the one reporting census data? What if it was one of Samuel and Juliet’s children reporting the data?

Who reports is not the only thing that can affect the accuracy of the information contained on a census record. Consider who knocked at the door in the first place. In the United States, early census records were taken by US Marshals. The demeanor of the person knocking on the door could affect the response given by the person who answers the door. It is important that researchers understand the interaction affects the accuracy of a census record, so records must be read wisely and looked at with an open mind. Wise researchers read slowly and do not jump to conclusions.