5.4 Identifying Relevant Census Collections

Census collections are available on each of the big four genealogical websites. Any of these websites can be utilized to complete a census survey, but a combination of websites gives the best opportunity to identify all of the needed records. Even though each company has created their census collections from the same records, they went about it in different ways and with different priorities and methods. Census records had to be digitized and then indexes were created by each company so their customers could search a database. Some use volunteers to complete the indexing, others use computers to read the records. The websites do not pull out all the data listed on the record to create the searchable index, so there will be variations from one website to another. This means that, if researchers cannot find someone in the census collection on one website, they may be able to identify them on a different one. For example, a researcher searching for Josiah Mansfield on Ancestry.com may come up with NIL (not in location) searches but switch to FamilySearch.org and easily find him there. That could be because Josiah was indexed as “Joseph” on Ancestry and “Josiah” on FamilySearch. This happens even though both websites are working from the same document. Each website has a different index. The only place to see all the census data is on the original record so always examine the image instead of relying on the indexes. Valuable information gleaned from one census can help verify an individual or family on another census.

Many family historians prefer to start their census searches on Ancestry.com. Although other websites are adding similar features, Ancestry displays their census images with highlights so someone can identify the person or family of interest without reading all the names on the document. This saves time because false positives can quickly be dismissed. If the family on the record is the correct one, it is a good idea to read the names of everyone on the document as well as those on the previous and next page because it was not unusual in early years for children, siblings, parents, and extended family to live near each other. Genealogists identify more family members by looking beyond the target family on these records.

Another Ancestry feature that makes completing the census survey easier is hints. When an individual has been identified on a record, the system suggests other records that may be connected to that individual. For census results, this means in one search a historian may find direct links to several applicable census records without additional searching. No matter which website is used for the survey, begin by going to the specific census collection and avoid general searches. Access a specific collection by searching for that census year on the website, working through the website’s catalog, or using a search engine to identify the particular collection with an inquiry, like “1920 US Federal Census, FamilySearch.”