If you use the ANCESTRY.com database, which you can use at home with a subscription and at no charge at some libraries, you will notice that the 1940 census is in process.
Last I checked the states of Delaware and Nevada had been indexed on Ancestry.com, so a name should take you to census pages for those states. Ancestry is paying people to index and as I hear it, made a deal (paid) with National Archives to use the images.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT THE CITY INFORMATION on ANCESTRY.COM INCLUDES THE WARD OF THE CITY on the pull down menu. I checked a couple cities and made lists of ED districts by ward which I will read by ward as my research path.
What makes a ward? Well, it could be that wards were numbered by the development of that town, take into consideration geography such as rivers and hills, railroad tracks, even churches, with perhaps a population expanding and more suburban development. In some cases, if you found an ethnic ghetto in a ward in 1930, that's a good place to start on the 1940 for the descendants of those ethnic people.
Because there are over 13 million images for the 1940 census, it could be a very long time before the entire census is indexed. As most of us know badly or wrongly spelled surnames, inkblots, cross outs, and horrible handwriting, are all challenges to indexers.
THE LATTER DAY SAINTS have launched an ambitious project soliciting volunteers among those attending church at stakes throughout the country with a goal of all names in all states to be completed in 6 months! THE INFORMATION WILL BE FREE FOR USE ON THEIR FAMILYSEARCH SITE. (Yes some of us are joking "Just in time for 12-12-2012."
One LDS volunteer I met has personally indexed at least 37,000 people! I believe you can join this INDEXING PROJECT without being a church member and if interested I would call the closest LDS Family History Library to ask. They have some software that makes it easier to do. I believe also that you can sign up to do a small portion - say one ward of a town or even one page, but it must be coordinated.
IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH INACCURACIES on the FAMILYSEARCH project, each page will be indexed twice (by two different volunteers) and then a third person will compare and make a judgement where there are any discrepancies. It's a good idea and should help a lot, but you may still find yourself reading page by page anyway.
The ED Converter on the sidebar here at ANCESTRY RESEARCH GENEALOGY I've tried at three different libraries - two public in two different cities - as well as at a Family History Center. It appears that it will take you to images at Ancestry (if you have a subscription you log on then) or the National Archives and some other options. I'm sticking with the National Archives.
Showing posts with label Enumeration Districts - 1940 census. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Enumeration Districts - 1940 census. Show all posts
13 April 2012
15 March 2012
1940 CENSUS ADVICE : THE ED UTILITY and THE 1930 CENSUS : SOME TIPS !
Genealogy friends, if you're like me you have already tried at least one 1930 Enumeration District (ED) in the utility that I've posted as a link both at the title of this post and to the side bar near the NATIONAL ARCHIVES site. Now if any of you remember how jammed up the ELLIS ISLAND site was when it opened years ago, expect the same of the National Archives site. YOU MAY BE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TRYING TO ACCESS THIS!
Now if you are lucky the people you're looking for HAVE NOT MOVED SINCE 1930. So far most of the people on my A list DID MOVE by 1940, though within the same city, which means there could be dozens of Enumeration Districts to look at page by page. Truth is, I wouldn't mind using the microfilm at all!
Here then are other ways to find an address closer to or for 1940 before the census comes out!
1) Listings in City Directories. Start looking in 1940, then 1941, then 1939, and so on. Remember that listing in a City Directory was not free and some families saw no reason to list. Listings for pay were favored by people who wanted work.
2) LOOK FOR A WORLD WAR II draft registration. THE OLD MAN'S DRAFT REGISTRATION will provide you addresses closer to 1940 for men and their families who were well over 40.
3) Naturalizations that took place closer to 1940 will give you an address.
4) Original Applications for Social Security closer to 1940 will give an address. Generally people applied for a SS number when they started their first job at about the age of 16 or when they were ready to retire at age 65. The fee used to be $7 and is now about $36. I'm hearing reports of the Social Security Administration censoring and then sending information, on the basis of longer life expectancy. (This has not been legally legislated and I think may be a reason for protest or asking for your fees back.)
5) Information on CCC or Works Project Administration workers, if you can find it, may also list addresses closer to 1940. On this census participants in the CCC or Works Project Administration were counted where they worked rather than what would be considered their "permanent" address. Eventually indexing may be the way to go.
6) Always check the old neighborhood and surrounding vicinity. Here is where family stories may help.
Now if you are lucky the people you're looking for HAVE NOT MOVED SINCE 1930. So far most of the people on my A list DID MOVE by 1940, though within the same city, which means there could be dozens of Enumeration Districts to look at page by page. Truth is, I wouldn't mind using the microfilm at all!
Here then are other ways to find an address closer to or for 1940 before the census comes out!
1) Listings in City Directories. Start looking in 1940, then 1941, then 1939, and so on. Remember that listing in a City Directory was not free and some families saw no reason to list. Listings for pay were favored by people who wanted work.
2) LOOK FOR A WORLD WAR II draft registration. THE OLD MAN'S DRAFT REGISTRATION will provide you addresses closer to 1940 for men and their families who were well over 40.
3) Naturalizations that took place closer to 1940 will give you an address.
4) Original Applications for Social Security closer to 1940 will give an address. Generally people applied for a SS number when they started their first job at about the age of 16 or when they were ready to retire at age 65. The fee used to be $7 and is now about $36. I'm hearing reports of the Social Security Administration censoring and then sending information, on the basis of longer life expectancy. (This has not been legally legislated and I think may be a reason for protest or asking for your fees back.)
5) Information on CCC or Works Project Administration workers, if you can find it, may also list addresses closer to 1940. On this census participants in the CCC or Works Project Administration were counted where they worked rather than what would be considered their "permanent" address. Eventually indexing may be the way to go.
6) Always check the old neighborhood and surrounding vicinity. Here is where family stories may help.
12 January 2012
MONDAY APRIL 2nd 2012 IS THE DAY THE 1940 CENSUS BECOMES AVAILABLE!
72 years after the 1940 U.S. Census was taken, by law it is no longer protected, and can be revealed to the people.
The 1940 census will be released DIGITALLY by the National Archives only, meaning those of us who also love microfilm will have to use computers and click away. (I think medicine needs to concentrate on forefinger joint replacements! I know mine is arthritic!)
The census will be AVAILABLE ON LINE AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES SITE at no charge! (You may want to search this blog for other 1940 census information, including the project that helps you go to the right ED (enumeration district) based on the 1930! But did you know that the census also counted people who were not technically living in the United States on April 1, 1940?
Eventually certain subscription databases will work on making an index but they too will have to wait for the NATIONAL ARCHIVES release to do so! Since this is going to be a MASSIVE PROJECT most of us will not wait!
Because this release is of momentous importance to genealogists, I will be blogging a lot about it in the next couple months!
The 1940 census will be released DIGITALLY by the National Archives only, meaning those of us who also love microfilm will have to use computers and click away. (I think medicine needs to concentrate on forefinger joint replacements! I know mine is arthritic!)
The census will be AVAILABLE ON LINE AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES SITE at no charge! (You may want to search this blog for other 1940 census information, including the project that helps you go to the right ED (enumeration district) based on the 1930! But did you know that the census also counted people who were not technically living in the United States on April 1, 1940?
Eventually certain subscription databases will work on making an index but they too will have to wait for the NATIONAL ARCHIVES release to do so! Since this is going to be a MASSIVE PROJECT most of us will not wait!
Because this release is of momentous importance to genealogists, I will be blogging a lot about it in the next couple months!
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