I have begun to include census images in some of the blogs. The larger two options are "X-Large" and "Original Size" images. X-Large isn't quite large enough, but the the original size is FAR too large--and overtakes the menu at the right. When clicked on, the images pop out and enlarge slightly, but the best option may be to right click, save, and then view (and enlarge) with (Windows) Picture Viewer.
When the census was taken, an enumerator visited each residence in sequence. The homeowner (or renter) is listed as the "head of household." (I have seen females, for example--widows, listed as "head of household.") Everyone who lived in the home is listed--including boarders and servants.
The information available on the census may vary by year. Generally, the age of each person enumerated is listed. (Children less than a year old are listed in fractions...a 3 month old is listed as 3/12.) In some years, it asks for the age at which the couple were married. It lists if the head of household owns or rents the home, and it lists the occupation of each resident. (Farmer, housewife, in school, etc.) In some years it asks for the state in which each person was born. In some years it asks if the person can read or write, and if there has been any military service.
Note that enumerators wrote names as they heard them. "Octavia" might become "Octavie" if the person being interviewed pronounced it that way.
Prior to a specific year, the census was listed by the head of household only. The family (and other residents) were counted as statistics. The form asks for the number of each residents who fall into printed categories....like "white females between the ages of 0 and 5." It will also ask for the number of "Negro females between the ages of 0 and 5." Etc.
The last year the census images has been made public was for 1930--for privacy reasons. On April 1, 2012, the government will release the images for 1940.
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