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| Tips On How To Search Census Records |
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| Written by Dawn C. | |
| Monday, 18 September 2006 | |
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Census records may be the single top utilized investigating tool online for family tree research. From 1930 back to the founding of the nation, the records of every census are available online. By using census records you may be able to trace your family tree back to when your ancestors first came to this country, whether they were immigrants who came ashore at Ellis Island, or if they were here to fight the British during the Revolution, the census records may show you a piece of their lives.
Census records are obtainable online and have sincerely aided the search of the genealogist, whether your an amateur or a master. Using the united ability of the internet, high speed computers, and the extensive analysis of the federal government, all right at your fingertips can make analysis seem simple. When searching census records, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, have a good idea of alternative spellings of your family name. Many family names had the spelling changed to make the names seem more American, and help the individuals blend into American society keeping them safe from standing out, by what seemed like foreign sounding names. Other names have to changed because the immigration officials made typographical errors, or could not spell or say the names involved. And many names simply had multiple spellings which were all considered right at the time, especially whereas so many people didn't read or write at the time. Also, trying to translate other peoples handwriting can cause anyone problems. A person may make an r that looks like an n or any one of dozens of other mistakes from bad handwriting. Regardless, find out all of the different spellings. Next, make a list of all of the family names you are looking for, and all of the info you have relevant to the individuals you wish to learn about. Keep this info in a notebook nearby, or in an online data base. And be prepared to write in the notebook or add to the information base as you learn more information. When making a list of names, remember that Smith for instance is often written at Smithe, or Smythe. Johnson can be Johnston or Jonson. Madux can be Maddux or Maddox. Know the combinations and alternatives and you will help your search. After that, know what states your ancestors were presumably living in. If your ancestor lived in New Jersey that is the census you want to check out, not New York. And understand the geography. If you can't come up with your ancestor in New Jersey, but believe he was in the area at the time, then New York as an adjourning state is the next place to check, followed by Pennsylvania and all of the other states in the area which the ancestor could have lived. Know something about the spouses and the spousal families. If you can't find your great, great, great grandfather, but you know whom he married, then you can check out the spouses family and perhaps find some info there. The additional information you have to start with in your research, the better for you, the more extensive the research will be, and the less time it will take. Then have a adequate concept of the time period in which the ancestor lived. If your ancestor lived in New York in 1900, then that is the primary census to look at. Then checking the 1890 and 1910 census records will help determine when he moved there and when he left. But, there is no need to check the 1920 census or the 1880 census if the time periods don't match. There has never been a better time in history to do genealogical analysis for many reasons, one of the main ones being census records availability online. Other things that help the genealogical researcher these days include the popularity of the pastime, the abundance of good software to help in the research, and the Internet itself. With the Internet it is possible to find online chat rooms, groups, message forums and other areas to meet like minded people researching their own families. And as these things go, many individuals start their exploration on one branch of their own family and then tie into additional branches, tying into different individuals analysis, and helping everyone along the way. |
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