United States Census 1920

Indexes and Images
For an article about 1920 censuses scheduled to become available for free online at FamilySearch Historical Record Collections see the U.S. Census Population Schedules, 1920 Wiki page. Ancestry.com (subscription site) has indexes and images of all 1920 federal censuses. HeritageQuestOnline.com (subscription site) has images of all 1920 federal censuses. A Soundex index for each state is also available on microfilm.

For details, see individual state census Wiki pages. For tips if the first census index search does not work, see the United States Census Searching Wiki page.

A free Internet index to the 1920 United States Census can be viewed at FamilySearch. This index includes every name listed on the census. Index includes the name, residence, estimated birth year, age in years, birth place, relationship to head of house, gender, race or color, marital status, father birth place, mother birth place, film number, digital GS number, image number and sheet number.


 * Clues in Census Records, 1850-1940

Content
1920 Census was taken beginning 1 January 1920, for thirty days, or two weeks for populations of 2,500+.

The following information was recorded by the census taker:


 * Name of street, ave., road
 * House number or farm
 * Number of dwelling in order of visitation
 * Number of family in order of visitation
 * Name of each person who lived w/family
 * Relationship of person to head of family
 * Home owned or rented
 * If owned, mortgaged or free
 * Sex
 * Color or race
 * Age at last birthday
 * Single, married, widowed or divorced
 * Year of immigration to U.S.
 * Naturalized or alien


 * If naturalized, year of naturalization
 * Attended school since 1 Sep 1919
 * Can read or write
 * Birthplace
 * Mother tongue
 * Father’s birthplace
 * Father’s mother tongue


 * Mother’s birthplace
 * Mother’s mother tongue
 * Speak English
 * Trade, profession or type of work
 * Industry, business or establishment at work
 * Number of farm schedule

Value
The 1920 census can be used to:


 * 1) View several instances, where women, rather than men were listed as head of household in Soundex index
 * 2) Identify date of Naturalization
 * 3) More specific questions asked of immigrants from Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, & Türkiye could facilitate pinpointing birthplaces.

A statistical study was done in 1923 on coal miners listed in the 1920 census. The codes used follow:

MH - coal miners who were also the heads of their households BD - coal miners who were boarders in a household BWF - coal miners who lived in their parent's household USC - "colored" coal miners who were born in the United States (for African American miners) USW - "white" coal miners who were born in the United States (for caucasians miners)


 * Clues in Census Records, 1850-1940

Unique Features and Problems

 * 1) Date of enumeration on heading of each page
 * 2) All responses supposed to be as of 1 Jan 1920


 * a. Omit—children born between 1 Jan 1920 and enumeration
 * b. Include—people alive on 1 Jan 1920, but dead by enumeration


 * 1) Year of naturalization
 * 2) If a farmer, it includes the corresponding farm schedule
 * 3) No separate schedule for the Indian population
 * 4) More accurate listing of place of birth for those born in Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia or Türkiye
 * 5) Did not list some of the previous questions. (number of children, years of marriage, military service, unemployment)
 * 6) Census included: Guam, American Samoa, Panama Canal Zone
 * 7) Soundex Index for each state/territory
 * 8) Servicemen counted at duty posts, not in their families
 * 9) Includes schedules &amp; Soundex index for overseas military &amp; naval forces
 * 10) Soundex cards for institutions are found at the end of each state’s soundex section
 * 11) Institutions at the end of the enumeration section
 * 12) Originals destroyed by 83rd Congress

States and Territories Covered

 * All states, District of Columbia, and the Territories listed below:


 * Alaska
 * American Samoa
 * Guam
 * Hawaii


 * Panama Canal Zone
 * Philippines
 * Puerto Rico
 * U.S. Virgin Islands

Missing Records

 * No States Missing

Where to Find the Records
The 1920 Federal Census is available online.

Online


 * 1920 United States Federal Census (Ancestry) ($)
 * (FamilySearch) - free

Websites

 * Clues in Census Records, 1850-1940