United States Census 1920

Additional information may be found on the United States Census Portal page.

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 1790-2000 Information: http://www.census.gov/prod/2000pubs/cff-2.pdf

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                        Identify date of Naturalization                        More specific questions asked of immigrants from Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, &amp; Turkey                               could facilitate pinpointing birthplaces. 1850-1930 Search Tips: http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/1850-1930.html

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 3. Year of naturalization 4. If a farmer, it includes the corresponding farm schedule 5. No separate schedule for the Indian population 6. More accurate listing of place of birth for those born in Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia or Turkey 7. Did not list some of the previous questions. (number of children, years of marriage, military service, unemployment) 8. Census included: Guam, American Samoa, Panama Canal Zone 9. Soundex Index for each state/territory 10. Servicemen counted at duty posts, not in their families 11. Includes schedules &amp; Soundex index for overseas military &amp; naval forces 12. Soundex cards for institutions are found at the end of each state’s soundex section 13. Institutions at the end of the enumeration section 14. Originals destroyed by 83rd Congress

States Covered and Missing

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

No States Missing

Territories

 * Alaska
 * Hawaii

Web Sites
1790-2000 Info: http://www.census.gov/prod/2000pubs/cff-2.pdf

1850-1930 Search Tips: http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/1850-1930.html

Bibliographic Citations
1. Szucs, Loretto Dennis and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking. The Source: A Guide book to American Genealogy. 3rd ed. (Provo, UT: Ancestry, 2006.)