United States Census 1840

United States U.S. Census  1840 Census

Content
The 1840 Census was taken beginning 1 June 1840, for eighteen months. The following information was recorded by the census taker:

White Inhabitants

 * Free White Males under 5
 * Free Males 5-10
 * Free Males 10-15
 * Free Males 15-20
 * Free Males 20-30
 * Free Males 30-40
 * Free Males 40-50
 * Free Males 50-60
 * Free Males 60-70
 * Free Males 70-80
 * Free Males 80-90
 * Free Males 90-100
 * Free Males over 100
 * Free White Females same as males

Free Colored Inhabitants

 * Free Colored Males under 10
 * Free Males 10-24
 * Free Males 24-35
 * Free Males 36-55
 * Free Males 56-100
 * Free Males over 100
 * Free Colored Females same as males

Slave Inhabitants

 * Slave Males under 10
 * Slave Males 10-24
 * Slave Males 24-35
 * Slave Males 36-55
 * Slave Males 56-100
 * Slave Males over 100
 * Slave Females same as males

Additional Information

 * Deaf, dumb, blind, and insane (including age categories for deaf and dumb and distinctions between white and colored persons)
 * Name of pensioners for Revolutionary or military services
 * Number of persons employed in each of six classes of industry and one of occupation
 * Number in school
 * Number in family over 20 who could read &amp; write

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

Value
The 1840 census can be used to:


 * Identify locality
 * Distinguish target family from others of same name
 * Help determine family size
 * Locate possible relatives with same name
 * Identify neighbors
 * Identify slaveholders
 * Identify name variations
 * Free men of color listed as head of household
 * Slaves in age group by name of owner
 * Naturalization column may indicate length of residency in U.S. to find papers
 * Identify Pensioners leading to Rev. War information
 * Identify occupation
 * Identify education level
 * Identify insane leading to institution/guardianship records

1790-1840 Searching Tips: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1790-1840.html

Unique Features and Problems

 * 1) Asked the age of Revolutionary war pensioners
 * 2) Expanded occupational options
 * 3) Lists the number of those in school
 * 4) Lists the number of those over 21 who can read and write
 * 5) Lists those who are insane

States and Territories Covered
States


 * Alabama
 * Arkansas
 * Connecticut
 * Delaware
 * District of Columbia
 * Georgia
 * Illinois
 * Indiana
 * Kentucky
 * Louisiana
 * Maine
 * Maryland
 * Massachusetts
 * Michigan
 * Mississippi
 * Missouri
 * New Hampshire
 * New Jersey
 * New York
 * North Carolina
 * Ohio
 * Pennsylvania
 * Rhode Island
 * South Carolina
 * Tennessee
 * Virginia
 * Vermont

Territories


 * Florida
 * Iowa
 * Oregon (also a part of Britain)
 * Wisconsin

Missing Records

 * No States Missing

Where to Find the Records
The 1840 Federal Census is available online.

Online


 * 1840 United States Federal Census (Ancestry) ($)
 * (FamilySearch) - index only

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

1790-1840 Search Tips: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1790-1840.html