I like to share a little bit about census records. As you can see from my post I put up a lot of information from census records. I love census records, you can learn so much from them. I use the Federal Census records, you can go back pretty far in the time them, the ones before 1850 can be very tricky in reading them due to they don't have all the members names of the household, you'll see slash marks for the age groups per family. The key thing I have found be good with your math with these and make sure you have your rows lined up. Also the older census records will have an area for slaves, you might find some. Don't get too upset over them, it was a part of life back them, they were used as objects rather than persons and the government saw it that way, which was very sad. Thank God we don't have today.
Every 70 yrs a new census will be released to the public. This year they released the 1940. I was so excited to see it, but it was tough in the beginning cause you had to go by location rather than name, I gave up with that and just waited until they started adding the names to the search. I was able to find my grandparents by waiting, I did try to go by location and I drove myself bonkers.
The state of Kansas does a state census every 5 yrs I think ( don't quote me on this) which I was able to find some good information, its great to get in between the every 10 yr federal census. Kind of helps narrow down death, or if they moved or not.
Some of the census records will list, what your relatives did for a living it can help you narrow down when they were born, location of their birth , even their parents birth place. How much they own in real estate property and personal property, if they can read or write, if they own their property and who else lived in the home. Every census is different with what information was collected.
I have used blank census sheets to fill in the information and keep that copy in my binders, that has tabs on it, so I can look for it quickly.
Also when looking at the census records, look at the neighbors names, way back when, many families married their neighbors, for example the Barron's were close to the Ludlum's in Ill. there is 3 marriages between the two families also they lived as neighbors or in the same town in Kansas. Keep an eye out for those names. Check every decade of the census to see if their name is still there.
On Ancestry.com where I have our family tree at, I have included the census records as records for my citing sources (very important, cite your sources of information) I like to go by documents for my information rather than word of mouth. I will keep note of what someone tells me and I will research that until I find documentation of it. For example my mother told we were related to William Randolph Hearst. So far I haven't found that to be true yet. Now we do have a Carl Randolph Veteto who father was William Veteto. and they aren't rich. So there might have been a mix up in the names, and the time period she heard it was probably during the time where Patti Hearst was kidnapped and got it confused. So if you hear a tid bit, chase it to find the proof of it. Right now I am seeking out proof that a Veteto was killed in Kansas. I have seen letters stated it, I have found guardianship records online, but nothing as to why yet. I am hoping to find a newspaper clipping or a court record of it. I know I am close to finding what happen.
Happy Seeking :-)
Every 70 yrs a new census will be released to the public. This year they released the 1940. I was so excited to see it, but it was tough in the beginning cause you had to go by location rather than name, I gave up with that and just waited until they started adding the names to the search. I was able to find my grandparents by waiting, I did try to go by location and I drove myself bonkers.
The state of Kansas does a state census every 5 yrs I think ( don't quote me on this) which I was able to find some good information, its great to get in between the every 10 yr federal census. Kind of helps narrow down death, or if they moved or not.
Some of the census records will list, what your relatives did for a living it can help you narrow down when they were born, location of their birth , even their parents birth place. How much they own in real estate property and personal property, if they can read or write, if they own their property and who else lived in the home. Every census is different with what information was collected.
I have used blank census sheets to fill in the information and keep that copy in my binders, that has tabs on it, so I can look for it quickly.
Also when looking at the census records, look at the neighbors names, way back when, many families married their neighbors, for example the Barron's were close to the Ludlum's in Ill. there is 3 marriages between the two families also they lived as neighbors or in the same town in Kansas. Keep an eye out for those names. Check every decade of the census to see if their name is still there.
On Ancestry.com where I have our family tree at, I have included the census records as records for my citing sources (very important, cite your sources of information) I like to go by documents for my information rather than word of mouth. I will keep note of what someone tells me and I will research that until I find documentation of it. For example my mother told we were related to William Randolph Hearst. So far I haven't found that to be true yet. Now we do have a Carl Randolph Veteto who father was William Veteto. and they aren't rich. So there might have been a mix up in the names, and the time period she heard it was probably during the time where Patti Hearst was kidnapped and got it confused. So if you hear a tid bit, chase it to find the proof of it. Right now I am seeking out proof that a Veteto was killed in Kansas. I have seen letters stated it, I have found guardianship records online, but nothing as to why yet. I am hoping to find a newspaper clipping or a court record of it. I know I am close to finding what happen.
Happy Seeking :-)
