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Article #265: How To Use The Census In Your Genealogy Research

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You've gone through the preliminaries. include: the full name, age, sex, place
You've collected all your household vital of origin, and destination for every
records, interviewed relatives, gathered passenger on the ship. The records even
additional records from living relatives include those who were born or died
and followed-up on some of the leads that during the voyage.
were developed. Now, you're stuck and not And there's more. You can also track down
sure what to do next in your genealogy some naturalization records through the
research. U.S. National Archives and Records
If you've worked your way far enough Administration. Naturalization is the
back, it might be time to start checking process by which a a person becomes an
the Census. American citizen. By law, a person can be
But first, you'll want to understand that naturalized in any "regular" court. The
while the Census Bureau collects some Immigration and Naturalization Service
great genealogical information, it has has records for the entire country
the responsibility of confidentiality. As beginning in 1906, but before this time,
a result, the Decennial Census of the procedure will only be located in the
Population and Housing on individuals records of the court where it took place.
does not become available to the public These records often provide a person's
until after 72 years. birth date and location, occupation,
That's why you have to have worked your immigration year, marital status and
way far enough back in your research spouse information, witnesses' names and
before you'll find the Census helpful. addresses, and more.
But here's what you'll really like ... For Pre-1906 Naturalizations:
not only will the Census records help you Contact the State Archives for the state
locate where an acestor lived, after 1840 where the naturalization occurred to
the Census collected age, place of birth, request a search of state, county, and
occupation, personal wealth, education, local courts records.
spouse, children, hired hands, and even Contact the NARA regional facility that
immigration information. A gold mine for serves the state where naturalization
genealogists. occurred to request a search of Federal
Copies of the original decennial census court records
forms from 1790 through 1930 are For Naturalizations After 1906:
available on microfilm for research at After 1906, the courts forwarded copies
the U.S. National Archives and Records of naturalizations to the Immigration and
Administration in Washington, DC ( at Naturalization Service (INS).
Archives regional centers, and at select Naturalizations from Federal Courts are
Federal depository libraries throughout held in the NARA's regional facilities
the United States. In addition, these for the Federal courts for their area.
records are available at various other Learn more:
libraries and research facilities Here are some additional resources that
throughout the United States. you might find helpful for learning learn
You can also check with the reference more about the Census and how to access
librarian at your local library and see all the incredible information available
if they're set up to borrow microfilm to genealogy researchers:
through the National Archives' census USGenWeb Census Project
microfilm rental program. U.S. Census Bureau's Genealogy Page
There's something else you're really Census Finder
going to like ... immigration records are There's nothing quite as exhilarating as
also on microfilm at the National uncovering new information about your
Archives. These records have been ancestors. If you've reached a point
collected for all major U.S. ports since where you aren't quite sure what to try
1820. They include Boston, New York, next in your genealogy research, The
Philadelphia, Baltimore and New Orleans. Census might just be your best bet. Even
The western ports of San Franciso and if you aren't at that point, it's a
Seattle are also archived, though those resource that you should familiarize
records weren't started until late in the yourself with. Sooner or later, it's
19th Century. likely that's where your research is
Here's what these immigration records going to led you.






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