1940 U.S. Census Facts

Link to U.S. Census Bureau Facts

NARA Microfilm Publication T627 — includes Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, Panama Canal Zone, Puerto Rico, Samoa, Virgin Islands
- 4,646 rolls census images, see http://estore.archives.gov/Category/105_1/1940_Census.aspx
Arkansas - 67 rolls, numbers 116 - 182
Texas - 232 rolls, numbers 3977-4208

120,000 enumerators, door to door, returned if person wasn't home
134,146,298 population (131,669,275 continental - up 7.2%, 2,477,023 territories)
Enumeration districts (EDs) consist of two hyphenated numbers (as in 1930):
the first two digits represent the county number or large city;
the last two digits represent the ED number proper within the larger division. Blank pages may exists between the last family enumerated in the initial visit and others: information begins on page 61A for homes where a return visit was needed information beings on page 81A for each ED for those in hotel tourist homes, trailer camps, etc. (counted on April 8-9)

1940 U.S. Census Tips and Finding Aids

1940 U.S. Census Websites and Online Tools

Official NARA site for schedules: http://1940census.archives.gov/
- Archives.com is the official partner working with NARA
- Amy Johnson Crow, http://www.archives.com/blog/us-census/1940-us-census-release.html
Official NARA site for any information: http://www.archives.gov/
- http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/
- Send any Qs to 1940census@nara.gov
- Twitter hashtag #1940Census
- LIKE the National Archives and regional branches on Facebook
- NARAtions blog: http://blogs.archives.gov/online-public-access/?cat=163
Community collaboration site: http://the1940census.com/

Forms:

IPUMS: http://usa.ipums.org/usa/voliii/form1940.shtml
Bureau of the Census: http://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades/questionnaires/1940_1.html
NARA: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/general-info.html#form
NARA Template: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/1940.pdf

Additional Information

Free RootsMagic / DearMyrtle webinars: http://rootsmagic.com/Webinars/1940Census/
1940 training videos for census enumerators: http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2010/07/1940-census-training-in-now-online.html
NARA Indexes and Finding Aids: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/finding-aids.html
NARA Microfilm Roll Information: https://estore.archives.gov/FINDING_AID_1940.pdf
and http://estore.archives.gov/Category/105_1/1940_Census.aspx
NARA FAQ: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/faqs.html
List of questions asked - lists the standard questions, new questions for 1940, and questions asked only of a sample of the population (the supplemental Qs asked of the persons on lines 14 and 29)
- NARA: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/general-info.html#questions
- IPUMS: http://usa.ipums.org/usa/voliii/items1940.shtml
List of codes used: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/general-info.html#guide
Enumerator instructions:
- NARA: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/complete-instructions.pdf
- IPUMS: http://usa.ipums.org/usa/voliii/inst1940.shtml
Robert Jenkins, Procedural History of the 1940 Census of Population and Housing, University of Wisconsin Center for Demography and Ecology, 1983: http://usa.ipums.org/usa/resources/voliii/enumproc1940.pdf
An ED was the area that can be enumerated in two weeks in an urban area or four weeks in rural areas; ED X-Y - X = a county or a large city, Y = a district within that county or city
- ED changes between census years because cannot cross political boundaries (wards, precincts, etc.) - may not change in rural areas, but usually does in cities
Thomas MacEntee, "Mind the Gap! Facts About 1940 US Census Page Numbering,"
- "With the 1940 US Census there were specific instructions on how to handle follow-up visits as well as those living as "transients" (hotels, camp sites, etc.). Those people who were not available on the first visit, were enumerated starting on page 61A. Transients were enumerated starting on page 81A."

How Can I Find People Before the Index is Available?

http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/start-research.html

List ancestors and FAN club (Friends, Associates, Neighbors of your ancestors) living in 1940
Locate the residence address in 1940
- City directories, 1930 census ED if living in same place in 1940, WW II draft record address, family letters, and any other records that might list an address
- 1940 City Directory: Alfred Parker, 3733 Dixon Avenue, Dallas, Dallas County, Texas
Identify the ED(s) containing that residence
- http://1940census.archives.gov/getting-started/
  "Do you know the location where the person lived?"
- Click "Start Your Search" then "Search"
  - Enter state, city, county, street name ONLY (Dixon, not Dixon Avenue); need address number only if using map feature; map button links to Google maps to find cross streets (Archives.com link to One Step site limits to two streets; One Step site allows unlimited number of "back" streets so can usually narrow to one ED)
  - Learn Dixon is in ED 255-178, click on the ED number displays based on the radio button selection - census pages or ED description or streets in the ED
  - "ED 255-178" gives description and lets you add a street name
    - JUSTICE PRECINCT 1, DALLAS CITY (TRACT 39 - PART)
  - "Browse related maps" displays images of ED maps
Browse the census images looking for the street address on left side of the page or name of ancestors in name column
In all the excitement - don't forget to cite the source
- Find roll numbers on http://stevemorse.org/census/unified.html
  - after finding the ED, click "1940 ED Description" then "More details" OR https://estore.archives.gov/FINDING_AID_1940.pdf
  (cities are not all together - Dallas, Texas on page 107 (county outside of city of Dallas) and 111 (city of Dallas) - search for the ED number to be sure you cite the correct roll

How Can I Help Make the Index Available Faster?

Sign up for indexing at http://the1940census.com/
- download the indexing software, launch the software, register with a FamilySearch account
First states: Delaware, Virginia, Kansas, Oregon, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota
20,000 people indexing the first day - need 45,000 daily indexers to finish on goal
FamilySearch has a page showing status of indexing project: https://www.familysearch.org/1940census/?cid=fsHomeT1940Text_v2

NARA Search Utilities and Limitations

OPA = Online Public Access, http://www.archives.gov/research/search/
— Can move map using the mouse to pan can enlarge the image
ARC = Archival research Catalog http://www.archives.gov/research/arc/
— Can only use browser scroll bars to navigate through the image
Exact spelling is required - even "s" in maps and descriptions
1940 Enumeration District Descriptions - use "state xyz county" such as
— 1940 census enumeration district descriptions arkansas pope county
1940 Enumeration District Maps - use keywords and state and county such as
— 1940 census enumeration district maps arkansas pope county

1939-1940 Phone Books and City Directories

Remember data in the 1940 city directory may have been gathered in 1939 so your ancestor could have moved between the city directory and census enumerations
Illinois Small City Directories Index, Harold Henderson, Midwest Roots, http://www.midwestroots.net/illinois-small-city-directories-index/
Indiana Small City Directories Index, Harold Henderson, Midwest Roots, http://www.midwestroots.net/indiana-small-city-directories-index/
New York, Direct Me NYC 1940, http://directme.nypl.org/
Texas, City Directories available at TSLAC, https://www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/citydirs.html
FamilySearch Wiki has basic information on the 1940 census and some city directories online to help locate residences: http://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/United_States_Census_1940

One Step site - stevemorse.org - status of their DB as of 4-2-2012 - Unified tool includes rural areas, if city is not on the list choose other and enter the rural area or term such as orphanage / hospital / prison / convent (queries everything in the ED description / definition and click "More details" to see more) - must be at least 100 people in a "thing" for it to be included in the database

1,180 or 81% of urban areas in 1940 done, every city over 25,000 population and some as low as 6,000 population, 122 volunteers did the work and
Street "West 95th" is in the list as "95th West" - may have to transpose text when clicking on "map" button - did this so all of 5th Avenue are together whether ENSW, gets West and East Oak together
1940 Tutorial Quiz - http://stevemorse.org/census/quiz.php
Obtaining 1880 to 1940 ED Definitions in One Step - if you know the state, county, and town name - for small and rural towns - http://stevemorse.org/ed/ed.php
Obtaining EDs for the 1940 Census in One Step - select the state and city name - for cities of 25,000 population or larger EDs and street names will be displayed - http://stevemorse.org/census/index.html?year=1940
Converting between 1930 and 1940 Census EDs in One Step http://stevemorse.org/census/ed2040.php

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