| The U.S. Federal Government is in the process of | | | | in 1938 because I found her in the city directories back |
| collecting completed 2010 census forms from its | | | | to that year. Then I lost track of her. A review of deed |
| citizens. While this information is used in determining | | | | indexes did not reveal her as purchasing the property, |
| how federal dollars will be spent based on population, | | | | though I had the deed showing that she sold it in 1985. |
| to inform the government about the people who live in | | | | A reverse city directory, which lists addresses in the |
| this country, and to decide how the congressional | | | | back and names in the front, gave me a new name at |
| seats will be allocated, for years genealogists have | | | | the house in 1922. I looked at the 1920 census and |
| been aware of the treasure trove of information about | | | | found the new person not only living at the address I |
| their relatives contained in the census records. Those | | | | was researching, but also listed as the owner of the |
| of us researching the history of our houses can | | | | property. I now have a new name to take back to the |
| benefit from census records as well. | | | | recorder of deeds office, and also was able to take |
| The first census was completed in 1790, and since that | | | | my research from 1938 all the way back to 1920. |
| time the government has collected data every 10 | | | | As you look at your property in the census records, it |
| years. All census records older than 70 years are | | | | can be helpful to look at the other names listed before |
| open to the public, which means that the most recent | | | | and after your resident. Since the census takers went |
| census data available for viewing is the 1930 census. | | | | door to door, you can see who the neighbors were at |
| Major libraries have the census records on microfilm, | | | | that time. When I couldn't find my 1920 owner in the |
| and some are available on-line primarily through | | | | 1910 census, I looked up the other neighbors from 1920 |
| subscription services. | | | | in the hopes that they still lived in the same location in |
| So how can the census records benefit you? As you | | | | 1910. Then I could have simply looked for my address |
| collect the names of people that you know resided at | | | | to find the 1910 occupant. |
| your property, you can begin to look them up in the | | | | Don't overlook the importance of census records as |
| census records to help you pinpoint them in a certain | | | | you work to establish who walked the halls of your |
| location during a specific year. For example, I knew | | | | home before you. Or to determine what halls your |
| that Rose Fitzgerald lived in a home I was researching | | | | ancestors walked. |