Beth Bensman National Archives at Philadelphia Get Ready for The 1940 Census!

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Population million308.7 million Occupations Frame spinner, salesman, laborer, rivet heater, music teacher Computer programmer, human resources manager, clinical laboratory technologist, special education teacher Industries Cotton mill, retail grocery, farm, shipyard, public school Broadcasting, Internet publishing, computer stores, electronic shopping Number of Farmers 5.1 million613,000 Earnings: Men / Women $956 / $592$33,276 / $24,157 Most Populous States New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio and California California, Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois

What is on the 1940 Census?

Sex: M – Male; F – Female Marital Status:Single (S), Married (M), Widowed (Wd), Divorced (D)

Column 10: Color or Race: White (W), Negro/ Black (Neg), Indian (In), Chinese (Chi), Japanese (Jp), Filipino (Fil), Hindu (Hin), Korean (Kor) Other Races – spell out in full Column 11: Age: 11/12 April /12 May /12 June /12 July /12 August /12 September /12 October /12 November /12 December /12 January /12 February /12March 1940 (Do not include children born on or after April 1, 1940.) Mexicans not counted separately as they were in 1930 Native Americans—no percentage of blood as they were in 1930

Education – Question 13: Yes/No

“For a person born in' any of those central European areas where there have been recent changes in boundaries …”

Column 14: Highest Grade of School Completed: 0 None 1 – 8 Elementary School, 1 st – 8 th H-1 to H-4High School, 1 st to 4 th Year C-1 to C-4College, 1 st to 4 th Year C-5College, 5 th year or more Column 16: Citizenship of Foreign Born NaNaturalized PaHaving First Papers (Papers Applied For) [Declaration of Intention] AlAlien Am CitAmerican Citizen Born Abroad or at sea

Why Ask?

Internal Migration – Due to: Stock Market Crash Dust Storms

Column 22: During the week of March 24-30, 1940, was the person at work on, or assigned to, a public work project conducted by the WPA, CCC, or NYA [National Youth Administration]? Column 21: Enter “Yes” for persons at work for pay or profit in private or nonemergency Government work. Include unpaid family workers – that is, related members of the family working without money wages or salary on work (other then housework or incidental chores) which contributed to the family income.

Those not working, not assigned to public emergency work, not seeking work, and without a job, business, or professional enterprise. This group will be subdivided into (a) persons who devote most of their time to the care of the home and doing housework for their families ("H"); (b) persons in school (“S”); (c) persons physically unable to work because of permanent disability, old age, or chronic illness (" U”); (d) other persons, including retired persons, persons who choose not to work, etc. ("OT”).

Column 30 (and 47) Class of Worker PWWage/Salary Worker in Private Work GWWage/Salary Worker in Government Work EEmployer OAWorking on Own Account (Self-Employed) NPUnpaid Family Worker

Column 41: War or Military Service WWorld War (I) SSpanish-American, Philippine Insurrection or Boxer Rebellion SWSpanish-American & World War RRegular Establishment: Peace-Time Service only (Army, Navy or Marine Corps) OtOther War or Expedition

 The Census Bureau received 6,000 suggested questions, for example:  Cosmetics makers wanted to know the number of blondes, brunettes, and redheads  Cemetery operators wanted to know how many families owned burial plots  Uncommon occupations included “ham sniffer” and “whistle tester”

 Released only in digital format, not on microfilm  Initially, no alphabetical or Soundex Index  Need to know the street address and/or the enumeration district (ED)

ED stands for Enumeration District. An enumeration district is a "basic geographic area of a size that could be covered by a single census taker (enumerator) within one census period." The ED consists of a two-part number separated by a hyphen where the first number represents the county number and the second number the number of the enumeration district within that county.

 United States Online Historical Directories  ome/usa ome/usa  Distant Cousin   Google specific states to locate directories

Locating Street Addresses  To locate a street address try:  WWII Draft cards  1930 Census  Your Own Records WWII Draft Card

If you have the ED from the 1930 Census  Use Steve Morse’s Tool “ Converting Between the 1930 and 1940 Census in One Step ” 

 Use Steve Morse’s Tool “Obtaining EDs for the Census in One Step (Large Cities)”   Good for cities having a population of at least 50,000 or more in 1940  May also include some smaller cites  Need to know the street address and cross streets

 Do you know the cross streets (those that border your address)?  To find cross streets, go to  Type in the address including city and state.  You’ll see the address marked on the map with a balloon.  Note the streets that surround your address. These are the cross streets.

 Do you know the county where the town was/is located?  If you do not know the county, go to  When you know the town and county go to: Finding ED Definitions for the 1940 Census for “ Small Communities And Rural Areas” 

 Use the 1940 Census Maps to Narrow EDs  Go to NARA’s On-line Public Access   Type in: 1940 Census maps + the county + the state  i.e.: 1940 Census maps + Hancock + Indiana

Blank PDF of the 1940 Census Form Instructions to Enumerators Publicity and Training Films Census Resources and Links