Anatomy of the 1900 federal census

 

The 1900 U. S. Census was the Twelfth Decennial Census. This census is especially important to genealogists for several reasons:

 

1)         This was the first, and only, census to provide specific information on each individual’s birth. Whereas all other censuses merely report the age of the resident, this one reports the month and year of birth in addition to the age.

 

2)         This is the first census after the largely-destroyed 1890 census. Since only small fragments of the 1890 census remain extant, in most cases, this 1900 census will be the first census appearance of anyone born after 1880.

 

3)         Many states began their vital registration programs – that is, birth and death certificates – around the year 1900. Maryland, for example, began its vital registration in 1898. Therefore, in many instances, elderly people who are still alive in the 1900 census potentially have death certificates recording their deaths. Unfortunately, the inverse is also true: most of the people who died between 1880 and 1900 do not have death certificates recording their deaths.

 

“Census Day” – the day that the census is supposed to reflect – fell on 1 June 1900, but, as usual, some census enumerators did not accurately reflect this date.  Be sure to also note the actual date of enumeration, which should appear at the top of the page.

 

Here is the information you can expect to find in this census:

 

Location: This column will provide a street address within cities. You can locate this address on historic street maps, or associate land or tax records with the address, as ways to obtain additional information on ancestors. You can also use maps and city directories to identify the closest churches to your ancestors’ homes, as potential sources of baptismal, marriage, burial, and other sacramental records.

 

Name/Relation: Some households contained married children and grand-children. You may also note that some grandchildren will carry a unique surname; this will be a hint toward identifying the marriages of the children, where no record has been located.

 

Personal Description: Color, sex, month and year of birth, age, marital status.  African-Americans were designated “B” for “Black” or “Mu” for “Mulatto.” Be careful not to judge this designation too literally without other evidence, as it seems to have often been chosen based on skin-tone rather than actual parentage.  Also reports the number of years married, which will lead you to marriage records. If there are children in the household older than the number of years married, look for an earlier marriage. For women, two additional columns report the total of children born to the woman, and the number of children still living. This may be the only evidence of additional children not living within the household, or of children dying in infancy.

 

Nativity/Citizenship: Place of birth of each individual and each of their parents, both mother and father. This will help you determine migration routes of your ancestral family. Compare these columns to those of later censuses for confirmation of the information.

 

Occupation: The occupation of each person over ten years old was reported. For children, this would usually be “at school” or “at home.” Also noted the number of months unemployed.

 

Education: Whether the individual could read, write, and speak English, and the number of months school was attended.

 

Ownership of Home: Whether the home was owned or rented, whether owned free or mortgaged, whether a farm or a house, and the number on the farm schedule. Follow these clues to land records and the agricultural, or “farm,” schedule.