Find Ancestors – 1900 & 1910 US Federal Census
Search for Your Family Ancestry in Census Records
The U.S. Federal Census Records include specific information that genealogists rely on. The 1900 census is especially rich with details not included in other censuses, and grandparents (and even parents) of new genealogists can often be found in 1900 and 1910, complete with clues to previous generations.
About the 1900 Federal Census
The 1900 U.S. Federal Census collected information on household residents as of June 1, 1900. Although not specifically listed in instructions, members of the military seem to have been considered residents of their hometown, not of their duty station (as in later years). This is the only available federal census which asked the actual month and year of birth, instead of an individual's age.
1900 Federal Census Data
Enumerators asked the following questions:
- Name
- Street address
- Relationship to head of household
- Month and year of birth
- Age at last birthday
- Sex
- Color
- Marital status, including number of years of present marriage
- Number of children born to mother, and how many are currently living
- Place of birth
- Place of birth of mother and father
- Citizenship: year of immigration, number of years in US, and if naturalized
- Education: how many months attended school within the year, whether can read or write or speak English
- Occupation and months not employed
- Housing information: rented, mortgaged, or owned free, and whether farm or house
About the 1910 Federal Census
The 1910 U.S. Federal Census took information as of April 15th, 1910. The month and year of birth were no longer asked, but the marriage and living children questions continued. Civil War service was included, on both the Union and Confederate side. In the 1910 census, active military members seemed to be considered residents of their duty stations, not their hometowns.
1910 Federal Census Data
Enumerators asked the following questions:
- Name, including middle initial
- Street address
- Relationship to head of household
- Age at last birthday
- Sex
- Color
- Marital status, including number of years of present marriage
- Number of children born to mother, and how many are currently living
- Place of birth
- Place of birth of mother and father
- Citizenship: year of immigration, and if naturalized
- If able to speak English, and if not, what foreign language
- Education: how many months attended school within the year, whether can read or write or speak English
- Occupation: type of work, in what industry, and whether employer, paid wages, or self-employed
- Whether out of work on April 15, and how many weeks out of work in 1909.
- Education: whether attended school within the year, whether can read or write
- Housing information: rented, mortgaged, or owned free, and whether farm or house
- Whether a survivor of Union or Confederate Army or Navy
- Whether blind, deaf or dumb
Find Ancestors in the 1900 and 1910 Federal Census Indexes
The best way to find a parent, grandparent or other ancestor in a census record is through an index. Indexes of every name in a census are available at online genealogy sites with a subscription payment or free trial. Some local, state and regional libraries provide public access to these online databases.
Portions of local census records are available for free at various websites, such as the USGenWeb. If only a transcription of a census record is online, it will be searchable either through a website search engine or through the "find" feature on a computer (usually Ctrl-F in Windows).
A Soundex index listing heads of households only is available on microfilm for all states in the 1900 census and for 21 states in the 1910 census. These can be found at state and regional libraries, large genealogy libraries, regional NARA offices, and by microfilm loan through local LDS Family History Centers.
View Census Images for More Genealogical Data
Don’t just stop with the index results, though – they only show selected information. Read the actual census image to search all the available genealogical data, and to note neighbors and possible relations living close by.
The actual census images have been microfilmed, and are available to view on a microfilm reader or online through the same libraries and online sites as the indexes.
Extend Genealogy Research
- For information on the 1920 & 1930 censuses, see Find Ancestors - 1920 & 1930 US Federal Census.
- For links to articles about the 1850-1880 census records, and other tips on using the US Census for research, see the Find Family Ancestry in the US Federal Census Records blog post.
1900 & 1910 Census Records Help Find Ancestors
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Grandparents in 1910 US Federal Census
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