United States Census 1840

Additional information may be found on the United States Census Portal page.

Content
1840 Census was taken beginning 1 June 1820, for eighteen months. The following information was recorded by the census taker:

Free white males under 5                       Free Males 5-10                        Free Males 10-15                        Free Males 15-20                        Free Males 20-30                        Free Males 30-40                        Free Males 40-50                        Free Males 50-60                        Free Males 60-70                        Free Males 70-80                        Free Males 80-90                        Free Males 90-100                        Free Males over 100                        Free Females same as males                        Slaves/free colored persons in age categories                        Deaf, dumb, blind &amp; aliens                        Age of Rev. War pensioners                        Mining; agriculture; commerce; manufacturing &amp; trade; navigation of the ocean;                                    navigation of canals, lakes &amp; rivers; learned professions and engineers;                                    number in school; number in family over 21 who could read &amp; write;                                    number insane 1790-1840 Info:http://www.census.gov/prod/2000pubs/cff-2.pdf

Value
The 1840 census can be used to:1

Identify locality                       Distinguish target family from others of same name                        Help determine family size                        Locate possible relatives with same name                        Identify neighbors                        Identify slaveholders                        Identify name variations                        Free men of color listed as head of household                        Slaves in age group by name of owner                        Naturalization column may indicate length of residency in U.S. to find papers                        Identify Pensioners leading to Rev. War information                        Identify occupation                        Identify education level                        Identify insane leading to institution/guardianship records

1790-1840 Searching Tips: http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/1790-1840.html

Unique Features and Problems
1. Asked the age of Revolutionary war pensioners 2. Expanded occupational options 3. Lists the number of those in school 4. Lists the number of those over 21 who can read and write 5. Lists those who are insane

States Covered and Missing

 * Alabama
 * Arkansas
 * Connecticut
 * Delaware
 * District of Columbia
 * Georgia
 * Illinois
 * Indiana
 * Kentucky
 * Louisiana
 * Maine
 * Maryland
 * Massachusetts
 * Michigan
 * Mississippi
 * Missouri
 * New Hampshire
 * New Jersey
 * New York
 * North Carolina
 * Ohio
 * Pennsylvania
 * Rhode Island
 * South Carolina
 * Tennessee
 * Virginia
 * Vermont

No states missing.

Territories

 * Florida
 * Iowa
 * Oregon (also a part of Britain)
 * Wisconsin

Web Sites
1790-1840 Info: http://www.census.gov/prod/2000pubs/cff-2.pdf

1790-1840 Search Tips: http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/1790-1840.html

Biographic Citations
1. Szucs, Loretto Dennis and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking. The Source: A Guide book to American Genealogy. 3rd ed. (Provo, UT: Ancestry, 2006.)