1940 Census ~ What You Will Find

Although the basic reason for a census is to count the number of residents of a community, a state, or a country, each census asks for different information. The 1930 US Census had a column that asked if the household owned a radio.

The 1940 US Census asked 34 questions of all residents. Some of the interesting things that the 1940 census will reveal about a household include:

What is the highest grade of school completed for this person?

In what place did this person live on April 1, 1935?

How much income did this person earn during 1939?

Did this person receive income of $50 or more from sources other than money wages or salary? (Yes or No)

The census sheet will look similar to that of the 1920 or 1930 census, with 40 names on a sheet. For those "lucky" enough to be on lines 14 or 29 (about 5% of the population), there are an additional 16 questions asking about where that person's parents were born, language spoken in home in earliest childhood, and for all women who are or have been married, has she been married more than once, age at first marriage, and number of children ever born (excluding stillbirths).

If you want to read about all of the questions that were asked of our family members in the 1940 census, visit the 1940 census enumerator instructions.