House Number I have heard people say they would not record any information that used the word idiot. The difficult task of finding one's family gets more difficult beginning with this census. The age questions were the same, except for the addition of a 16 - 18 years category for males. The United States Census of 1840, conducted on June 1, 1840 determined the resident population of the United States to be 17,069,453 - an increase of 32.7 percent over the 1830 Census. Number of colleges or universities, primary schools, and grammar schools. Additionally, this was the first year that the census distinguished between different East Asian races. All other people in the household are noted through tick marks. Each family was listed by the name of the head of the household, and was asked the following questions: The number of free White males and females aged, respectively: under 10 years of age. No attempt was made to collect additional data on the Nation’s manufactures and industry. The breakdown of this category also changed (see below). The official enumeration day of the 1840 census was 1 June 1840. The government found that they could gather information on the population beyond the simple counting of persons of a given age. 1840 Census Questions. Here are two ways to use This was the sixth national census conducted since 1790. Understanding the 1840 Census Questions. The number of White persons who were deaf and dumb: The number of White persons who were were blind. As you move back in time each census you search has less and less information to help you determine which family is actually yours. 1840 Census Overview. The government was interested in how many children in the household were attending school and what level of education they were receiving. Remember that the information on the census schedule is as of 1 Jun 1840 no matter when the census taker visited the family. index and images to the population schedules listing the inhabitants of the United States taken June 1,1840 1840 Census Go to available databases for 1840 The 1840 census was begun on 1 June 1840. The categories are: University or college; number of students; Academies & Grammar Schools; number of students; Primary and Common Schools; number of students; No of Scholars at Public Charge. United States Census, 1840. There were two questionnaires: one for free inhabitants and one for slaves. One question asks what occupation each person in the family was engaged in. The 1850 questionnaire relating to slave inhabitants collected the names of slave owners; number of slaves; the slaves color, sex, age, and whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic; the numbers of fugitives from the state; and the number manumitted. 1880 Census Questions. Description. One to be retained in the U.S. District Court Clerk's office and one forwarded to Washington. 30 to 40 years. The 1840 Census continued to query whether anyone in the household was Deaf and Dumb or blind (as was asked in the 1830 census). However, the 1840 census expanded this category (for both White & Black) to include any person insane or an idiot and whether the person was being cared for at home or in a public institution. New population inquiries included questions about school attendance, literacy, and vocation. It is not the job of a family historian to change anything found in an original record to something that is considered politically correct today. The 1820 census built on the questions asked in 1810. There were a total of 3,200,600 slaves enumerated in the 1840 census of the United States. After all it's time consuming and many family historians probably felt it was a waste of time and effort. 10 to 15 years. It was described as the "first modern census" as it was the first to record information about every member of the household, and … The total population included 2,487,355 slaves. 1840 census was first to ask military-related question; captured name and age of Revolutionary War pensioners President during census: Martin Van Buren William Henry Harrison (“Old Tippacanoe”) wins the 1840 election by defeating incumbent Martin Van Buren. This category is further broken down two subsections. This means that whereas in 1850 you had a name (hopefully a first and last one) for everyone and could sort out family members from here on back you are dealing with one name and the rest of household is reduced to numbers based on age. That might include a neighbor, visiting family, boarders, hired hands or even strangers stopping for the night. To that end only the head of a household is named and every individual at that house was to be counted as of the enumeration date. The sixth census was governed by the same general provisions of law as in 1830. Let me digress for a moment here. Over 83% of all listed occupations were in agriculture (2,064,282), 3% in commerce (71,559) and 14% in manufacturing (346,845) 3. 1800 Census Questions. In 1840 it had been 60 years since the Revolutionary War and the government was interested in how many Revolutionary Pensioners were still living and how old they were. The 1830 census concerned the population only. The 1790-1840 census takers were to record everyone in the house as of the enumeration date. The sixth census was governed by the same general provisions of law as in 1830. The 1850 census saw a dramatic shift in the way information about residents was collected. If you are lucky enough to find someone in your family listed in this column it is your clue to order pension files from the National Archives (see my article on Military Records for information). The last section is on education and wants to know how many of the people in the household attended school and at what level. Location. Number of all other free persons. In 1830 the government had set aside free land for the building and support of schools. (4) List of the Public Acts of Congress, Contained In volume fifth; Acts of the twenty-sixth Congress of the United States;: Statute I; Session I; 1840; Feb 25, 1840; Chap. These schedules may be available for some states and the State Archives should be questioned to see if any exist for the state you are researching. Quick Links to Questions from Population Schedules of other U.S. Census Years 1790 • 1800 • 1810 • 1820 • 1830 • 1840 • 1850 • 1860 1870 • 1880 • 1890 • 1900 • 1910 • 1920 • 1930 • 1940. (5) also: Statute II; 1841; Jan 14, 1841; Chap. This will help you determine which families might possibly to be yours. The question on the 1820 census will provide an idea of the type of occupation your ancestor was in. Clues in Census Records, 1790-1840. Hopefully, you set up a census search sheet (see the 1850 census article) and have your family groupings listed and their ages as of the 1840 census. The first family recorded would have been on 1 June 1840 and the last on 31 Dec 1841. Subcategories are: Blind; Insane and idiots at public charge; Insane and idiots at private charge. Each of these pensioners was listed by name and age. 20 to 30 years. Each head of family was listed and was asked: The number of free White males and females, respectively: under 5 years. The following questions were those included on the Population Schedule for the 1800 Census. The census asked for the number of the dwelling house and the family, in order of visitation. The next section is much like the 1830 census in that it requests information on people who deaf and dumb and blind. Name and age of pensioners for Revolutionary or military service. Number of persons in each family employed in: Mining; Agriculture; Commerce; Manufacture and trade; Navigation of the ocean; Navigation of canals, lakes, rivers; Learned professional engineers. The 1840 census continued the practice of prior censuses with the US District Court having jurisdiction and the U.S. Subjects among the inquiries were to include "the pursuits, industry, education, and resources of the country." The 2020 census won’t ask you about how many people in your family are “idiots” or “insane,” but in 1840 that was a question census workers had to answer for every household. The number of Colored persons who were insane and idiots (at public and private charge). Marshal being in charge of the actual census taking. ... Join the community of family history enthusiasts and FamilySearch employees to ask questions and discuss potential product enhancements. Quick Links to Questions from Population Schedules of other U.S. Census Years 1790 • 1800 • 1810 • 1820 • 1830 • 1840 • 1850 • 1860 1870 • 1880 • 1890 • 1900 • 1910 • 1920 • 1930 • 1940. Nothing found here is free for the taking, Arrived here via a search engine? Slave Research The 1840 census asked these questions: Name of head of family. When discussing the 1930-1850 census records I told you to be sure to gather information on at least the 10 families before and after your own and if at all possible to gather information on all families with your surname that you find in the county and surrounding counties. The first 13 questions on the 1970 census housing questionnaire were asked of all households. If you have a question that hasn't been answered here, please email us at inquire@nara.gov. The next column is for totals. Each of the different questions gives the family historian clues of where to search for additional information in the records of the county and/or state. For each free person, it asked for his or her name, age, sex, and color; the occupation of persons over age fifteen; the value of real estate; the value of his or her personal estate; the name of the state, territory, or country of his or her … Census Questions 10 That Lead to More Answers Years appeared: 1790-1840 (question changed slightly through the years) Where it leads: Other census records In the first six censuses, only heads of household were listed by name. The United Kingdom Census of 1841 recorded the occupants of every United Kingdom household on the night of Sunday 6 June 1841. However, it is this 1840 census that makes that prior effort worthwhile. III, Pg 368-369 ; An Act to amend the act "to provide for taking the sixth census or enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States," approved March third, eighteen hundred and thirty-nine. 1. 5 to 10 years. The enactment of the Population Act 1840 meant a new procedure was adopted for taking the 1841 census. 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