Census Abbreviations
Census returns are a most valuable source of genealogical data, because they provide "snapshots" of families as they existed at the time they were recorded. In order to share these "snapshots," I have included complete data extracts in my census citations. Depending on the year, census returns contain varying amounts and types of information. As a general rule, earlier census returns are less detailed than those enumerated later. For example, between 1790-1840, only heads of households are explicitly named. The rest of the household is categorized by sex and age. Beginning with 1850, each family visited is assigned a one-up number, and the name of each person who usually resides in the household during the census year is recorded.
Beginning in 1880, numbered administrative areas called Enumeration Districts (ED) are drawn, and a single census-taker is assigned to each one to count persons and prepare schedules for a single census period. In the example below, the Enumeration District is 126. Most of the citations are extracted from a subscription database of census images online at Ancestry.com. The original microfilmed images are provided by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), and copies can be found at most large genealogical libraries such as the LDS Family History Center in Salt Lake City, or the public library at Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Please note that there are many errors to be found in the census. Sometimes, family members felt pressured to respond to an enumerator's questions, even though they didn't really know the correct answers (like where a spouse was born). I believe that one of the major sources of error in the census was the practice of many enumerators of writing down the data they collected in private notebooks and then transferring it onto official census forms at a later time. Errors occurred because they could not decipher their own handwriting or because they misread their notes while copying them. Still, most of the errors are obvious and the remaining data is no less valuable.
To conserve space, many data elements that are common and repetitive have been abbreviated. Some abbreviations are quite obvious (e.g., dau for daughter), while the rest are easily learned from the table.
Example of a Census Extract:
1900 US Census Population Schedule, Wattsburg, Erie, Pennsylvania, CHENEY BISBEE household, 29 Jun 1900, ED 126, page 217B, line 68, family 386; NARA micropublication T623, roll 1409; Ancestry.com image PAT623_1409-0439, online: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2003-2005, subscription database, accessed 8/30/2005.Church Street
BISBEE CHENEY hd wh m b.MAR1835 ae65 M43y b.NY fb.OH mb.NY day laborer owns/home/free
BISBEE CALISTA wife wh f b.MAY1837 ae63 M43y 7ch/6surv b.NY fb.CT mb.RI
BISBEE ERVIN son wh m b.DEC1877 ae22 S b.PA fb.NY mb.NY carpenter
HALL WILLIS son-in-law wh m b.MAY1860 ae40 M16y b.PA fb.NY mb.PA day laborer
HALL NETTIE dau wh f b.JUN1864 ae35 M16y 1ch/1liv b.NY fb.NY mb.NY
HALL HAROLD grson wh m b.MAR1894 ae6 S b.PA fb.PA mb.NY.
BISBEE ADELBERT son wh m b.MAY1869 ae31 W b.PA fb.NY mb.NY mill laborer
BISBEE MARGERY grdau wh f b.JUL1897 ae2 S b.PA fb.PA mb.NY
BISBEE PEARL grdau wh f b.JAN1885 ae15 S b.PA fb.NY mb.PA
| Abbreviation | Expansion | Examples * Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| ae | age |
ae23=23 years old; ae2y3mo=age 2 years and 3 months; 1Mae26=first marriage at age 26. |
| att sch | attended school |
att sch 4mo=attended school 4 months. Usually refers to attendance within the census year. |
| b. | born |
b.NY=born in NY; b.JAN1892=born in January 1892. |
| bl | black (Negro) | (race) |
| ch | children | 3ch/2surv=had 3 children, two still living |
| D | divorced | (marital status) |
| dau | daughter | (relationship to head of household) |
| f | female | (sex) |
| fb. | father born | fb.GER=father born in Germany |
| grson | grandson | (relationship to head of household) |
| hd | head of household | |
| imm | immigrated to the U.S. | imm1844=immigrated to U.S. in 1844 |
| inUS | lived in the U.S. | inUS26y=lived in the U.S. for 26 years |
| m | male | (sex) |
| M | married |
M6y=married for 6 years; M2.12y=married twice, this time for 12 years. |
| mb. | mother born | mb.foreign=mother of foreign birth |
| nat | naturalized citizen | (immigration status) |
| PE | value of personal estate | PE500=personal estate valued at $500 |
| RE | value of real estate | RE1600=value of real estate is $1600 |
| S | single | (marital status) |
| W | widowed | (marital status) |
| wh | white (Caucasian) | (race) |
