Census Quick Reference: Can I Use This Year To…?

This chart can help you quickly determine which U.S. census years may help answer your research questions. Find the questions you want to answer, then use the colored dots to determine which census records are more likely to contain the information you are searching for.

Explicit Inferred Not Recorded Not Applicable Vastly Unavailable

The 1890 census was largely damaged by fire and water. It later mildewed, and most of it was destroyed.

HOUSEHOLD & FAMILY	1790	1800	1810	1820	1830	1840	1850	1860	1870	1880	1890	1900	1910	1920	1930	1940	1950
Find the name of head of household?
Identify household by name?
Determine family relationships?
Estimate ages/birth years?
Find marital information?
Find total born/living to a mother?
ETHNICITY & RACE	1790	1800	1810	1820	1830	1840	1850	1860	1870	1880	1890	1900	1910	1920	1930	1940	1950
Determine enslavement?
Locate enslaved individuals by name?
Identify free people of color?
Identify Native Americans?
ORIGIN, LOCATION & MIGRATION	1790	1800	1810	1820	1830	1840	1850	1860	1870	1880	1890	1900	1910	1920	1930	1940	1950
Trace migration patterns?
Locate birthplaces?
Locate parents' birthplaces?
Find immigration information?
Determine citizenship/naturalization?
Determine language/mother tongue?
MILITARY, EMPLOYMENT & ECONOMICS	1790	1800	1810	1820	1830	1840	1850	1860	1870	1880	1890	1900	1910	1920	1930	1940	1950
Find military/veteran information?
Determine school attendance?
Identify occupation/employment?
Find property/economic information?
Identify disabilities?
	1790	1800	1810	1820	1830	1840	1850	1860	1870	1880	1890	1900	1910	1920	1930	1940	1950