Washington Census Tips: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:15, 25 November 2013

Census records are extremely valuable in genealogical research. They:

Reveal specifics about the family, such as names, ages, birthplaces. See Contents of Federal Censuses
Locate the family in the very places where other records about them were likely created. (See Using the Census to find other records
Provide clues that help you learn even more about them.

Helping you make the most of all these values is the purpose of this article.

Why:

Why:

You may find sisters living in the area.
Your ancestor's widowed mother may have remarried. In those censuses, were the women the right age(s) to be sisters? Aunts? The mother?
One of the husbands and your ancestor may have witnessed one anothers' deeds or other documents, perhaps suggesting they have become relatives.

Why:

Gaps in ages of children may be a clue to:
- A second marriage of the couple: Check marriage records for this.
- A child died young. Check cemetery, church, funeral, and other records.
Where the children were born (state, nation) may be a clue to:
- When the family migrated
Ages of husband and wife may be clues:
- In a second marriage, the husband may be older than the wife.
Compare ages of the wife and the children:
- The oldest child: was the wife too young to be the mother? (Child-bearing years for most women were between 16–40.)
- The youngest child: was the wife too old?

For example:

Some federal censuses give the year of immigration.

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 *Your ancestor's widowed mother may have remarried. In those censuses, were the women the right age(s) to be sisters? Aunts? The mother?
 *One of the husbands and your ancestor may have witnessed one anothers' deeds or other documents, perhaps suggesting they have become relatives.
+{{Tip|Pay close attention to the ages and birthplaces.}}
+'''Why:'''
+*Gaps in ages of children may be a clue to:
+**A second marriage of the couple: Check marriage records for this.
+**A child died young. Check cemetery, church, funeral, and other records.
+*Where the children were born (state, nation) may be a clue to:
+**When the family migrated
+*Ages of husband and wife may be clues:
+**In a second marriage, the husband may be older than the wife.
+*Compare ages of the wife and the children:
+**The oldest child: was the wife too young to be the mother? (Child-bearing years for most women were between 16–40.)
+**The youngest child: was the wife too old?
+{{Tip|Ask questions to analyze what you are seeing: It is possible? Is it probable?}}
+'''For example:'''
 === Census Tips for What You Want to Learn ===