Finding Your Ancestors in the Census [video]

The federal census is a cornerstone of genealogical research in the United States. No other set of records is created so regularly and includes so much information. From 1790, the first U.S. census, to 1940, the most recent one available to the public, the census gives a variety of information about relationships, birth dates, and other clues to help you climb your family tree. (Anne Roach's article "Making Sense of the Census: The U.S. Federal Population Census" gives great background about the U.S. census.)

With so much information that's available, we owe it to ourselves to find our ancestors in all of the censuses in which they should appear. Each one can contain a different clue. (If you still need convincing, read about this census that recorded more than was required.)

In this video, we will cover some strategies for finding those ancestors who seem to be hiding. We will also talk about ways that you can narrow down the results, which is especially helpful when you're working with a common name.