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When copying census information, copy EVERYTHING EXACTLY AS IT IS WRITTEN. Do not change or update the information even if you think it is incorrect. This is the way it was written, leave it alone.
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Don't assume that all children listed in the census belong to the wife listed. This may be a second wife and the children a combination of his and hers.
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When the head of the household is no longer listed, don't assume he/she is dead. It's possible that the former head of household is now living with one of the children.
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When you're researching the census, be sure to look at 10 families before and 10 families after the family you are researching. These folks are most likely the friends (and family) of your ancestor. They lived in communities, not alone.
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5.
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Begin with the latest census available and work backwards. U.S. Census records have been take since 1790. Before 1790 you can use Tax Lists and other local lists that might have been compiled, according to the state you are researching in.
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A U.S. census is an official count of the population living in the United States on a designated day set at intervals. The census places an ancestor is a specific place at a specific time.
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The U.S. census is taken every 10 years on a designated census day by an enumerator in a specific area called an enumeration district (E.D.). The first U.S. census was done in 1790; there are no U.S.censuses before 1790. The 1890 census was destroyed. Census information is kept confidential for 72 years after the census is taken.
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In addition to the U.S. census population count, there are a number of special U.S. censuses: Slave, Industry & Manufacturing, Agriculture, Mortality, Social Statistics, Union Veteran and Widow, Defective, Dependent and Delinquent.
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9.
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Prepare a census timeline before you begin. Review what you will find in the census you are searching. Work backwards from the most recent census. Expect spelling and age variations.
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10.
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Soundex is a system of coding names for the census based on sound rather than alphabetical spelling. A variation called American Soundex was used in the 1930s for a retrospective analysis of the US censuses from 1890 through 1920. To save time, a free Soundex converter is available at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com.
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11.
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A person may not have been living on the day the census was actually taken (not the official day). However, all information is to be "as of the official census day."
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