Until the 1870 Census after the Civil War, Questions were grouped into two schedules: for "Free inhabitants" and for "Slave inhabitants." These items are for non-slaves. The slave schedule is given below.

50

60

70

80

90

00

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

00

Street, avenue, road, etc.

1

1

1

1

House number or farm, etc.

2

2

2

2

Dwelling houses and number in order of visitation.

1

1

1

1

A^f

1

1

3

3

3

3

Number of families in this dwelling house.

B

Number of persons in this dwelling house.

C

Families numbered in the order of visitation.

2

2

2

2

D^g

2

2

4

4

Number of persons in this family.

E

The name of every person whose usual place of abode on the 1^st day of June / April of the census year in this household

3

3

3

3

1^h

3

3

5

5

7

7

In what place did this person live on April 1, 1935? What City, town, or village with 2,500 or more inhabitants?

17

County

18

State (or territory or foreign country)

19

On a farm?

20

Age.^a

4

4

4

6

6

7

7

11

13

11

11

Date of birth: month, year.

8

If born within the census year, give the month.

13

7

Relationship of each person to the head of this family: whether wife, son, daughter, servant, boarder, or other.

8

3

4

4

6

6

8

8

Sex.

5

5

5

5

5

6

5

9

11

9

10

Color: White, black, or mulatto.

6

6

6^b

4

4ⁱ

5^p

6

10

12

10

9

Profession, occupation, or trade of each male persons over 15 years of age.

7

7

7

Value of real estate owned.

8

8

8

8^t

Value of personal real estate

9

9

Place of birth, naming the state, territory, or country.

10

10

10

24

10

13

12

19

18

15

13

Mother tongue.

17

20

21

38

Citizenship of the foreign born.

16

Parentage [Nativity]

Father of foreign birth.

11

25^d

11

14

13

21

19

36

Mother tongue.

22

Mother of foreign birth.

12

26^e

12

15

14

23

20

37

Mother tongue.

24

Civil condition

Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced.

9-11^j

7

9

8

12

14^u

12

12

Married within the year.

11

11

14

12

8

8

Number of years married

10

9

Has this woman been married more than once?

48

Age at first marriage.

15

49

Mother of how many children, [and number of these children living.]

9

11^q

10

10

50

Number of these children living.

12^q

11

11

Year of immigration to the United States.

16

15

13

22

Number of years in the United States.

13

17

Whether naturalized.

14

18

16

14

23

14

Whether naturalization papers have been taken out.

15

15

If naturalized, year of naturalization.

15

Occupation

Profession, occupation, or trade of each male, male or female.

13

16

19

18^s

26^s

25

28^y

Industry: Industry or business, as cotton mill, dry goods store, shipyard, public school, etc..

26

29^y

Class of worker.

27

30^y

Employment Status

Whether out of work on April 15, 1910.

21

28^w

15

Number of months this person has been unemployed during the census year.

14

17

20

22

31^x

Was this person AT WORK for pay or profit in private or nonemergency Govít. work during week of March 24-30? (Yes or No).

21

If not, was he at work on, or assigned to, public EMERGENCY WORK (WPA, NYA, CCC, etc.) during week of March 24-30?

22

Was this person SEEKING WORK? 

23

If not seeking work, did he HAVE A JOB, business, etc.?

24

Indicate whether engaged in home house-work, in school, unable to work, or other.

25

Number of hours worked during week of March 24-30, 1940. 

26

Duration of unemployment up to March 30, 1940 in weeks.

27

Does this person have a Federal Social Security Number?

42

Were deductions for Federal Old-Age Insurance or Railroad Retirement made from this personís wages or salary in 1939?

43

If so, were deductions made from (1) all, (2) one-half or more, (3) part, but less than half, of wages or salary?

44

Income

Amount of money wages or salary received (including commissions).

32

Did this person receive income of $50 or more from sources other than money wages or salary (Yes or No).

33

Health

Is the person (on the day of the enumerator's visit) sick or temporarily disabled, so as to be unable to attend to ordinary business or duties? Is so, what is the sickness or disability?

15

22^m

Blind.

16

31

Deaf and dumb

17

32

Idiotic

18

Insane

19

Maimed, crippled, bedridden, or otherwise disabled.

20

23ⁿ

Education

Attended school within the year.

12

12

15

21

18^k

21

25

16

16

13

Highest grade of school completed.

14

Persons over 20 years of age who can not read and write / able to read and write

13

13

17^v

Can not read / Able to read

16

22

19^l

22

23

17

Can not write / Able to write

17

23

20^l

23

24

18

Able to speak English. If not, the language or dialect spoken.

21

24

25

24

Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper or convict.

14

18^c

24^o

 Constitutional Relations

Male citizens of United States of 21 years or age and upwards

19

Male citizens of United States of 21 years of age and upwards, whose right to vote is denied or abridged on other grounds than rebellion or other crime.

20

Whether a soldier, sailor, or marine during the civil war (United States or Confederate), or widow of such person / US Military

2

30

39

Whether a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy

30

30

40

What war or expedition.

31

41

Housing

Is the home you live in hired, or is it owned by the head or by a member of the family?

26

25^r

26^r

7

7

4

Value of home, if owned, or monthly rental, if rented.

5

Radio set

9

Does this family live on a farm?

10

6

If owned by head or member of family, is the home free from mortgage encumbrance?

27

26^r

27^r

8

If the head of family is a farmer, is the farm which he cultivates hired, or is it owned by him or by a member of his family?

28

27^r

28^r

If owned by head or member of family, is the farm free from mortgage or encumbrance?

29

27^r

28^r

If the home or farm is owned by head or member of family and mortgaged, give the post-office address of owner.

30

Number of farm schedule.

28

29

29

32

34

Question was expanded to, "Age at last birthday prior to June 1, 1880. If under 1 year, give months in fractions, thus, 3/12."

"Color: White (W), black (B), mulatto (M), Chinese (C), Indian (I)."

"Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic" [pauper or convict were dropped from the question]

"Place of birth of the father of this person, naming State or Territory of United States, or the country, if of foreign birth"

"Place of birth of the mother of this person, naming State or Territory of United States, or the country, if of foreign birth"

In 1890, this item became "Number of dwelling houses in the order of visitation."

In 1890, this item became "Number of family in the order of visitation."

"Christian name in full and initial of middle name. Surname."

"Whether white, black, mulatto, quadroon, octoroon, Chinese, Japanese, or Indian."

"Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced."

"Attendance at school (in months) during the census year (June 1, 1889, to May 31, 1890)."

Item was changed from negative "can not" to positive "able to" in 1890.

"Whether suffering from acute or chronic disease, with name of disease and length of time afflicted."

"Whether defective in mind, sight, hearing, or speech, or whether crippled, maimed, or deformed, with name of defect."

"Whether a prisoner, convict, homeless child, or pauper."

"Color or race." [The term "race" appeared in the census form for the first time.]

Item "Mother of how many children, and number of these children living." was separated into two items.

In 1880, four distinct questions asked if the person were single, married, widowed, or divorced.

Three items on occupation replaced one asked in previous censuses: (1) "Trade, profession, or particular kind of work done, as spinner, salesman, laborer, etc.."; (2) "Industry, business, or establishment in which at work, as cotton mill, dry goods store, farm, etc.."; (3) "Employer, salary or wage worker, or working on own account."

"Value of home, if owned, or monthly rental, if rented."

Item became "Marital condition"

Item changed to "Whether able to read and write" in 1930.

For the 1930 Census,: "If not, line number of Unemployment Schedule."

In 1940, the item was "Number of weeks worked in 1939 (Equivalent full-time weeks)."

In 1940, three additional items also inquired about the "Usual Occupation, Industry, and Class of Worker"

1850

1860

Number of slave owners.

Numbers of slaves.

Age.

Sex.

Color.

Fugitives.

Number manumitted [i.e., freed].

Deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic.

Number of slave houses