Category Archives: Census Tips

Relating to any United States Census.

Tips re working on 1940 Census on FamilySearch

Forget-Me-Not» To view other areas of the census image, click & drag rather than scroll.
» When you download a 1940 cenus image from FamilySearch.org, the filename is “record image”. Be sure to rename immediately.
» Suggest determining a naming convention such as 1940census-DoeJohn-Etowah-AL.jpg. Do not change the extension or the file becomes unreadable.

First two tips from “The Toolkit” article in Family Tree Magazine, July/August 2012, Vol. 13, Issue 5, p. 68. Forget-Me-Not, an original clip art from NanaEllen.com.

1940 Census Symbols & Explanatory Notes

Knowing what the symbols and abbreviations you find on the 1940 census is helpful. Good researchers never guess. Table shown with the Codes Used, Their Meaning, & what column number/heading in which they appear.