Did you know that the 1940 United States Census will be available online for free? That’s right, on April 2, 2012, the National Archives will make digitized records from the 1940 Census available online. Even though there are forty days left until the 1940 Census becomes available, the National Archives has helpful information available on its web site for genealogists who plan to use the free Census data once it becomes available.
You do not have to wait until April 2 to begin planning your 1940 Census research. In fact, reading about the 1940 Census and making a list of ancestors to find and a plan of steps to follow can help you to find what you are looking for once the data becomes available. For example, one piece of information that can help you prepare is that you will not be able to search a name index when the 1940 Census first becomes available. To get around that, you can do a little advance planning and find out the address and the Census Enumeration District number for each person on your list. The National Archives has a helpful informational article on its web site about how to find addresses as well as where to look for Census Enumeration District numbers.
In case you are new to the world of Census research, you may be interested in knowing exactly what you can find out from a Census. While each Census has slightly different information and questions, they are all filled with names, dates, and other facts that can really help with your family history research. The 1940 Census includes the standard Census information like name, age, gender, race, education, and place of birth. It also includes information about marital status, employment status and type, type of residence, income, and more. Thanks to the National Archives, this valuable genealogical research resource will be available to everyone soon – are you ready?
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