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Researching Census Records
CENSUS - Ultimately, I would like to have the complete census information for every M(a)cDonald, M(a)cDonnell, M(a)cDaniel and all possible variations as found in the United States censuses of the entire state of Pennsylvania, from the 1790 census through the census of 1900. (The 1890 census was destroyed by fire - no records from Pennsylvania survived.) It would prove an invaluable source for researchers. If you would like to contribute, please do so!
The amount and quality of information available on the census records differ greatly. Prior to 1850, only the head of household was named; other members of the household were catagorized by age. The information about the birthplace of parents in the 1880 and 1900 censuses can be particularly valuable.
1) The actual person being tallied. Did this person have an accent that made the surname sound different that it was? Was the person illiterate and unable to spell their name? Was the person even present when the census enumerator stopped by - or was it a child, a servant, a boarder, or a neighbor who provided the information?
2) The census enumerator who travelled house to house. Did he understand the accent of the person? (Was a Scotsman writing down the name of a German?) Was he careful or careless in his attempt to spell unfamiliar surnames? Did he miss any homes or individuals within homes?
3) The original county copy. When the tally sheets were compiled and copied in the county compilation, was the handwriting of the census enumerator clear and concise? In some handwritings, it's nearly impossible to distinguish the difference between "McDonnell" and "McDowell!"
4) The copy for the US government. Again, how clear was the handwriting which was being copied? Were any individuals or pages accidently skipped?
5) My copy. I'd like to think it's a perfect copy of the microfilmed page, but.....
1) He/she may have been skipped by the enumerator.
2) He/she may have been visiting/living with another family and not counted.
3) He/she may have moved from one residence before the census was taken to an area in which the census was already completed.
4) His/her name may be so distorted in the records (poor handwriting, mistaken interpretation) that the record remains forever hidden.
1) ALWAYS copy the immediate neighbors on either side of the census entry in which you are interested. A half-dozen of so will do. Neighbors were frequently related.
2) Don't get hung up on the spelling of names or the ages - they can vary wildly.