1940 United States Federal Census

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    Birth
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  • Lived In
    Lived In
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Father
Father
Mother
Mother
Spouse
Spouse
Child
Child
Sibling
Sibling

Source Information

Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

Original data:

United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.

About 1940 United States Federal Census

General collection information

This collection contains the 1940 United States Federal Census for all 48 states, the District of Columbia, and the following territories: Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and the Panama Canal Zone.

Using this collection

Records in this collection may include the following information:

  • Name
  • Relationship to head of household
  • Street address
  • Place of residence
  • Place of residence in 1935
  • Race
  • Age
  • Marital status
  • Birthplace
  • Citizenship
  • School or college attendance
  • Highest school grade completed
  • Living on a farm
  • Occupation
  • Industry
  • Employment status
  • Hours worked in week prior to census
  • Reason for unemployment
  • Duration of unemployment
  • Class of worker
  • Weeks worked in 1939
  • Income in 1939
  • Income other than wages or salary
  • House owned or rented
  • Value of home or monthly rent
  • Household members

    • The following information was gathered on a supplemental section at the bottom of the census form:

  • Parents’ birthplaces
  • Military veteran
  • Child of deceased military veteran
  • Name of war or expedition
  • Social Security information
  • Marriage and children information for women

    • Censuses are important tools for family research because they provide a snapshot of an entire family in the same record. The 1940 census is especially useful because it can help you get a better understanding of your ancestor’s life during the Great Depression and the Second World War. Residence place in both 1940 and 1935 were recorded on the census. Comparing that with your ancestor’s residence place on the 1930 United States Federal Census can help you paint a fuller picture of your ancestor’s experience.

    The 1940 census was the first to indicate the person in the household who was interviewed by the enumerator. That person is identified with a circled “x” next to their name. Like previous censuses, military personnel living abroad were considered residents of their base or ship. If your ancestor was in the military and stationed abroad they will not be listed in the general schedule with their family.

    Supplemental questions were only asked of five percent of the population. Two lines on each census page were selected for supplemental questions, and whoever was recorded on those lines was asked. If no one was recorded on that line, the supplemental questions weren’t asked to anyone on that particular census page. Using the supplemental questionnaire allowed for room on the general schedule for new information about employment and unemployment as the Great Depression came to an end.

    Collection in context

    The forms for the 1940 US Federal Census were created by the US Census Bureau, and they were filled out by enumerators hired by the bureau. The original documents are held by the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.

    Since 1790, the federal government has taken a census every 10 years to determine how members of the House of Representatives are apportioned. Work on the 1940 Census began on April 1, 1940.

    Census planners divided the country into enumeration districts to allow a census taker (enumerator) to visit every house in the district within a two-week period (in rural areas, enumerators had a month). Enumerators were instructed to count “each person alive at the beginning of the census day, i.e., 12:01 A.M. on April 1, 1940.”

    Bibliography

    Ancestry.com. “1940 Census.” Accessed June 6, 2025. https://www.ancestry.com/c/family-history-learning-hub/1940-census.

    Buchanan, Rose. “Stand Up and Be Counted: Native Americans in the Federal Census.” National Archives News. Last reviewed April 21, 2022. https://www.archives.gov/news/articles/native-americans-census.

    Kluskens, Claire. “Census Enumeration of U.S. Civilians and Military Personnel Overseas, 1790–1950.” History Hub. Last modified February 23, 2022. https://historyhub.history.gov/genealogy/census-records/b/census-blog/posts/census-enumeration-of-u-s-civilians-and-military-personnel-overseas-1790-1950.

    Philibert-Ortega, Gena. “Genealogy 101: #17 The 1940 U.S. Census.” GenealogyBank. Accessed June 6, 2025. https://blog.genealogybank.com/genealogy-101-17-the-1940-u-s-census.html.

    Tarr, Julie. “8 Often Overlooked Items in the 1940 US Census.” Genealogy in Action. https://www.genealogyinaction.com/blog/8-often-overlooked-items-in-the-1940-us-census.

    United States Census Bureau. “Decennial Census Historical Facts: 1940.” Last modified October 8, 2021. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade/decennial-facts.1940.html#list-tab-1813000050.

    United States Census Bureau. “Decennial Census Official Publications: 1940.” Last modified December 16, 2021. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade/decennial-publications.1940.html#list-tab-799609106.

    United States Census Bureau. “Instructions to Enumerators.” Accessed June 6, 2025. https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/programs-surveys/decennial/technical-documentation/questionnaires/1940instructions.pdf.

    United States Census Bureau. “History of Island Areas Censuses.” Last modified September 3, 2024. https://www.census.gov/about/history/historical-censuses-and-surveys/census-programs-surveys/geography/island-areas.html.