records guide
US census records — the researcher's most-used source, decoded
US census records are the backbone of American genealogy. Taken every ten years since 1790, they snapshot the country's population at a moment in time and — from 1850 onward — name every person in every household. The most recent public release is the 1950 census, opened by NARA in April 2022.
- 1790–1840: heads of household named; everyone else tallied by age/sex.
- 1850–1940: every individual named, with age, occupation, and birthplace.
- 1890: destroyed by fire in 1921 — 99% loss, fragmentary survivals.
- 1950: released April 2022; next release (1960) due April 2032.
How to use this guide in real research
Begin with a specific person, place, and approximate date rather than a name alone. Record the repository, collection, image or certificate number, and access date for every result. That citation lets another researcher retrace the same evidence and helps you distinguish people who share a name.
Treat indexes and transcriptions as finding aids. Whenever possible, open the original image and compare names, ages, relationships, locations, and informants with records you already trust. A plausible match becomes a supported conclusion only when independent sources agree and conflicting evidence has been addressed.
Quality checks before adding a conclusion
- Search spelling variants, initials, nicknames, neighboring households, and a wider date range.
- Prefer records created close to the event, while noting who supplied each fact.
- Keep negative searches and rejected matches in your research log so work is not repeated.
- Mark uncertain relationships clearly until multiple independent records support them.