The 1940 federal census was the sixteenth census of the United States. It included all of the United States, Alaska, American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, the Panama Canal Zone, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands of the United States. Military and consular services abroad, and naval services abroad or in American waters, (not at a fixed station) were also included in the census (U.S. Census Bureau).
Persons in the military services were enumerated as residents of the states, counties, and minor civil divisions in which their posts of duty were located (members of their families were enumerated at the place in which they resided). The crews of American merchant marine vessels were enumerated as part of the population of the port from which the vessel operated (U.S. Census Bureau).
Persons in the military services were enumerated as residents of the states, counties, and minor civil divisions in which their posts of duty were located (members of their families were enumerated at the place in which they resided). The crews of American merchant marine vessels were enumerated as part of the population of the port from which the vessel operated (U.S. Census Bureau).
1940 Federal Census Outline
Left Side - Top
State
County
Township or Other Division of County
Incorporated Place
Ward of City
Middle
1940 Federal Census
Block No.
Unincorporated Place
Right Side - Top
Enumeration District No. & Sheet No.
Supervisor's District No.
Enumerated by me on ____, 1940
_____, Enumerator Institution
Location (boxes 1-2)
1: Street, Avenue, or road name
2: Number of household
Household Data (boxes 3-6)
3: No. of Household in order of visitation
4: owned (O) or rented (R)
5: value of home or monthly rental (Where owner’s household occupies only a part of a structure, estimate value of portion occupied by owner’s household. ex. the value of the unit occupied by the owner of a two-family house might be approximately one-half the total value of the structure.)
6: Farm? (Yes or No)
Name (box 7)
7: name everyone whose place of residence as of April 1, 1940 was this household, persons temporary absent write (Ab) after their name, for children under one that is unnamed write “infant” and for enter and X enclosed with a circle for person furnishing the information.
Relationship (boxes 8-A)
8: relationship to the head of household
A CODE (Leave Blank)
Personal description (boxes 9-12)
9: sex
10: color (W: white, Neg: Negro, In: Indian (Native Americans), Jp: Japanese, Chi: Chinese, Kor: Korean, Fil: Filipino, Hin: Hindu. All others races were spelled out.)
11. age (Does not include children born on or after Apr. 1, 1940. If a child was born April 1939 the age would be listed as 11/12 (meaning the child was 11 months old) or if it was March 1940 it would be 0/12 (meaning it was less than a month old)
12: marital status
Education (boxes 13-B)
13: attended school or college at any time since March 1, 1940
14: highest grade of school completed (abbreviations: 0: None, numbers 1-8 for Elementary school, "H" and then numbers 1-4 for High School, "C" then numbers 1-4 for College years 1-4, C-5 for College - 5th or subsequent years)
B CODE (Leave Blank)
Place of birth (boxes 15-C)
15: If born in U.S. give state, territory, or possession. If foreign born – give country in which birthplace was situated on Jan. 1, 1937. Distinguish: Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State from Northern Ireland. Individual’s year of immigration to the United States
C: CODE (Leave Blank)
Citizenship (box 16)
16: Citizenship of the foreign born (abbreviations: Am Cit: American citizen born abroad, Al: Alien, Na: Naturalized, Pa: Having first papers)
Residence April 1, 1935 (boxes 17-D)
In what place did this person live on April 1, 1935? For a person who lived in a different place, enter city or town, county, and State.
17: City, town, or village having 2,600 or more inhabitants. If less, enter "R"
18: County
19: State (or Territory or foreign country)
20: On a Farm? (Y or N)
D: (CODE (Leave Blank)
Persons 14 Years Old and Over - Employment Status (boxes 21-33)
21: Was this person at work for pay or profit in private or nonemergency Govt. work during week of March 24-30? (Y or N).
22: If not, was he at work on, or assigned to, public emergency work (WPA, NYA, CCC, etc.) during week of March 24-30? (Y or N)
If neither at work nor assigned to public emergency work. ("No" in cols. 21 & 22) (Boxes 23-24)
23: Was this person seeking work? (Y or N)
24: If not, did he have a job, business, etc.? (Y or N)
For persons answering "NO" to questions 21-24. (Boxes 25-E)
25: Indicate whether engaged in home housework (H), in school (S), unable to work (U), or other (Ot).
E: CODE
If at private or nonemergency Govt. work. "Yes" in col 21 (box 26)
26: Number of hours worked during week of March 24-30, 1940.
If seeking work or assigned to public emergency work. "Yes" in col 22 or 23 (box 27)
27: Duration of unemployment up to March 30, 1940 - in weeks.
Occupation, Industry, and Class of Worker (boxes 28-F)
For a person at work, assigned to public emergency work, or with a job ("Yes" in col 21, 22, or 24), enter present occupation, industry, and class of worker. For a person seeking work ("Yes in col 23): (a) if he has previous work experience, enter last occupation, industry, and class of worker; or (b) if he does not have previous work experience, enter "New worker" in Col. 28, and leave Cols. 29-30 blank.
28: Occupation - Trade, profession, or particular kind of work, as - Frame spinner, Salesman, Laborer, Rivet heater, Music teacher
29: Industry - Industry or business, as - Cotton mill, Retail grocery, Farm, Shipyard, Public school
30: Class of Worker (abbreviations: PW: wage or salary worker in private work, GW: wage or salary worker in Government work, OA: working on own account, NP: unpaid family worker, E: employer)
F: CODE (Leave Blank)
31: Number of weeks worked in 1939 (Equivalent full-time weeks)
Income in 1939 (12 months ending Dec. 31, 1939.) (Boxes 32-33)
32: Amount of money, wages or salary received (including commissions)
33: Did this person receive income of $50 or more from sources other than money wages or salary (Y or N)
34: Number of Farm Schedule
Supplementary Questions For Persons Enumerated on Lines 14 and 29. (Boxes 35-50)
35: Name
For Persons of all ages (boxes 36-I)
Place of birth of father and mother If born in U.S. give state, territory, or possession. If foreign born, give country in which birthplace was situated on Jan. 1, 1937. Distinguish: Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State from Northern Ireland.
36: Father
37: Mother
G: CODE (Leave Blank)
38: Mother Tongue: Language spoken in home in earliest childhood.
H: CODE (Leave Blank)
Veterans (boxes 39-I)
Is this person a veteran of the United States military forces: or the wife, widow, or under 18 years old child of a veteran?
39: if so enter "Yes" 40: If child, is veteran father dead? (Y or N)
41: War or Military Service (abbreviations: W: World War, S: Spanish-American War; Philippine Insurrection or Boxer rebellion, SW: Spanish-American War and World War, R: Regular establishment for Peace-Time services only (Army, Navy, or Marine Corps), Ot: other war or expedition)
I: CODE (Leave Blank)
For Persons 14 Years Old and Over (boxes 42-J)
Social Security (boxes 42-44)
42: Does this person have a Federal Social Security Number? (Yes or No)
43: Were deductions for Federal Old-Age Insurance or Railroad Retirement made from this persons wages or salary in 1939? (Yes or No)
44: If so, were deductions made from all, 1/2 or more, part but less than 1/2, of wages or salary?
Usual Occupation, Industry, and Class of Worker (boxes 45-J)
Enter that occupation which the person regards as his usual occupation and at which he is physically able to work. If the person is unable to determine this, enter that occupation at which he has worked longest during the past 10 years and at which he is physically able to work. Enter also usual industry and usual class of worker.
45: Usual Occupation
46: Usual Industry
47: Usual class of worker (abbreviations for class of worker: PW: wage or salary worker in private work, GW: wage or salary worker in Government work, OA: working on own account, NP: unpaid family worker, E: employer)
J: CODE (Leave Blank)
For ALL Women who are or have been married (boxes 48-50)
48: Has this woman been married more than once? (Yes or No)
49: Age at first marriage
50: Number of children ever born. (Do not include stillbirths.)
Left Side - Top
State
County
Township or Other Division of County
Incorporated Place
Ward of City
Middle
1940 Federal Census
Block No.
Unincorporated Place
Right Side - Top
Enumeration District No. & Sheet No.
Supervisor's District No.
Enumerated by me on ____, 1940
_____, Enumerator Institution
Location (boxes 1-2)
1: Street, Avenue, or road name
2: Number of household
Household Data (boxes 3-6)
3: No. of Household in order of visitation
4: owned (O) or rented (R)
5: value of home or monthly rental (Where owner’s household occupies only a part of a structure, estimate value of portion occupied by owner’s household. ex. the value of the unit occupied by the owner of a two-family house might be approximately one-half the total value of the structure.)
6: Farm? (Yes or No)
Name (box 7)
7: name everyone whose place of residence as of April 1, 1940 was this household, persons temporary absent write (Ab) after their name, for children under one that is unnamed write “infant” and for enter and X enclosed with a circle for person furnishing the information.
Relationship (boxes 8-A)
8: relationship to the head of household
A CODE (Leave Blank)
Personal description (boxes 9-12)
9: sex
10: color (W: white, Neg: Negro, In: Indian (Native Americans), Jp: Japanese, Chi: Chinese, Kor: Korean, Fil: Filipino, Hin: Hindu. All others races were spelled out.)
11. age (Does not include children born on or after Apr. 1, 1940. If a child was born April 1939 the age would be listed as 11/12 (meaning the child was 11 months old) or if it was March 1940 it would be 0/12 (meaning it was less than a month old)
12: marital status
Education (boxes 13-B)
13: attended school or college at any time since March 1, 1940
14: highest grade of school completed (abbreviations: 0: None, numbers 1-8 for Elementary school, "H" and then numbers 1-4 for High School, "C" then numbers 1-4 for College years 1-4, C-5 for College - 5th or subsequent years)
B CODE (Leave Blank)
Place of birth (boxes 15-C)
15: If born in U.S. give state, territory, or possession. If foreign born – give country in which birthplace was situated on Jan. 1, 1937. Distinguish: Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State from Northern Ireland. Individual’s year of immigration to the United States
C: CODE (Leave Blank)
Citizenship (box 16)
16: Citizenship of the foreign born (abbreviations: Am Cit: American citizen born abroad, Al: Alien, Na: Naturalized, Pa: Having first papers)
Residence April 1, 1935 (boxes 17-D)
In what place did this person live on April 1, 1935? For a person who lived in a different place, enter city or town, county, and State.
17: City, town, or village having 2,600 or more inhabitants. If less, enter "R"
18: County
19: State (or Territory or foreign country)
20: On a Farm? (Y or N)
D: (CODE (Leave Blank)
Persons 14 Years Old and Over - Employment Status (boxes 21-33)
21: Was this person at work for pay or profit in private or nonemergency Govt. work during week of March 24-30? (Y or N).
22: If not, was he at work on, or assigned to, public emergency work (WPA, NYA, CCC, etc.) during week of March 24-30? (Y or N)
If neither at work nor assigned to public emergency work. ("No" in cols. 21 & 22) (Boxes 23-24)
23: Was this person seeking work? (Y or N)
24: If not, did he have a job, business, etc.? (Y or N)
For persons answering "NO" to questions 21-24. (Boxes 25-E)
25: Indicate whether engaged in home housework (H), in school (S), unable to work (U), or other (Ot).
E: CODE
If at private or nonemergency Govt. work. "Yes" in col 21 (box 26)
26: Number of hours worked during week of March 24-30, 1940.
If seeking work or assigned to public emergency work. "Yes" in col 22 or 23 (box 27)
27: Duration of unemployment up to March 30, 1940 - in weeks.
Occupation, Industry, and Class of Worker (boxes 28-F)
For a person at work, assigned to public emergency work, or with a job ("Yes" in col 21, 22, or 24), enter present occupation, industry, and class of worker. For a person seeking work ("Yes in col 23): (a) if he has previous work experience, enter last occupation, industry, and class of worker; or (b) if he does not have previous work experience, enter "New worker" in Col. 28, and leave Cols. 29-30 blank.
28: Occupation - Trade, profession, or particular kind of work, as - Frame spinner, Salesman, Laborer, Rivet heater, Music teacher
29: Industry - Industry or business, as - Cotton mill, Retail grocery, Farm, Shipyard, Public school
30: Class of Worker (abbreviations: PW: wage or salary worker in private work, GW: wage or salary worker in Government work, OA: working on own account, NP: unpaid family worker, E: employer)
F: CODE (Leave Blank)
31: Number of weeks worked in 1939 (Equivalent full-time weeks)
Income in 1939 (12 months ending Dec. 31, 1939.) (Boxes 32-33)
32: Amount of money, wages or salary received (including commissions)
33: Did this person receive income of $50 or more from sources other than money wages or salary (Y or N)
34: Number of Farm Schedule
Supplementary Questions For Persons Enumerated on Lines 14 and 29. (Boxes 35-50)
35: Name
For Persons of all ages (boxes 36-I)
Place of birth of father and mother If born in U.S. give state, territory, or possession. If foreign born, give country in which birthplace was situated on Jan. 1, 1937. Distinguish: Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State from Northern Ireland.
36: Father
37: Mother
G: CODE (Leave Blank)
38: Mother Tongue: Language spoken in home in earliest childhood.
H: CODE (Leave Blank)
Veterans (boxes 39-I)
Is this person a veteran of the United States military forces: or the wife, widow, or under 18 years old child of a veteran?
39: if so enter "Yes" 40: If child, is veteran father dead? (Y or N)
41: War or Military Service (abbreviations: W: World War, S: Spanish-American War; Philippine Insurrection or Boxer rebellion, SW: Spanish-American War and World War, R: Regular establishment for Peace-Time services only (Army, Navy, or Marine Corps), Ot: other war or expedition)
I: CODE (Leave Blank)
For Persons 14 Years Old and Over (boxes 42-J)
Social Security (boxes 42-44)
42: Does this person have a Federal Social Security Number? (Yes or No)
43: Were deductions for Federal Old-Age Insurance or Railroad Retirement made from this persons wages or salary in 1939? (Yes or No)
44: If so, were deductions made from all, 1/2 or more, part but less than 1/2, of wages or salary?
Usual Occupation, Industry, and Class of Worker (boxes 45-J)
Enter that occupation which the person regards as his usual occupation and at which he is physically able to work. If the person is unable to determine this, enter that occupation at which he has worked longest during the past 10 years and at which he is physically able to work. Enter also usual industry and usual class of worker.
45: Usual Occupation
46: Usual Industry
47: Usual class of worker (abbreviations for class of worker: PW: wage or salary worker in private work, GW: wage or salary worker in Government work, OA: working on own account, NP: unpaid family worker, E: employer)
J: CODE (Leave Blank)
For ALL Women who are or have been married (boxes 48-50)
48: Has this woman been married more than once? (Yes or No)
49: Age at first marriage
50: Number of children ever born. (Do not include stillbirths.)
