Census Report Info Layout - Need to make consistent
In my typical research, I rely on the Census Reports generated while viewing an individual’s census info such as https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ4P-YPR.
I then click on the button SAVE, COPY FULL REPORT… and from there I copy the pertinent source information into my genealogy database as well as the source citation.
However, I have been bothered by the variance in how Family Search presents this generated Census Report in that the layout and positioning of similar data appears in different places within the Census Report. Here are two major categories of these variances.
I would suggest that for the sake of consistency Family Search would want to make this presentation of data as uniform in appearance as possible. I realize that there are contractual commitments that apply to some of these census databases but the Census Report is wholly generated from within Family Search’s programming and does not affect that data nor change any data. Therefore, I believe Family Search should be able to make the changes so that all of the census reports appear uniform in how this data is presented to the user.
1. US State Designations in Census Reports
All census reports (SAVE, COPY FULL REPORT…) will display the state of birth of the individual however the 1880 US Census report is unique in that it includes “United States” after the name of the state.
Examples of family names from two different Census reports for the same family:
1870 Census Report
Caroline Ferrill F 48 Virginia
Emma Ferrill F 16 Virginia
Margaret Ferrill F 13 Virginia
Jane Ferrill F 9 Virginia
Enoch Ferrill M 8 Virginia
Olive Ferrill F 6 West Virginia
Sanford Ferrill M 4 West Virginia
Louisa Bambridge F 20 Virginia
Elisha Bambridge M 18 Virginia
Hilo C Ferrill M 28 Virginia
1880 Census Report
Caroline Ferrell Wife F 59 Maryland, United States
Emna Ferrell Daughter F 25 West Virginia, United States
Enoch Ferrell Son M 17 West Virginia, United States
Olive Ferrell Daughter F 16 West Virginia, United States
Sanford Ferrell Son M 14 West Virginia, United States
2. Variance in Data Layout and positioning
The exact data locations vary in placement within the census report and vary in what data is included. The following list shows the variance of such data typically shown in the Census reports.
Page/Sheet Number
1850: not shown
1860: shown ABOVE family names
1870: shown ABOVE family names
1880: shown BELOW family names and also ABOVE with separate “Sheet Letter”
1900: shown BELOW family names and also ABOVE with separate “Sheet Letter”
1910: shown BELOW family names and also ABOVE with separate “Sheet Letter”
1920: shown ABOVE family names and also ABOVE with separate “Sheet Letter”
1930: shown BELOW family names and also ABOVE with separate “Sheet Letter”
1940: shown BELOW family names and also BELOW with separate “Sheet Letter”
Household Identifier/Family Number
1850: shown ABOVE family names
1860: shown BELOW family names
1870: shown BELOW family names
1880: not shown (shows ambiguous number on “Household Identifier”)
1900: shown BELOW family names
1910: shown BELOW family names
1920: shown ABOVE family names
1930: shown BELOW family names
1940: shown BELOW family names
Enumeration District Number:
1850: n/a
1860: n/a
1870: n/a
1880: not shown (appears on “View Original Document”)
1900: not shown (sometimes appears as part of incorrectly indexed “Event Place” or in “Citing this Record”)
1910: not shown (sometimes appears as part of incorrectly indexed “Event Place” or in “Citing this Record”)
1920: not shown (appears only on “View Original Document”)
1930: not shown (appears only on “View Original Document” or in “Citing this Record”)
1940: not shown (appears only on “View Original Document” or in “Citing this Record”)
Roll Number (Affiliate Film Number):
1850: shown ABOVE family names
1860: shown BELOW family names
1870: not shown
1880: shown BELOW family names
1900: not shown
1910: shown BELOW family names
1920: shown ABOVE family names
1930: shown BELOW family names
1940: shown BELOW family names
The 1880 census reports from FamilySearch are also somewhat unique in that they use the term “Sheet” instead of “Page” which is found on all other census documents prior to 1900. Only the 1900 and later census records use the term “Sheet”. In other words, the actual documents use the words “Page” prior to 1900 and “Sheet” on 1900 and beyond.
As a final note, I should mention that in my opinion either the 1910 or 1940 Census Reports are the best ones in that they present all of the above pertinent data together in one location on the report. Those years should be a model for all the other census years.