1930 US Census Help

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1930 US Census Help

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The much anticipated release of the 1930 US census was Monday April 1, 2002.

Only 12 states were soundexed (indexed): Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky (only counties of Bell, Floyd, Harlan, Kenton, Muhlenberg, Perry and Pike), Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia (only counties of Fayette, Harrison, Kanawha, Logan, McDowell, Mercer, and Raleigh).

If the state you want to search was not indexed, how do you begin your search? For those states not soundexed, here is an online search help that identifies the layout of enumeration districts within counties to help before you begin to search the census.

To begin your search for ED,select a State or U.S. Territory

Choose the state, and when a screen comes up in a new browser window, choose the county or city you are looking for, and NARA will show you the arrangement order of townships & boroughs (or more specifically, the enumeration districts) within a roll of microfilm.

Here are five ways to find a name in the 1930 census.

Search the index.
If the state is soundexed state ( Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, or Virginia or the counties that are partially soundexed (Kentucky, West Virginia), use the soundex microfilm (available at Family History Center or NARA) to locate the person in the 1930 census.
If the person didn't move between 1920 and 1930, you can try the enumeration district from the 1920 census.
If the person is in a small community, read the whole community census to locate him or her.
If you have the person's street address, you can use it to locate the enumeration district at Obtaining enumeration districts in One Step for Large Cities.

If you don't have the street address, use other records such as city directories to find the person's address. City directories may be available at the library or historical society, the LDS Family History Centers and NARA

Other sources to find a street address include ship passenger lists, marriage record or tax records. You can also check old letters and photograph albums to find a street address.

Once you have the address, use a map to locate the Enumeration District (ED) that address is in. Search that ED on the census microfilm roll for the street and then the specific address.

Understanding the soundex of the 12 Southern States

Each county of each state is given a number in alphabetical order. For example, a county starting with the letter 'A' would be #1. This number is used in the microfilm guide and is on every microfilm page of each county.

The number is printed as Enumerator's District #29-51. This actually means County #29 alphabetically and Enumeration Number (ED) 51. In addition, the ED number is not strictly numeric. You will need the 1930 microfilm guide (available from the National Archives) to determine the order of the ED #. You may find enumeration district ED 3 followed by ED 15.

What is stated as a "Sheet No" on the Soundex card is really the "visitation number" on the census. It is the 5th column:

Column 1     Line #
Column 2     Street, avenue, road
Column 3     House Number
Column 4     Dwelling Number
Column 5     Visitation Number
Once you know these facts, it is a lot easier to understand the Soundex.

I hope this will help you in locating your ancestor on the 1930 census.

What are the major differences from the earlier census records?

In 1930, the Census asked only if the person were naturalized, not the year of naturalization.
In addition to asking if a person owned or rented a house as in 1900 - 1920, the 1930 schedules also included the value of the home or the amount of rent paid each month.
The 1930 census asked if the home had a radio.
The 1930 census asked a person's age at the time of his or her first marriage.
The 1930 census asked which specific war a man fought in

NARA

1930 Enumerator Instructions

1930 Census Forms

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