US Census Abbreviations
Ever wonder about the meaning of some of the abbreviations found in the US census? Here's a list of relationship, citizenship, race, and military abbreviations, along with the original instructions given to the census enumerators.
Miscellaneous
| do.
|
ditto which means "same as line above"
|
1900, 1910, 1920 Citizenship Status
| AL
|
Alien (not naturalized and had not filed first papers)
|
| PA
|
First papers filed (declaration of intent)
|
| NA
|
Naturalized
|
| NR
|
Not recorded
|
1910 Color and Race
| W
|
White
|
| B | Black |
| Mu | Mulatto |
| Ch | Chinese |
| Jp | Japanese |
| In | Indian. |
| Ot | All others |
1910 Census Relationship and Occupation Abbreviations
| Ad. | Adopted |
| Ad.Cl | Adopted Child |
| Ad.D | Adopted Daughter |
| Ad.Gcl | Adopted Grandchild |
| Ad.M | Adopted Mother |
| Ad.S | Adopted Son |
| Ap | Apprentice |
| At | Attendant |
| Asst | Assistant |
| A | Aunt |
| Al | Aunt-In-Law |
| Bar | Bartender |
| Bo | Boarder |
| B.Girl | Bound Girl |
| B.Boy | Bound Boy |
| Boy | Boy |
| B | Brother |
| Bl | Brother-In-Law |
| Bu | Butler |
| Cap | Captain |
| Cha | Chamber Maid |
| Cl | Child |
| Coa | Coachman |
| Com | Companion |
| Cook | Cook |
| C | Cousin |
| Cil | Cousin-In-Law |
| D | Daughter |
| Dl | Daughter-In-Law |
| Dla | Day Laborer |
| Dw | Dish Washer |
| Dom | Domestic |
| Emp | Employee |
| En | Engineer |
| Fa.H | Farm Hand |
| Fa.L | Farm Laborer |
| Fa.W | Farm Worker |
| F | Father |
| Fl | Father-In-Law |
| Fi | Fireman |
| First C | First Cousin |
| Fo.B | Foster Brother |
| Fo.Si | Foster Sister |
| Fo.S | Foster Son |
| God Cl | God Child |
| Go | Governess |
| Gcl | Grand Child |
| Gd | Grand Daughter |
| Gf | Grand Father |
| GM | Grand Mother |
| Gml | Grand Mother-In-Law |
| Gs | Grand Son |
| Gsl | Grand Son-In-Law |
| Ggf | Great Grandfather |
| Gni | Grand Niece (or Great Niece) |
| Gn | Grand Nephew (or Great Nephew) |
| Ggm | Great Grandmother |
| Gggf | Great-Great-Grandfather |
| Gggm | Great-Great-Grandmother |
| Gua | Guardian |
| Guest | Guest |
| H.Si | Half Sister |
| H.Sil | Half Sister-In-Law |
| Hb | Half Brother |
| Hbl | Half Brother-In-Law |
| Help | Help |
| He | Herder |
| H.Gi | Hired Girl |
| H.H | Hired Hand |
| Hlg | Hireling |
| Hk | Housekeeper |
| H.Maid | Housemaid |
| Hw | House Worker |
| Husband | Husband |
| Inmate | Inmate |
| La | Laborer |
| Lau | Laundry |
| L | Lodger |
| Maid | Maid |
| Man | Manager |
| Mat | Matron |
| M | Mother |
| Ml | Mother-In-Law |
| N | Nephew |
| Nl | Nephew-In-Law |
| Ni | Niece |
| Nil | Niece-In-Law |
| Nu | Nurse |
| O | Officer |
| Pa | Partner |
| P | Patient |
| Ph | Physician |
| Por | Porter |
| Pri | Principal |
| Pr | Prisoner |
| Prv | Private |
| Pu | Pupil |
| R | Roomer |
| Sa | Sailor |
| Sal | Saleslady |
| Se | Servant |
| Se.Cl | Servant's Child |
| Si | Sister |
| S | Son |
| Sl | Son-In-Law |
| Sb | Step Brother |
| Sbl | Step Brother-In-Law |
| Scl | Step Child |
| Sd | Step Daughter |
| Sdl | Step Daughter-In-Law |
| Sf | Step Father |
| Sfl | Step Father-In-Law |
| Sgd | Step Granddaughter |
| Sgs | Step Grandson |
| Sm | Step Mother |
| Sml | Step Mother-In-Law |
| Ssi | Step Sister |
| Ssil | Step Sister-In-Law |
| Ss | Step Son |
| Ssl | Step Son-In-Law |
| Su | Superintendent |
| Ten | Tenant |
| U | Uncle |
| Ul | Uncle-In-Law |
| Vi | Visitor |
| Wt | Waiter |
| Wai | Waitress |
| Ward | Ward |
| Wa | Warden |
| W | Wife |
| Wkm | Workman |
Military Status
The abbreviations in column 30 of the 1910 census are:
| UA
|
Survivor of the Union Army
|
| UN
|
Survivor of the Union Navy
|
| CA
|
Survivor of the Confederate Army
|
| CN
|
Survivor of the Confederate Navy
|
US Census Search
US Census Search Year by Year
Guide, Clues & Finding Aid for the U. S. Federal Census
Instructions given to US census enumerators
Enumerator instructions
