Monday, November 16, 2009

2010 Census

As an amateur genealogist, I am very anxious to fill out the 2010 census. This will be my first time filling out any census. I will imagine the joy my great grandchildren will have digging my information out of computers some day. I have spent many hours pouring over census forms for years past. Currently the latest census forms available for my perusal is the 1930 census form. The law states that the information can be made available to the public 78 years after census year. The 1940 census data will be available in 2012. This is done to protect the information and privacy of the people on those records.

My only concern is our move date. We will be moving right around the time that the census takers will be knocking on doors. I am afraid that if we don't have a door to knock on (or a mailbox) then we might be missed altogether. I will find a way to fill out the form, even if I have to fill it out with a hotel address. I am sure I will create many unanswerable questions for my descendants if I am living at the Holiday Inn. I have one ancestor that I found twice in one census year. It was very confusing at first, but then I realized that one census was taken in April, and the second in June. It turns out that my ancestor also moved, and was counted in both homes. Amazingly, if he had moved in reverse, he never would have been counted!

My public service announcement....for your grandchildren and future genealogists of the 22nd and 23rd centuries....FILL out your CENSUS form.


1 comment:

  1. My MIL works for the census breau and right now they are apparently calling everyone in the US who has a land line and confirming address information. If you recieve a call you should be able to give them what info you have about moving and may be able to have them send your packet to a permanent address (say your parents or his or a siblings?)

    Hope this helps! (and the hubs is writing out questions for me to email you, Thanks for sending them on in advance!)

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