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The 1830 census was begun on 1 June 1830. The enumeration was
to be completed within six months but was extended to allow completion
within twelve months.
- Name of head of household
- Number of free white males and females in age categories 0
to 5, 5 to 10, 10 to 15, 15 to 20, 20 to 30, 30 to 40, 40 to
50, 50 to 60, 60 to 70, 70 to 80, 80 to 90, 90 to 100, over 100
- Number of slaves and free “colored” persons in
age categories
- Categories for deaf, dumb, and blind persons and aliens
- Town or district
- County of residence
The 1830 census records are useful in identifying the locality to be searched
for other types of records for a named individual. The 1830 census will,
in most cases, help distinguish the target family from others of the same
name; help to determine family size; locate possible relatives with the same
name; identify immediate neighbors who may be related; identify slaveholders;
and spot spelling variations of surnames. Free men “of color” are
listed as heads of household by name. Slaves appear in age groupings by name
of owner. By combining those age groupings with probate inventories and tax
list data, it is sometimes possible to determine names of other family members
and the birth order of those individuals.
The 1830 census went a step further in breaking down ages, thus
allowing more precise knowledge of the household configuration.
With the age categories expanded to include those one hundred years
and older, it is possible to have a better idea of life spans during
that time period. The addition of information regarding those who
were deaf, dumb, and blind is an indication that there may be related
guardianship or institutional records. The presence of aliens in
a household suggests the possibility that those individuals may
eventually have been naturalized in a nearby court.
The 1830 census was the first for which the government provided uniform, printed
forms to enumerators for the purpose of recording answers to census questions.
The information above is an excerpt from The Source: A Guidebook
of American Genealogy, edited by Loretto D. Szucs and Sandra H.
Luebking, Chapter 5, “Research in Census Records,” by
Loretto D. Szucs (page 113).
1830 Census Information Links
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