A census is the process of obtaining information about every member of a population (not necessarily a human population). It can be contrasted with sampling in which information is only obtained from a subset of a population. As such it is a method used for accumulating statistical data, and it is also vital to democracy (voting). Binomial name Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies Homo sapiens idaltu (extinct) Homo sapiens sapiens Human beings define themselves in biological, social, and spiritual terms. ... Sampling is that part of statistical practice concerned with the selection of individual observations intended to yield some knowledge about a population of concern, especially for the purposes of statistical inference. ... Statistics is the science and practice of developing knowledge through the use of empirical data expressed in quantitative form. ... For the Finno-Ugric people, see Votes. ...

Ancient censuses

Rome conducted censuses to determine taxes. The word census derives from the Latin censor, which was the title of the official in charge of counting Romans and setting tax rates. Ancient Rome was a civilization that existed in Europe between 753 BC and its downfall in AD 476. ... A tax is an involuntary fee paid by individuals or businesses to a government. ... Latin is the language that was originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... For ommission and secrecy, see Censorship. ...

The Bible relates stories of several censuses. The Book of Numbers describes a divinely-mandated census that occurred when Moses led the Israelites from Egypt. A later census called by King David of Israel, referred to as the "numbering of the people," incited divine retribution (for being militarily motivated ?). A Roman census is also mentioned in one of the best known passages of the Bible in the Gospel of Luke. The Bible (From Greek (τα) βιβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, plural of βιβλιον, biblion, book, originally a diminutive of βιβλος, biblos, which in turn is derived from βυβλος—byblos, meaning papyrus, from the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos which exported this writing material), is a word applied to sacred scriptures. ... The Book of Numbers is the fourth of the books of the Pentateuch, called in the Hebrew ba-midbar במדבר, i. ... Moses or Móshe (מֹשֶׁה, Standard Hebrew Móše, Tiberian Hebrew Mōšeh, Arabic موسى), son of Amram and his wife, Jochebed, a Levite. ... An Israelite is a member of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of the Biblical patriarch Jacob who was renamed Israel by God in the book of Genesis, 32:28 The Israelites were a group of Hebrews, as described in the Bible. ... Michelangelos David This page is about the Biblical king David. ... This entry incorporates text from Eastons Bible Dictionary, 1897, with some modernisation. ... The Gospel of Luke is the third of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament, which tell the story of Jesus life, death, and resurrection. ...

The world's oldest extant census comes from China during the Han Dynasty. Taken in the fall of 2 AD, it is considered by scholars to be quite accurate. At that time there were 57.5 million living in Han China, the world's largest population. The second oldest preserved census is also from the Han, dating back to 140 AD, when only a bit more than 48 million people were recorded. Mass migrations into what is today southern China are believed to be behind this massive demographic decline. Han commanderies and kingdoms AD 2. ...

Modern censuses

Australia

The Australian census is run by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It is carried out every five years, the last one being on August 7, 2001. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is the Australian government agency that collects and publishes statistical information about Australia. ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Brazil

The Brazilian census is carried out by IBGE, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, every 10 years. The last one was in 2000. IBGE, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica), is the agency responsible for statistical, geographic, cartographic, geodetic and environmental information in Brazil. ... 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Canada

The Canadian census is run by Statistics Canada. The first census conducted in Canada was conducted in 1666, by French intendant Jean Talon, when he took a census to ascertain the number of people living in New France. In 1871, Canada's first formal census was conducted, which counted the population of Nova Scotia, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Quebec. In 1918, the Dominion Bureau of Statistics was formed. In 1971, Statistics Canada was formed to replace the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, and consequently, took over its census job. Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government bureau commissioned with gathering and analysing statistics about Canada. ... The 1666 census of New France was the first census conducted in Canada (and indeed in North America). ... Events September 2 - Great Fire of London: A large fire breaks out in London in the house of Charles IIs baker on Pudding Lane near London Bridge. ... New France was governed by three rulers: the governor, the bishop and the intendant, all appointed by the King, and sent from France. ... Jean Talon, comte dOrsainville (1625 baptised 8 January 1626 – November 1694) was a French colonial administrator who was the first and most highly regarded Intendant of New France. ... New France (French: la Nouvelle-France) describes the area colonized by France in North America during a period extending from the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 to the cession of New France to the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1763. ... 1871 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (One defends and the other conquers) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Lieutenant Governor Myra A. Freeman Premier John Hamm (PC) Area 55,283 km² (12th)  - Land 53,338 km²  - Water 1,946 km² (3. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Area 1,076,395 km² (4th)  - Land 917,741 km²  - Water 158,654 km² (14. ... Motto: Spem reduxit (Hope was restored) Other Canadian provinces and territories Capital Fredericton Largest city Saint John Lieutenant Governor Herménégilde Chiasson Premier Bernard Lord (PC) Area 72,908 km² (8th)  - Land 71,450 km²  - Water 1,458 km² (2. ... ... 1918 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The Dominion Bureau of Statistics was a Canadian government organization responsible for censuses. ... 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ... Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government bureau commissioned with gathering and analysing statistics about Canada. ... The Dominion Bureau of Statistics was a Canadian government organization responsible for censuses. ...

Censuses in Canada are conducted in five year intervals. The latest census was conducted in 2001 and the next planned census is 2006. Censuses taken in mid-decade (e.g. 1976, 1986, 1996, etc.) are referred to as quinquennial censuses. Others are referred to as decennial censuses. The first quinquennial census was conducted in 1956. 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... An anniversary is a day that commemorates an event that occurred on the same day of the year some time in the past. ... An anniversary is a day that commemorates an event that occurred on the same day of the year some time in the past. ... 1956 was a leap year starting on Sunday. ...

See also: Canada 2001 Census The Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. ...

Denmark

The first Danish census was in 1700-01, and contained statistical information about adult men. Only about half of it still exists. A census of school children was taken during the 1730s. Events January 1 - Russia accepts Julian calendar. ... Events January 18 - Frederick I becomes King of Prussia. ... Events and Trends The Great Awakening - A Protestant religious movement active in the British colonies of North America Sextant invented (probably around 1730) independently by John Hadley in Great Britain and Thomas Godfrey in the American colonies World leaders Louis XV King of France (king from 1715 to 1774) George...

Following these early undertakings, the first census to attempt completely covering all citizens (including women and children who had previously been listed only as numbers) of Denmark-Norway was taken in 1769 [1] (http://www.rhd.uit.no/census/ft1769.html). At that point there were 797 584 citizens in the kingdom. Georg Christian Oeder took a statistical census in 1771 which covered Copenhagen, Sjælland, Møn, and Bornholm. The Kingdom of Denmark-Norway, consisting of Denmark and Norway, including Norways possessions Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, is a term used for the two united kingdoms after their amalgamation as one state in 1536. ... 1769 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1771 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... City nickname: none Location in Denmark Area  - Total  - Water 526 km² xxx km² xx% Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density 502,204 1,116,979 954/km&sup2 [including water] xxx/km&sup2 [land only] Time zone Eastern: UTC+1 Latitude Longitude 55°43 N 12°34 W Copenhagen (Danish: K... This article is about the Danish island. ... Møn is a municipality, and also an island, in south Denmark, in the county of Storstrøm. ... Categories: Counties of Denmark | Denmark | Terra Scania | Baltic islands | Islands of Denmark ...

After that, censuses followed somewhat regularly in 1787, 1801, and 1834, and between 1840 and 1860, the censuses were taken every five years, and then every ten years until 1890. Special censuses for Copenhagen were taken in 1885 and 1895. 1787 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1801 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ... 1890 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1885 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1895 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

In the 20th century, censuses were taken every five years from 1901 to 1921, and then every ten years from 1930. The last census was taken in 1950. Currently, Det Centrale Personregister is doing the censuses using their register of Danish citizens. 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1921 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1930 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Det Centrale Personregister or centralised civil register is a centralised register of Danish Social Security numbers and associated information. ...

It is possible to search a portion of the Danish censuses online at Dansk Demografisk Database (http://ddd.dda.dk/), and also view scanned versions at Arkivalier Online (http://www.arkivalieronline.dk/).

France

Napoleon Bonaparte began the census in France as a means of determining the number of potential soldiers under his rule. Today, the census in France is carried out by INSEE. Since 2004, a partial census is carried out every year, and the results published as averages over 5 years. Bonaparte as general Napoleon Bonaparte ( 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur des Français... INSEE is the French abbreviation for the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (French: Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques). ...

Germany

The first large-scale census in the German Empire took place in 1895. Attempts at introducing a census in Germany sparked strong popular resentment in the 1980s since many quite personal questions were asked. Some campaigned for a boycott. In the end the Constitutional Court stopped the census in 1980 and 1983. The last census was in 1987. Germany has since used population samples in combination with statistical methods, in place of a full census. The German census of 1895 was one of the first full-scale censae organized on all territories of the German Empire. ... 1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. ...

Italy

The census in Italy is carried out by ISTAT every 10 years. The last four were in 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001. Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT) is the Italian national statistical institute, roughly corresponding to the United States Census Bureau. ... 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ... 1981 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

New Zealand

(see main article) The census in New Zealand is carried out by Statistics New Zealand (Te Tari Tatau), every five years. The last was in 2001, the next will be in 2006. The New Zealand government Deartment Statistics New Zealand conducts a census of population and dwellings every five years. ... Statistics New Zealand (Te Tari Tatau) is a New Zealand government department, and the source of the countrys official statistics. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Portugal

The census in Portugal is carried out by INE every 10 years. The last one occurred in 2001. 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Russia/USSR

In Russia the first All-Russia Population Census was carried out in 1897. All-Union Population Censuses were carried out in the USSR (which included Russia and the other republics) in 1920, 1926, 1939, 1959, 1970, 1979 and 1989). The first (post-Soviet) All-Russia Population Census was carried out in 2002. The census is now the responsibility of the Federal State Statistics Service. (http://www.gks.ru) 1897 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... 1926 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1979 is a common year starting on Monday. ... 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

South Africa

The census in South Africa is carried out every 5 years by Statistics South Africa. The only two to date were in 1996 and 2001. Statistics South Africa is the national statistics board of South Africa. ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

United Kingdom

The UK census as we know it today started in 1801 (championed by John Rickman who managed the first four up to 1831), partly to ascertain the number of men able to fight in the Napoleonic wars. England took its first Census when the Domesday Book was compiled in 1086 for tax purposes. Dalriada (now Scotland) in the 7th century was the first territory in what is now the UK to conduct a census, with what was called the "Tradition of the Men of Alba" (Senchus fer n'Alba'). 1801 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... John Rickman (1771-1840) was an English statistician and government official of the early 19th century. ... 1831 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Napoleonic Wars lasted from 1804 until 1815. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Religion... Domesday Book (also known as Domesday, or Book of Winchester), was the record of the great survey of England completed in 1086, executed for William the Conqueror, that was like a census by the government today. ... Events Domesday Book is completed in England Emperor Shirakawa of Japan starts his cloistered rule Imam Ali Mosque is rebuilt by the Seljuk Malik Shah I after being destroyed by fire. ... Dalriada or Dál Riata (as it was called in Ireland) was the kingdom of the Scotti, who migrated from County Antrim in Ulster to Argyll and eventually gave their name to Scotland. ... Scotland (Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is a country or nation and former independent kingdom of northwest Europe, and one of the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom. ... (6th century - 7th century - 8th century - other centuries) Events Islam starts in Arabia, the Quran is written, and Arabs subjugate Syria, Iraq, Persia, Egypt, North Africa and Central Asia to Islam. ... Wiktionary has a definition of: Alba The name Alba may refer to — the ancient and modern Gaelic name (pronounced Al_a_pah) for Scotland. ...

Rickman's 12 reasons - set out in 1798 and repeated in Parliamentary debates - for conducting a UK census included the following justifications: 1798 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

• 'the intimate knowledge of any country must form the rational basis of legislation and diplomacy'
• 'an industrious population is the basic power and resource of any nation, and therefore its size needs to be known'
• 'the number of men who were required for conscription to the militia in different areas should reflect the area's population'
• 'there were defence reasons for wanting to know the number of seamen'
• 'the need to plan the production of corn and thus to know the number of people who had to be fed'
• 'a census would indicate the Government's intention to promote the public good' and
• 'the life insurance industry would be stimulated by the results.'

The census has been conducted every ten years since 1801 and most recently in 2001. The first four censuses (1801-1831) were mainly statistical (that is, they were mainly headcounts and contained virtually no personal information). The 1841 Census was the first to record names of all individuals in a household or institution. 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Because of the war, there was no census in 1941. However, following the passage into law (on 5 September 1939) of the National Registration Act a population count was carried out on 29 September 1939, which was, in effect, a census. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... September 5 is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years). ... 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... September 29 is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years). ... 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The census is undertaken by the government for policy and planning purposes, and the (statistical) information is also sold to interested parties. Public access to the census returns is restricted under the terms of the 100-year rule and the most recent returns made available to researchers are those of the 1901 Census.

The census is usually very accurate, and with a fine of up to £1,000 for those who do not complete it, filled in by a high percentage of the population. An exception may have been the census conducted during the years of the poll tax (1991), when some people avoided it in case it was used for enforcing the tax. A poll tax, head tax, or capitation is a tax of a uniform, fixed amount per individual (as opposed to a percentage of income). ... 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The 2001 census was the first year in which the government asked about religion. Perhaps encouraged by a chain letter that started in New Zealand, 390,000 people entered their religion as Jedi Knight (more than either Sikhs, Buddhists or Jews), with some areas registering up to 2.6% of people as Jedi. Census 2001 is the name by which the national census conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001 is known. ... The Jedi are a fictional monastic peacekeeping organization from the Star Wars saga. ...

See also: UK census dates, Population of England, Census Enumerators' Books, Citizen Information Project United Kingdom censuses are decennial - held every 10 years. ... Categories: Stub | History of England | Demographics of the United Kingdom ... During the decennial England and Wales Censuses of 1841 to 1901, the individual schedules returned from each household were transcribed and collated by the census enumerators into Census Enumerators’ Books (CEBs). ... In the United Kingdom, the Citizen Information Project (CIP) is a plan by the Office for National Statistics to build a national population register. ...

External links

• The Office for National Statistics (http://www.statistics.gov.uk), which is responsible for the Census in England and Wales. See the histories produced in connection with the Bicentenary of the Census in the UK (http:///www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/cb_8.asp)
• The Census Office for Northern Ireland (http://www.nisra.gov.uk/census/censushistory/index.html)
• The General Register Office for Scotland (http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk) which has been responsible for the taking of the census in Scotland since 1861.
• House of Commons (http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/cmhaff/130/13004.htm) The Fourth Report of the Select Committee on Home Affairs of the UK Parliament noting the 1939 Registration Act and the historical background associated with proposals for the (re)introduction of identity cards in the UK.
• Statewatch (http://www.statewatch.org/news/2003/jul/26ukid.htm) for information about the National Registration Act of 1939, the information that was required to be collected, and the issuing of identity cards.
• Online Historical Population Reports Project (OHPR) (http://www.histpop.org)

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... German identity document sample An identity document is a piece of documentation designed to prove the identity of the person carrying it. ...

United States

Main article: U.S. Census

The United States Constitution mandates that the census be taken at least once every ten years (U.S. Congress could require a more frequent census by legislation), and that the number of members of the House of Representatives from each state be determined accordingly. In addition, Census Bureau statistics are used for apportioning Federal funding for many social and economic programs. But there is not a federal census legislation (nor for federal voting). The U.S. Census is mandated by the United States Constitution. ... Page I of the Constitution of the United States of America Page II of the United States Constitution Page III of the United States Constitution Page IV of the United States Constitution The Syng inkstand, with which the Constitution was signed The Constitution of the United States is the supreme... Seal of the Congress. ... House of Representatives is a name used for legislative bodies in many countries. ... The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ...

The first U.S. Census was taken in 1790 by the local U.S. Marshals. Census-takers went door-to-door and recorded the number of people in each household, and the name of the head of the household. Slaves were counted, but for apportionment purposes each counted as only three-fifths of a citizen. American Indians being neither taxed nor considered during apportionment, were not counted. The first census counted 3.9 million people, less than half the population of New York City in 2000. The 2000 census counted over 281 million people. The U.S. Census is mandated by the United States Constitution. ... 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... The United States Marshals Service, part of the United States Department of Justice, is the United States oldest federal law enforcement agency. ... The three-fifths compromise (1787) was a compromise of the Virginia and New Jersey plans (regarding the government that would be created by the United States Constitution) in which each slave counted as three-fifths of a person regarding the apportionment of the members of the United States House of... 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1902, a Public Law established the Census Bureau as a permanent Federal agency. Until the 2010 census, there were two forms of questionnaire – long and short. Currently, the plan is to replace the Long form in 2010 with the American Community Survey (ACS), but funding for ACS is not assured, in which case there may be a long form in the 2010 census. Computer algorithms (based on complex sampling rules) determine which form was mailed to a given household (in practice, of those households whose locations are on the Census Master Address List), one in six receiving the long form. This was supplemented by census workers who go door-to-door to talk to people who fail to return the forms. In addition to a simple count of residents, the Census Bureau collects a variety of statistics, on topics ranging from ethnicity to the presence of indoor plumbing. While some critics claim that census questions are an invasion of privacy, the data collected by every question is either required to enforce some federal law (such as the Voting Rights Act) or is required to administer some federal program. Congress gives approval to every question asked on the Census. 1902 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Public law is the area of the law governing the relationship between individuals (citizens, companies) and the state. ... 2010 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The American Community Survey (ACS) is a project of the U.S. Census Bureau that replaces the long form in the decennial census. ... Flowcharts are often used to represent algorithms. ... This article or section should be merged with ethnic group Ethnicity is the cultural characteristics that connect a particular group or groups of people to each other. ... Plumbing, from the Latin for lead (plumbum), is the trade of working with pipes for water, drainage and natural gas. ... The United States Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed requiring would-be voters to take literacy tests and provided for federal registration of African American voters in areas that had less than 50% of eligible voters registered. ... A congress is a gathering of people, especially a gathering for a political purpose. ...

Despite a massive effort, the Census Bureau has never been able to count every individual, leading to controversy about whether to use statistical methods to supplement the numbers for some purposes, as well as arguments over how to improve the actual head count. The Supreme Court has ruled that only an actual head count can be used to apportion Congressional seats; however, cities and minority representatives have complained that urban residents and minorities are undercounted. In several cases, the Census Bureau will recount an area with disputed figures, provided the local government pays for the time and effort. The State of Utah protested the figures of the 2000 decennial census because it lost a seat in the House of Representatives to North Carolina. Had the Census Bureau been able to count the numbers of Utahns living overseas, including many Mormon missionaries, Utah would have retained the seat. Seal of the Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States, located in Washington, D.C., is the highest federal court (see supreme court) in the United States; that is, it has ultimate judicial authority within the United States to interpret and decide questions of federal law, including the... State nickname: Beehive State Other U.S. States Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. ... State nickname: Tar Heel State Other U.S. States Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Governor Michael Easley Official languages English Area 139,509 km² (28th)  - Land 126,256 km²  - Water 13,227 km² (9. ... The term Mormon is a colloquial name most often used to refer to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). ...

To minimize the burden on individuals and to provide improved data, the Bureau is preparing several alternative methods for gathering economic, demographic, and social information, including the American Community Survey and record linking of depersonalized administrative records with other administrative records and Census Bureau surveys. The American Community Survey (ACS) is a project of the U.S. Census Bureau that replaces the long form in the decennial census. ...

By law (92 Stat. 915, Public Law 95-416, enacted on October 5, 1978), census records are sealed for 72 years; in an era when life expectancy was under 60 years, this attempts to protect individual's privacy by prohibiting the release of such information during their expected lifetimes. Thus, the most recent Census released to the public was the 1930 Census, released in 2002. 1930 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Indexes to some of the U.S. Censuses have been produced over the years, making the process of searching old census records much easier. Some indexes of census records have been produced by amateur volunteer genealogists. Due to the sheer volume of information, and the manual methodologies involved, the indexing used to be limited to the head-of-household. These indexes were published in bound volumes and are often available in regional libraries along with microfilm rolls that can be researched.

While valuable, indexes produced from these censuses can be problematic to use. The original census records from this era were completed by hand by census enumerators; this leads to problems in handwriting recognition and variations in spelling of surnames within the original documents.

The 1880--1920 censuses have indexes of last names, produced using the Soundex system; the indexing project was performed by the Works Progress Administration. The Soundex system is tolerant of variations in spelling; names with similar sounds but different spellings have the same encoding. The chief motivation in producing the Soundex name indexes was to assist citizens in finding census records to provide evidence of age, especially for those born before the advent of governmentally-approved birth certificates. (Verification of age was needed to establish eligibility for old-age benefits such as Social Security). Partial Soundex indexes of the 1930 census are available; resources from the Works Progress Administration were diverted towards support of World War II efforts before the project was completed. 1880 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... Soundex is phonetic algorithm, an algorithm for indexing names by their sound, when pronounced in English. ... The Works Progress Administration (later Works Projects Administration, abbreviated WPA), was created on May 6, 1935 with the signing of Executive Order 7034. ... Social Security in the United States is a social insurance program funded through a dedicated payroll tax. ... 1930 is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ...

With the advent of computers, and more recently, the Internet, expanded indexes including all family members are beginning to appear on genealogy websites. These are accompanied with hypertext links that take the researcher directly to an image of the original census page, without having to travel to a regional library and scroll through endless rolls of microfilm.

Genealogists view censuses as secondary sources of information; primary sources of information such as birth certificates are viewed as more reliable. Still, census information often provides useful information for genealogists and clues on where to proceed to find further primary source documents.

Local

In additional to the decennial federal census, more localized versions are often used. An example of this is Massachusetts, which takes a statewide census every fifth year. Likewise, each community in Massachusetts takes a municipal census each year. State nickname: Bay State Other U.S. States Capital Boston Largest city Boston Governor Mitt Romney Official languages English Area 27,360 km² (44th)  - Land 20,317 km²  - Water 7,043 km² (25. ...

Sources

• U.S. Census Press Release on 1930 Census (http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/miscellaneous/000507.html)
• U.S. Census Press Release on Soundex and WPA (http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/spring_2002_soundex_projects.html)
• Bielenstein, Hans. "Wang Mang, the restoration of the Han dynasty, and Later Han." In The Cambridge History of China, vol. 1, eds. Denis Twitchett and John K. Fairbank, 223-90 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1978).