Genealogy Topics: The 1950 Census

The federal U.S. census, taken every ten years since 1790, is an important record source for genealogists. On April 1, 2022, the 72-year restriction on the 1950 census will expire and the census will be released to the public. Like the 1940 census before it, the 1950 census was not indexed, and although genealogy powerhouses like Ancestry and FamilySearch will begin indexing the census the day of its release, it is expected to take 3-6 months to complete. In the meantime, researchers wishing to locate their ancestors in the 1950 census will need to know how to manually search by location. Even after the indexing is complete, researchers will encounter situations where a locational search is necessary. In this class, we will demonstrate how to do a locational search in the census. Searches will be demonstrated using Ancestry – Library Edition, FamilySearch.org and other online tools. The class portion will be approximately one hour with a half-hour allocated at the end for individual questions. Space is limited and registration is required.