1930 Census Information

The 1930 census was released on microfilm to the public 1 Apr 2002. Unline previous census enumerations, only ten states and portions of two others have been indexed using the Soundex system.
 
These ten states are: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia . Only certain counties for Kentucky (Bell, Floyd, Harlan, Kenton, Muhlenberg, Perry and Pike) and West Virginia (Fayette, Harrison, Kanawha, Logan, McDowell, Mercer and Raleigh) have been indexed.

The entire 1930 US Census microfilm set is (or soon will be) available at the Allen County Public Library (Fort Wayne, Indiana), as well as at the Library of Michigan in Lansing.

Search Strategies

The recommended strategy is to search city or county directories for 1930 to obtain an address or location. Then, use The NARA (National Archives and Records Administration) Census Microfilm Locator to help you find the appropriate Enumeration District, or range of districts.  See below for the Enumeration District listings for Hillsdale County.

If the family lived in a large city, you may find the Obtaining EDs for the 1930 Census in One Step (Large Cities) site useful. Michigan cities covered: Detroit, Flint and Grand Rapids.

For more information on how to search geographically, or to find what NARA resources are available to assist you, visit NARA: Search Strategies: Other Geographic Resources

Census Enumeration Data

The following fields are included in the 1930 census. A form was also provided in some newspapers for people to fill out and give to the enumerator - nine lines were included. The instructions were not considered "official", but rather complied from government instructions to enumerators. The census period was to start on April 2nd and continue for 14 days.

• Column 1 - Name of street, avenue, road etc. (written lengthwise next to the rows)
• Column 2 - House number (if one) - opposite first person enumerated.
• Columns 3 & 4 - for enumerator's use (dwelling & family number)
• Column 5 - Names of all household members ("usual place of abode") as of 1 April 1930 in the following order: Head of household, wife, children in order of age, then others living with family (relatives, boarders, lodgers or servants). Surname is to be written first, then given name and middle initial. Note members of family who are absent as "Ab.".
• Column 6 - Relationship. Designate head of household (husband/father, widow or unmarried person), and relationship of others to the head of household. One member should be designated as homemaker. EX: Wife - H
• Column 7 - Home Owned or Rented: To be answered opposite the head of household only. Home is considered Owned if owned wholly or in part by any member of the family.
• Column 8 - Value of Home: Enter current market value in dollars if owned, or actual monthly rent if rented.
• Column 9 - Radio Set: If the family or member of the family owns a radio set - enter R opposite head of household.
• Column 10 - Living on Farm: Enter "No" if not living on a farm; leave blank for farm family.
• Column 11 - Sex
• Column 12 - Color or Race: Abbreviations listed for White, Negro, Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Hindu and Korean. Other races to be spelled out in full.
• Column 13 - Age at Last Birthday: in complete years. If child is less than 5 years, age should be given in complete months, expressed as twelfths of a year.
• Column 14 - Marital Condition: Options are Single, Married, Widowed & Divorced.
• Column 15 - Age at first marriage
• Column 16 - Attended school or college any time since Sept. 1, 1929
• Column 17 - Whether able to read or write
• Column 18 - Place of Birth of Person. If born in US - give state or territory. If of foreign birth, give country in which birthplace is now located. Distinguish Canada-French from Canada-English and Irish Free State from Northern Ireland. Use no abbreviations for State or country of birth or for mother tongue.
• Column 19 - Place of Birth of Father. (Same instructions as above)
• Column 20 - Place of Birth of Mother (Same instructions as above)
• Column 21 - Language spoken in home before coming to United States (for foreign-born only)
• Column 22 - Date of immigration to the United States (for foreign-born only)
• Column 23 - Naturalization. Codes given - Naturalized, First Papers, or Alien (for foreign-born only)
• Column 24 - Whether able to speak English. Applies to all persons 10 years and older.
• Column 25 - Occupation. If unemployed, occupation followed when employed. If two occupations, only the more important one.
• Column 26 - Name of industry or business in which person works. If a woman does housework in own home = "none". If doing housework for wages - list "Housekeeper", "Cook", "Servant". etc. If woman doing housework is regularly earning wages in other work, list appropriately "Laundress", "Seamstress" etc. Only children who regularly assist parents in performance of other than household work or chores should be reported as having an occupation.
• Column 27 - Class of Worker. Abbreviations for Employer, Wage or Salary Worker, Working on Own Account, and Unpaid Worker/Member of Family.
• Column 28 - Whether actually at work yesterday /last working day (Yes or No)
• Column 29 - If not, line number on Unemployment schedule [NOTE: These schedules no longer exist]
• Column 30 - Whether veteran of US Military or naval forces - for males 21 years of age and over.
• Column 31 - Veteran of what war or expedition?. Abbreviations given for World War, Spanish-American War, Civil War, Phillipine Insurrection, Boxer Rebellion and Mexican Expedition.

Hillsdale County Michigan Enumeration District Listing

Publication Number: T626 Microfilm Roll Number: 993

This page was last updated Saturday, 02-Jan-2010 10:40:29 MST