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1890 United States Census Questions
Each family was enumerated on a separate sheet of paper in the 1890 US census, the only time this was ever done.
Answers to the questions were to be based on the status of households on June 1, 1890.
1890 also saw the United States include a Veterans Schedule as well as the Regular Schedule of households. Questions from both of these schedules appear below.
1890 United States Regular Schedule Questions
| Column | Question |
|---|---|
| A | Number of dwelling house in order of visitation |
| B | Number of families in this dwelling house |
| C | Number of persons in this dwelling house |
| D | Number of family in this dwelling house |
| E | Number of persons in this family |
| 1 | Christian name in full, initial of middle name, and surname |
| 2 | whether a soldier, sailor, or marine during the civil war (US or Conf) or widow of such a person |
| 3 | relationship to the head of this family |
| 4 | whether white, black, mulatto, quadroon, octoroon, Chinese, Japanese, or Indian |
| 5 | sex |
| 6 | age at nearest birthday. If under 1 year, give age in months |
| 7 | whether married, single, widowed, or divorced |
| 8 | married during census year (June 1, 1889-May 31, 1890) |
| 9 | mother of how many children, and number of these children still living |
| 10 | place of birth |
| 11 | place of birth of father |
| 12 | place of birth of mother |
| 13 | number of years in the United States |
| 14 | whether naturalized |
| 15 | whether naturalization papers have been taken out |
| 16 | profession, trade, or occupation |
| 17 | months unemployed during the census year (June 1, 1889-May 31, 1890) |
| 18 | attendance at school (in months) during the census year (June 1, 1889-May 31, 1890) |
| 19 | able to read |
| 20 | able to write |
| 21 | able to speak English. If not, the language or dialect spoken |
| 22 | whether suffering from acute or chronic disease, with name of disease and length of time afflicted |
| 23 | whether defective in mind, sight, hearing, or speech, and whether crippled, maimed, or deformed with name of defect |
| 24 | whether a prisoner, convict, homeless child, or pauper |
| 25 | supplemental schedule and page |
1890 United States Veterans Schedule Questions
| Column | Question |
|---|---|
| 1 | house number |
| 2 | family number |
| 3 | names of surviving soldiers, sailors, marines, and widows |
| 4 | rank |
| 5 | company |
| 6 | name of regiment or vessel |
| 7 | date of enlistment (day, month, year) |
| 8 | date of discharge (day, month, year) |
| 9 | length of service (years, months, days) |
| 10 | post office address |
| 11 | disability incurred |
| 12 | remarks |
Almost all of the 1890 US census was destroyed. Very few fragments remain enumerating 6,160 people out of over 62 million in the census.
The surviving fragments cover:
- Alabama - Perry County
- District of Columbia - Q, S 13th, 14th, RQ, Corcoran, 15th, SE, and Roggs streets, and Johnson avenue
- Georgia - Muscogee County (Columbus)
- Illinois - McDonough County: Mound Township
- Minnesota - Wright County: Rockford
- New Jersey - Hudson County: Jersey City
- New York - Westchester County: Eastchester; Suffolk County: Brookhaven Township
- North Carolina - Gaston County: South Point Township, Ricer Bend Township; Cleveland County: Township No 2
- Ohio - Hamilton County (Cincinnati); Clinton County: Wayne Township
- South Dakota - Union County: Jefferson Township
- Texas - Ellis County: S.P. No. 6, Mountain Peak, Ovila Precinct; Hood County: Precinct No. 5; Rusk County: Precinct No. 6 and J.P. No. 7; Trinity County: Trinity Town and Precinct No. 2; Kaufman County: Kaufman
To save an Adobe Acrobat copy of the 1890 US census questions click here. Use the back arrow to return here after the download.
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How there's so much free information on this site ...
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