Do you remember 1950? Some readers were children or even young adults, and may recall the changes taking place in the aftermath of World War II. When we talk with relatives who can remember the '50s, they often mention the cars and fashions of the era, as well as the great music.
For others who weren't born, the public release of federal 1950 census returns on April 1, 2022, represents a family history bonanza!
Besides asking about name, age, gender, race, education, and place of birth, the 1950 federal census also posed more detailed questions. Blogger Marian B. Wood explains why the 1950 census will be so important to her research:
A set of questions asked of people aged 14 and older: Working? Looking for Work? Number of hours worked? Type of work and industry? Private worker, government worker, or without pay on family farm/biz?
For all people at each address, there were lots of questions about "where" - where were they living a year ago, by county and state or foreign country. And what country were his/her mom and dad born in? A double-check on birthplaces - fabulous clues! Where living a year ago - I'll be able to look for city directories in those places.
Also asked were detailed questions about income and military service - with check boxes to indicate a person's service in WWI, WWII, or another military action. This will give me more clues to follow up for my family's military service.
We're looking forward to connecting with older relatives who may be interested to see details recorded by the census taker, not just about their own families, but also friends and neighbors living nearby. We can't wait to share our findings with our parents and some of our older relatives!
The 1950 census will be released on April 1, 2022 (Friday). The census will be made available for free by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) through a dedicated website, with FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, and MyHeritage following soon after.
The dates haven't been announced, but we are most looking forward to the FamilySearch release, because it's free (Ancestry and MyHeritage both require paid subscriptions to access census records).
