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For example ~ This census page image, from a microfilm that has been digitized, is on a CD - 1850 census for NC by FamilyTree now owned by Genealogy.com, has a record of Thomas Day and his family that lists not only their names and occupations, but also age, sex, color, value of real estate owned, place of birth, married within the year, attended school within the year, persons over 20 years of age who cannot read & write, and whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict. The original paper record is housed at the State Archives in Raleigh North Carolina.
The federal government required a census to be taken to determine the
number of free people in an area for representation in Congress. The 1790
census only listed head of household and then gave a number for others in
the house. There was no indication of race. There
is a section in the 1790, 1800 and 1810 federal census that indicates free
persons so it is possible to find free blacks in these early census
records. These are sometimes indicated in the slave/free colored column as
“fb” for free black.
Between 1820 and 1840 the census records break down the number of
individuals in a household by race, gender and age group. Although, only
the head of household is named, it is sometimes possible to determine the
size of a family.
The 1850, 1860 and 1870 censuses are usually the most useful. They
are supposed to include the full name of all people in the household, age
and race. Slaves were listed in a separate section, so all free people of
color, sometimes listed as black and sometimes as mulatto (meaning mixed
race) are listed in each county census along with the occupation. No
family relations are given until the 1880 census, but generally the census
taken included the family by head of household, spouse, children in order
by age oldest to youngest, and then any others in the household, such as
extended family or boarders. These
censuses also gave place of birth and if the person could read and/or
write. See the example of the
1850 census for Thomas Day.
Some census records are available online for free or for a fee
depending on the source. They are usually found on microfilm in the county
or community library and in state resources. Census records on microfilm
can be ordered from the federal government:
Some public libraries also have access to census records through a
membership at Heritage Quest or Ancestry
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Census Records ~ particularly 1850 to 1930 because names and occupations are
given.