1850 Federal Census
Jefferson County, New York
Unlike the six previous Federal Census, enumerators were instructed to record the names of every person in the household. Additionally enumerators were tasked with recording the following categories: name; age as of the census day; sex; color; birthplace; occupation of males over age fifteen; value of real estate; whether married within the previous year; whether deaf-mute, blind, insane, or idiotic; whether able to read or write for individuals over age twenty; and whether the person attended school within the previous year. Unfortunately for those researching their families, no relationships between members of a household were recorded.
Instructions. Since names have changed over time and we don’t always have accurate spellings, it’s recommended that you search for the full last name first. If the name you are searching for isn’t returned, then search by the first 3 or 4 letters of the last name. Soundex search is currently not implemented, so you may also want to search by variations of the name.
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