1930 Census Information

1930 Census Information

The 1930 census is currently available for genealogy researchers. The National Archives and Records administration released the census on microfilm in early April at the expiration of the required 72-year waiting period for public access to the cnesus schedules.

The 1930 population schedules provide information about families and living arrangements and conditions as of april 1, 1930, when the census takers began the door-to-door recording. The information includes place of abode; the names of everyone who slept in the household and their relationship to the head of household; home data, including owndership of farm and radio; and personal data, including sex, age, color or race, marital status, education, place of birth and that of parents and citizenship. The census also provides information about occupation and employment as well as military service.

Unlike previously released censuses, only seven of West Virginia's 55 counties-Fayette, Harrison, Kanawha, Logan, McDowell, Mercer and Raleigh-were indexed by surname for the 1930 census. All other counties will require researchers to know the county, city or town, and enumeration district in which the family or individual being looked for would have resided in 1930.

One helpful finding aid is the 1930 Census Microfilm Locator service online at: Heritage Quest. A geographic search can be conducted at this website and a listing of enumeration districts for that town or area will be given. This may help narrow the search down a bit or at least provide some helpful information on what microfilm reel is needed for the town. For example, Tucker county is distributed between 2 microfilm reels, Parsons and Davis are found on one reel and the Dry Fork District of Tucker county is found on another reel.

In West Virginia, the 1930 census can be found at the WV Division of Culture and History's Archives and History Library at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex, Charleston. For more information call the Archives and History Library at (304) 558-0230, ext. 168 or visit their website at: http://www.wvculture.org/history/. The library is open Monday through Thursday from 9am to 8 pm, and Friday and Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm. The library is closed on Sundays.

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