1950 US Census: Look Out Below!

When you find your ancestors in the 1950 US Census (to be released on April 1, 2022), read across the line for every response given by your ancestor. Note every question and answer carefully.

And, of course, download the page so you can review at any time, check again for nearby FAN club members, and cite your source.

But wait, there may be more.

Was your ancestor among those sampled?

Whenever you find an ancestor in this Census, always--always!--look at the bottom of the page. 

If you're lucky, your ancestors might have been among the millions selected to answer additional "sample questions" about their 1949 residence, 1949 income, birthplace of parents, military service (males only), and much more. Six folks were designated on every page to answer sample questions.

The excerpt above shows just some of the questions that run along the lower edge of the population schedule.

Click here to see the main questions in the 1950 US Census as well as the detailed sample questions.

Six sampled per page

Unlike previous Census forms, where the number of the line sampled was the same on every page, the 1950 Census planners took care to avoid that situation. As a result, you can't predict which six will be sampled on the page where your ancestor is enumerated. 

Given the dozens of ancestors I'll be looking for in this mid-century census, there is a good possibility that a few (or more than a few) will be among those chosen to answer the sample questions.  

So look out below whenever you locate an ancestor in this census. If your ancestor wasn't sampled, perhaps a neighbor or friend was sampled--which may give you some clues as well.

For all my posts about the 1950 US Census, please see my summary page.