1915 New York State Census

I have already mentioned how important the 1915 New York State Census was to connecting the dots in my own family tree, and there is no doubt that it may help you with your project as well.  The time period of the mid – late teens is a good one for resources.  You have the New York State Census in 1915, the WWI Draft Card in 1918 and the U.S. Federal Census in 1920.  This is a very lucky break because if your family is anything like mine, you will have a lot of dying and disappearing of family members during this time period.

1915 New York Census Heading

• PERMANENT RESIDENCE
  1a. Street.
  1b. House number.
• 2. NAME
  of each person whose usual place of abode on June 1, 1915, was in this family.
  Enter surname first, then the given name and middle initial, if any.
  INCLUDE every person living on June 1, 1915.
  OMIT children born since June 1, 1915.
• 3. RELATION
  Relationship of each person to the head of the family.
• 4. Color or race.
• 5. Sex.
• 6. Age at last birthday.
• 7. NATIVITY
  If born in this country write United States: if of foreign birth, write the name of the country.
• 8. Citizenship- Number of years in the United States.
• 9. Citizenship- Citizen or alien.
• 10. OCCUPATION
  Trade or profession of or kind of work done by each person enumerated.
• 11. OCCUPATION
  Class.
• 12. FOR INMATES OF INSTITUTIONS. INFANTS UNDER ONE YEAR OF AGE
  If an inmate an institution, enter the residence (borough, city or town, and county) given when admitted.

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The 1855 New York State Census is one of the most important of it’s era due to the fact it provides us with each household members “Relation to the head of the family” in column 9.  Even 5 years later in the 1860 U.S Federal Census they still did not provide this information.  This information is not available until another 10 years with the New York State Census of 1865.  It may not seem important, but there are cases in which people living together are not related the way you would expect, and this 1855 can save an enormous amount of confusion.

This is also the first New York State Census that includes the names of all family members, However the 1850 US Federal Census is an earlier census providing all names.

1855 New York State Census Columns

• 1  – Dwellings numbered in the order of visitation.
• 2  – Of what material built.
• 3  – Value.
• 4  – Families numbered in order of visitation.
• 5  – Name of every Person whose usual place of abode on the first day of June was in this family.
• 6  – Age.
• 7  – Sex.
• 8  – Color: White, black or mulatto.
• 9  – Relation to the head of the family.
• 10 – In what county of this state or in what other state or foreign country born.
• 11 – Married.
• 12 – Widowed.
• 13 – Years resided in this city or town.
• 14 – Profession, trade or occupation.
• 15 – VOTERS- Native.
• 16 – VOTERS- Naturalized.
• 17 – Alien.
• 18 – Persons of color not taxed.
• 19 – Persons over 21 years who cannot read and write.
• 20 – Owner of land.
• 21 – Deaf and dumb, blind, insane or idiotic

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The New York State 1865 Census is one of the best early census reports around.  For one thing, it is the first post Civil War Census conducted, as you can see in the list below, lines 25-28 provide military service information.  Locating your ancestor in this census may be the fastest way to determine if he was possibly a Civil War Vet.

Another very usual line is #11 “Of how many children the parent.”.   This line indicates how many children the parent has parented, and can be useful if this number is different from the amount of children in the home, indicated another children either has moved out if old enough, or died.

Unfortunately, the 1865  census does not yet include address’s.  Luckily, there are several other sources a genealogist can use to find an address during this period.  The 1875 New York State Census is the first census that includes the home address.

1865 New York State Census Columns

• 1  – Numbered in order of visitation.
• 2  – Of what material built.
• 3  – Value.
• 4  – Families numbered in order of visitation.
• 5  –  Name of every person whose usual place of abode was in the Family on the first day of June 1865.
• 6  – Age.
• 7  – Sex.
• 8  – Color: White, black or mulatto.
• 9  – Relation to the head of the family.
• 10 – In what county of this state or in what other state or foreign country born.
• 11 – Of how many children the parent.
• 12 – Number of times married.
• 13 – Now married.
• 14 – Now widowed.
• 15 – Single.
• 16 – Profession, trade or occupation.
• 17 – Usual place of employment, if out of the city or town, where the family resides.
• 18 – VOTERS- Native.
• 19 – VOTERS- Naturalized.
• 20 – Alien.
• 21 – Colored person not taxed.
• 22 – Owner of land.
• 23 – Over 21 and not able to read or write.
• 24 – Deaf and dumb, blind, insane or idiotic.
• 25 – Now in army.
• 26 – Now in navy.
• 27 – Formerly in army.
• 28 – Formerly in navy.

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