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The 1930 Census enumeration began on 1 April 1930. The census spans 2,667 rolls of microfilm. The information was recorded by Enumerators or Census Takers. Each enumerator was assigned an enumeration district. It took approximately 4 weeks to complete. Although enumeration could take weeks to complete, all information is recorded as of 1 Apr 1930. A child born on Apr 3rd will not be listed even if the enumerator visited the house on the 30th of April.
Indexes
Sorry, we have no indexes! Well, that's not entirely true. There is no comprehensive index such as soundex or miracode for the 1930 census. Soundexing was a project of the Works Project Administration (WPA). When the WPA ceased in the early 1940s, so did the soundexing of the 1930 census. Only a handful of states were soundexed. Unfortunately, Hawaii and California aren't among them. Online companies, such as ancestry.com, are slowly indexing all the census records. But, it's a slow and arduous task. Only two states have been indexed for the 1930 census as of this writing.
How Do I Locate My People Then?
Without indexes, researchers’ job becomes much more difficult. Researching a small town like Kilauea doesn't create a problem. But, try Honolulu or San Francisco! That's enough to scare anyone. You could spend a lifetime going through the census sheet by sheet before realizing you’re on the wrong side of town.
It becomes very important that you have specific information about where your ancestor lived at the time of the census. Knowing the city may not be enough in most cases. The street name is a must and the exact address is even better. Hawaii is a little more complicated because individual lived on sugar plantation and usually didn't have a street address. Unless you have alot of time to spare, it's vital that you learn which plantation your ancestor worked on. One way to figure this out is by looking them up in city directories. You can read more about city directories in the article "Using City Directories to Find the Plantation Your Ancestor Worked On".
Once you have an address or plantation, the next step is to figure out which enumeration district it falls under. Each enumeration district has a description. Remember:
1. The enumeration district numbers change from census to census.
2. The description does not list the actual streets covered, but the boundaries of the district. 3. Long streets can be enumerated in several enumeration districts. This is where the house number plays a part. If you know the exact address, you can look for cross streets to help pinpoint the right district. Here are a couple of tips to help you determine the enumeration district:
1. Find your ancestor's address on current maps. Compare neighboring streets to the enumeration district descriptions. 2. The National Archives (NARA) has district maps for 1930 under "Enumeration District Maps for the Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930." The maps are on microfilm and show the boundaries of each enumeration district. 3. Check previous census records to see if a township is listed. The townships cover the pretty much the same streets in each census.
Where Can I Access the Census?
Your local Family History Center of the LDS Church may have copies of the 1930 census. At the very least, you should be able to rent the reels you need. The NARA has all census years in their collection. Heritage Quest sells CD versions of each census reel. Ancestry.com is currently making the 1930 census available for a fee on its website. A handful of states are currently available. Local public libraries and college/university libraries may also have copies of the microfilm.
If none of these options work for you, you can still access the census. If you know of a library that has the 1930 census and uses "interlibrary loan", you can borrow the films at your local public library. The NARA sells microfilm to individuals. Also, the overlooked "National Archives Microfilm Rental Project" lends copies of all their microfilm to members. You pay a one-time fee for membership, then a rental fee for each film that you borrow. If you don't have a microfilm reader, you can take the film to any library that does and view it there.
For more information about the 1930 census, read the NARA FAQ at: http://1930Census.archives.gov/FAQ.html
© 2002 Melody Lassalle
1930censuspart1
upd. 5/26/02