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Coat of Arms      SARRETT/SARRATT/SURRATT Families of America (SFA)©
     "Howto" Research Census! (Federal Population Schedules)
           Washington National Records Center, Washington, DC 20509

This old TXT file was created in 1992 and has circulated around the Net for some time. Since the creation of the USGENWEB 1996 I have been getting a lot of E-Mail regarding about:

  • How do I Start?
  • What does the Soundex number mean?
  • What does NARS stand for?
  • I down-loaded your H/H, what do - I do now!

So I thought I would bring out this "How to" file, I keep forgetting that after my 50 years of "Loosing my Census" that there are people out their that has never had the thrill, of setting all day at the film reader only to find out that the person you are searching for, had a argument with the census enumerator and gave him false information!

As most Genealogist Researchers will tell you, it is best to start Census researching from a "Known" family and work "Back in time" to find the family migration pattern.

Here are some few things to get started & by no means exclusive.

 1.  Prepare "Click on Redball for More Info.<---Family Group Sheets" (FGS) start with your family, list b. Mar., d. siblings, etc. Same for Father's family, Mother's family, Grandfather's, Great-Grandfather's etc.
   a. Talk to family members, see what they know.
b. Some will have, birth, death, marriages, Certificates (If not order Cert. from County, State Officials)
c. Does any family member have "the Family Bible" that has several generations of family information?
d. Where are your local family members buried? Go to Cemeteries, write down headstone information, location of plot(s) etc.
e. Document your information, write it down, "who, where, when" (Don't be surprised, when you get information that contradicts information from different relatives. If you are a serious researcher, you will "set the record straight"
f. There are several good software programs on the market to help you organize your records for Genealogy. This is a "must" to keep track of your families and to "Share the records do not Sell them!"
 
 2.  Search and record "Federal Population Census" the (National Archives & Record Services (NARS), Washington DC) New name National Archives & Administration Records (NAAR) has several "Regional Branches" check to find one closes to you, (some of the larger Libraries have Census Schedules). Plan on several hours, days, months, years to trace your family migration. Start with the 1920, then work back each 10 years to first 1790 Census. There are a lot on "Census Index's on-line" One of the "Keys" is to find the specific page number of the thousand's of reels to search. Once you find that "Key" you can go to that reel, page number. Make a Copy of that page! You will be surprised how many neighbors, later become your relative by marring into your family.
1790-1840 (Example:)
a.) Use "Index" book for various spellings of surname write down State, County, and "Page Number" listed with surname.
b.) Go to "Blue Book" catalog of (Federal Population Census, 1790-1890) look up the year, State, & next to the County name is "Reel Number", write it down.
c.) Go to the cabinet drawer for the specific census year and check out the "Reel Number" you wrote down from the blue catalog.
d.) Thread the microfilm reel on the "Reader" and goto the County, and "Page Number" you wrote down from the "Index Book"
c.) Scan the page until you find your surname. Either write down the pertinent information, or remove reel to photo-copy machine and photograph the page.
 3.  After migration path has been determined, check each County Court House for "Vital Statistics" b., Mar, d., etc. Check Social Security Death (SSD) records. Check Court Minutes; Land Records, Probate Records, etc. (Make copies of everything, every bit of information may later become a "missing key" to open the door for another "Connected" family.)
 4.  Check each State Archives & Libraries for same as #3.
 5.  Send family name "Queries" out on various Genealogy networks, to see if anybody else is working on your same families. Be willing to share and help others.


**** U.S. CENSUS RECORDS **** As a rule the information gathered in each successive Census is progressively more detailed. The schedules for the period 1790 to 1840 show the names of enumerated heads of families (H/H) only, other members of the family are simply tallied by age groups, sex, and race. (10101-02001-03) each schedule will list the specific "Family Group" identifier. Example on this 1800 Census: 1 free white male 45 & Over 1 free white female 45 & Over 1 free white male 16 to 26 2 free white females 10 to 16 1 white male Under 10 years of age. 3 Slaves The following "Charts" gives the over all contents for each Census.
CENSUS CONTENT CHART (1790-1840) (Click on date for copy of Form)
Content Click on Redball for More Info.1790 Click on Redball for More Info.1800 Click on Redball for More Info.1810 Click on Redball for More Info.1820 Click on Redball for More Info.1830 Click on Redball for More Info.1840
-------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Names of heads of families. | X | X | X | X | X | X | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of free white males | X | | | | | | | under 16 in family. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of free white males | X | | | | | | | 16 and over in family. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of free white females | X | | | | | | | in family (no age breakdown) | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of free white males | | | | | | | | and females (separately) in | | X | X | X | | | | family, in age groups: 10, | | | | | | | | 10-15, 16-25, 26-44, 45 over.| | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of free white males | | | | | | | | and females (separately) in | | | | | X | X | | family, in age groups in | | | | | | | | 5 year age groups under 20 | | | | | | | | years of age. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of free white males | | | | | | | | and females (separately) in | | | | | X | X | | family, in age groups in | | | | | | | | 10 year age groups 20-99 | | | | | | | | years of age. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of free white males | | | | | | | | and females (separately) in | | | | | X | X | | family, 100 years of age | | | | | | | | and over. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of free white males | | | | X | | | | in family ages 16-18. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of all other free | X | X1 | X1 | X1 | X3 | X3 | | persons (including colored) | | | | 2 | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of Slaves. | X | X | X | X4 | X5 | X5 | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of foreigners not | | | | X | X | | | naturalized. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of deaf and dumb | | | | | | | | (white and colored enumera- | | | | | X6 | X6 | | ted separately) | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of blind, white and | | | | | X | X | | colored enumerated separately| | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of insane or idiotic | | | | | | | | whites and colored enumerated| | | | | | X7 | | separately. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Civil division of place of | X | X | X | X | X | X | | residence. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of persons engaged in | | | | X | | X | | agriculture. (farmers) | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of persons engaged in | | | | X | | X | | commerce. (business) | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of persons engaged in | | | | X | | X8 | | manufacturer. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of persons employed in| | | | | | X | | mining. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of persons employed in| | | | | | X | | navigation of the ocean. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of persons employed in| | | | | | | | the learned professions and | | | | | | X | | engineers. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of ages on pensioners | | | | | | | | for Revolutionary or Military| | | | | | X | | Service. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Number of white males over | | | | | | | | 21 years of age who cannot | | | | | | X | | read or write. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| | Total number of persons in | | | | | X | X | | household. | | | | | | | -------------------------------+------+------+------+------+------+------| GENERAL NOTES: All of the above categories which refer to "number of persons" have to do with each household individuality. (1) Except Indians, they were not taxed. (2) Free colored persons in age groups (Under 14, 14-25, 26-44, 45 over) (3) Free colored persons in age groups (Under 10, 10-23, 36-54, 55-99) (4) In age groups (Under 14, 15-25, 26-44, 45 over by sex) (5) In age groups (Under 10, 10-23, 24-35, 36-54, 55-99, over 100 by sex) (6) Whites only are in age groups (under 14, 14-24, 25 over) Colored not by age. (7) Those in public charge and those in private charge are separately listed. (8) and the trades.
CENSUS CONTENT CHART (1850-1880) (Click on date for copy of Form)
Content Click on Redball for More Info.1850 Click on Redball for More Info.1860 Click on Redball for More Info.1870 Click on Redball for More Info.1880
---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Name of every person whose usual place of | X | X | X | X | | adobe (on June 1) was in this family. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Dwelling houses are numbered in order of | X | X | X | X | | enumerator's visit. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Families are numbered in order of | X | X | X | X | | enumerator's visit. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Enumeration districts listed at top of | X | | | | | pages. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Post office address listed on top of pages | | X | X | X | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Street address given in cities. | | | | X | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Age of every person at last birthday before| X | X | X | X | | census due. (June 1) | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Sex of every person. | X | X | X | X | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Color of every person (white, black, | X | X | | | | mulatto) | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Color of every person (white, black, | | | X | X | | mulatto, Chinese, Indian) | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Profession, occupation or trade. | X1 | X2 | X3 | X3 | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Value of real estate owned by person. | X | X | X | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Value of personal estate owned by person. | | X | X | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Place of birth (state, territory or country| X | X | X | X | | of each person. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Place of birth (state, territory or country| | | | X | | of each person's father and mother. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | If person was married within the year | X | X | X4 | X | | previous to June 1. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | If person attended school within the year | X | X | X | X | | previous to June 1. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | If person over 20 could read or write. | X | X | X5 | X5 | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | If person was deaf, dumb, blind, insane. | X6 | X6 | X6 | X7 | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | If person was a pauper or a convict. | X6 | X6 | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Month of the person's birth, if born within| | | X | X | | year prior to June 1. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | If person's father or mother was a foreign | | | X | | | birth (separate columns) | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | If person was a male citizen of the U.S. | | | X | | | age 21 or over. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | If person was a male citizen of U.S. age 21| | | X | | | or over whose right to vote is denied or | | | | | | abridged on grounds other than rebellion | | | | | | or other crime. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Relationship of each person to the | | | | X | | head of household (H/H) | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Number of months person was unemployed | | | | X | | within the year prior to June 1. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Sickness or disability, if a person is sick| | | | X | | or temporarily disabled (on date of enumert| | | | | | or's visit. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| | Whether person was maimed, crippled, bed- | | | | X | | ridden or otherwise disabled. | | | | | ---------------------------------------------+------+------+------+------| (1) All males over 15. (2) All persons over 15, male and female. (3) All persons regardless of age or sex. (4) Gives the specific month. (5) There are separate columns for whether the person can read or write. (6) The correct word is written in blank space. (7) There is a separate column for each item listed.

SOUNDEX SYSTEM


Starting with the 1880 US Federal Census, the NATIONAL ARCHIVE & RECORD SERVICE (NARS) started the "Card Indexing" system called SOUNDEX System, This is a separate micro-film publication for each State or Territory. The letter at the beginning of the SOUNDEX code is the first alpha character of the surname, followed by a number which is a phonetic code for the surname. This SOUNDEX system is very useful for researching "Sound-a-like" names, because the Census enumerators used various different spelling technics which would be impossible to research the different spellings.

NOTE: Do NOT! repeat Do NOT! Use the SOUNDEX system as the "SOURCE" of your information! Go to the original records and copy the actual page of your subject in the original Census records. Also copy 2 pages before your subject and 2 pages after your subject. You would be surprised how many daughters and sons married into families living in a close proximately of their parents.

1880 CENSUS SOUNDEX CARDS
Click on Redball for More Info.<--- See: 1880 Census Form T-9
(2,367 rolls, 16-mm, T-734 to T-780) This SOUNDEX Card's is not of every name in the 1880 Census Schedules, but only to those entries for households in which there was a child, or children, aged 10 or under. The SOUNDEX Card give the names, ages, and birth places of all members of such households; and there is a separate cross-reference card for each child aged 10 or older or under whose surname is different from that of the head of the household in which he/she is listed.

1900 CENSUS SOUNDEX CARDS
Click on Redball for More Info.<--- See: 1900 Census Form T-623
(7,846 rolls, 16-mm, T-1030 to T-1083) This SOUNDEX Card's give name, race, month and year of birth, age, citizenship status, place of residence by state and county civil divisions, and, where appropriate for urban dwellers, the city name, house number, and street name. This card also list the volume number, page, and line number of the original schedules from which it was taken. In some cases the NARS uses "mixed codes" the interfile codes are thereunder arranged alphabetical by first name.

1910 CENSUS SOUNDEX/MIRACODE CARDS
Click on Redball for More Info.<--- See: 1910 Census Form T-624
(4,462 rolls, 16-mm, T-1259 to T-1279) This SOUNDEX/MIRACODE Card's give name, race, month and year of birth, age, citizenship status, place of residence by state (31 States) and county civil divisions, and, where appropriate for urban dwellers, the city name, house number, and street name. This card also list the volume number, page, and line number of the original schedules from which it was taken. In some cases the NARS uses "mixed codes" the interfile codes are thereunder arranged alphabetical by first name.

1920 CENSUS SOUNDEX CARDS
Click on Redball for More Info.<--- See: 1920 Census Form T-625
(8,585 rolls, 16-mm, M-1548 to M-1605) This SOUNDEX Card's give name, race, month and year of birth, age, citizenship status, place of residence by state and county civil divisions, and, where appropriate for urban dwellers, the city name, house number, and street name. This card also list the volume number, page, and line number of the original schedules from which it was taken. In some cases the NARS uses "mixed codes" the interfile codes are thereunder arranged alphabetical by first name.

1930 CENSUS SOUNDEX CARDS
Click on Redball for More Info.<--- See: 1930 Census Form T-626
(8,585 rolls, 16-mm, M-1548 to M-1605) This SOUNDEX Card's give name, race, month and year of birth, age, citizenship status, place of residence by state and county civil divisions, and, where appropriate for urban dwellers, the city name, house number, and street name. This card also list the volume number, page, and line number of the original schedules from which it was taken. In some cases the NARS uses "mixed codes" the interfile codes are thereunder arranged alphabetical by first name.

GUIDE TO THE SOUNDEX SYSTEM
The SOUNDEX filing system, alphabetic for the first letter of surname and numeric thereafter as indicated by divider cards, keeps together names of the same and similar sounds but of variant spellings.

To search for a particular name, you must first work out the SOUNDEX "code number" for the surname of the individual. No number is assigned to the first alpha character of the surname . As with the surname of SARRETT, for example, the SOUNDEX card will be in the "S" segment of the index. The numeric code number for SARRETT, worked out according to the system below, would be S630.

SOUNDEX CODING GUIDE

     Code  Key Letters & Equivalents
     1     b, p, f, v
     2     e, s, k, g, j, q, x, z
     3     d, t
     4     l
     5     m, n
     6     r

The characters a, e, h, i, o, u, y, and w are NOT coded!
The first alpha character of the surname is NOT coded!
Every SOUNDEX CODE number can only be a three (3) digit number.
A surname yielding no code numbers such as "LEE"
would thus be L000.
A surname yielding one code number such as "KUHNE"
would thus be K500.
A surname yielding two code numbers such as "EBELL"
would thus be E140.
Not more than three (3) digits are used, so "EBELSON"
would thus be E142. (Not E1425)
When two (2) key letters or equivalents appear together or one key letter immediately follows or precedes an equivalent, the two (2) are coded as one (1) letter, by a single number, as follows:

Surname "KELLY" is coded as K400
Surname "Buerck" is coded as L300
Surname "Schaefer" is coded as S160

If several small (group) surnames have the same "CODE" the SOUNDEX cards are placed in "mixed codes" group and are arranged alphabetically by the given name (First name).

In some cases on the index rolls there are "divider cards" showing the code numbers coming up next, but not in all rolls.

For instance, one "divider" may be numbered 350 and the next "divider" 400, but between the two "dividers' there may be surnames coded 353, 360, 364, ect. Also instead of being in numerical order they are "inter-filed" alphabetically by given name (first name).

When you are researching with certain "prefixes" to surnames such as 'Van', 'Von', 'Di', 'de' 'le', 'Di', 'D', 'dela', ect... They are sometimes disregarded in the alphabetizing and in the SOUNDEX coding.

Source & Reference Notes!
New File: HOWTOCEN.HTM
Revised: Nov. 16, 1996
Old File: FIND.CEN
Created: Aug. 10, 1992
By: Paul R. Sarrett, Jr.
Internet: [email protected]

I would like to share information with anybody who is working on these related families in Rutherford/Cleveland Co.'s North Carolina and the Spartanburg/Cherokee Co.'s South Carolina.

Acker; Bonner; Cooper; Cole; Cox; Ellis; Ferguson; Fondron; Foster; Goode; Hopper; Humpries; Huskey; Irvine; Kilpatrick; Littlejohn; Morgan; Neily; Norton; Turner; Quinn; Robinson; Sarratt/Sarrett/Surratt; Washburn; Walker.

Would like to share information on the following Sevier & Cocke Co.'s, Tennessee families:

ALLEN; ATCHLEY; BALL; BALLARD; BIRD/BYRD; BLACKWELL; BLAIR; BOHANON; BOWERS; BROWN; CATLETT; CHAMBERS; CLARKE; CUMMINGS; DAVIS; DeLOZIER; DOUGLASS; DUGGAN; EMERT; FOX; FRANKLIN; FRENCH; GORMAN; GRAY; HARDIN; HAGGARD; HELTON; HENDERSON; JONES; KERLEY; KYKER/KIKER; LEAKE; LINDSEY; LISLE; LONG; LOW/LOWE; LOVEDAY; MAPLES; MASSEY; MALONEE; MATTHEWS; McCARTER; McMAHAN; MORRIS; NEWMAN; OLDHANCE; PARROTT; PATE; PHARIS; RENEAU; RULE; RUTHERFORD; SARRETT/SERRATT/SURRATT; SHAW; SMITH; SOLOMAN; THOMAS; THOMPSON; VARNELL; WATERS; WATSON; WEAR; WILKERSON; WOOD.

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Paul R. Sarrett, Jr.! - Click on Thumbnail for Larger Photo!  These records are part of the "Genealogy Computer Package" *** PC-PROFILE *** Volume - II. Sarratt/Sarrett/Surratt Family Profile© Compiled and self Published in Oct. 31, 1989 by Paul R. Sarrett, Jr. with the assistance of my late mother Click on Redball for More Info. Mrs. M. Lucille (WILSON) SARRETT (1917-1987) These 1989 "Work-Books" were compiled by listing the various families, born, married, died, and a history of that family branch. In 1996 I started "Up-Loading" this material on the now called SFA© Series...prs
Would like to exchange any information on these SARRATT / SARRETT / SURRATT Families, contact me at:

Click Here to E-Mail me at prsjr@att.net Paul R. Sarrett, Jr., President of SFA©
Text - Copyright © 1996-2010 Paul R. Sarrett, Jr.
Created: Dec. 01, 1996; Feb 20, 2001;  Sep 23, 2008;  Sep 10, 2009;  Jan 18, 2010;