Get the countdown clock ready! On April 1st (just four days away!) the 1950 United States census will be made available to the public. The census, which has been taken every ten years by the federal government since 1790, provides a treasure trove of population information for genealogists, historians, social scientists, and the general public. Why is there such a long wait for access? This is due to a 72-year restriction on these records, starting from the time they were created--and they are only released by the National Archives upon expiration of the restriction. This means that after this year, we will have to wait until 2032 for the release of the 1960 census.
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| Census Bureau employees transferring data from the 1940 census questionnaire to punch cards for tabulation. Source: Wikimedia Commons. |
For more information about the United State Census, visit: https://www.archives.gov/research/census
Having trouble locating a census record from 1790-1940? This page will help you find what you need: https://www.archives.gov/research/census/online-resources
Kaitlin Connolly
Reference Librarian
