1910 U.S. Federal Census

Under the provisions of the census act of July 2, 1909, the thirteenth census was administered. The 1910 census had several notable features. First, prospective census employees took open competitive examinations administered throughout the country. Second, the way in which results were published was changed. Those statistics that were ready first were issued first as press releases, then in greater detail as bulletins and abstracts, the latter appearing 6 months to a year before the final reports were issued.²

The official enumeration day of the 1910 census was 15 April 1910. All questions asked were supposed to refer to that date.³

Population Census Items

Address; name; relationship to family head; sex; race; age; marital status; number of years of present marriage for women, number of children born and number now living; birthplace and mother tongue of person and parents; if foreign born, year of immigration, whether naturalized, and whether able to speak English, or if not, language spoken; occupation, industry, and class of worker; if an employee, whether out of work during year; literacy; school attendance; home owned or rented; if owned, whether mortgaged; whether farm or house; whether a survivor of Union or Confederate Army or Navy; whether blind or deaf and dumb.¹

Historical Forms and Questions

The 1910 census saw significant changes. It was the first time census workers were subjected to competitive examinations. The way census results were published also changed. Statistics in greater demand (total population of individual cities) were released first to the press, then in detailed reports six months later. View sample forms