Help for searching the Census records
General
The more boxes you check on the search screen, the less answers you will get - and vice versa.
A summary search may save time, but you may need the
information in the full search afterwards.
This is a big file, so if you search for common names you will get more than you want.
But if you expect an exact match on several of fields, you
will get nothing if one of them is not matched.
The systems search on any part of a field, so you can afford
to look for only part of a word ? this can be good for occupations, or for
doubtful farm names.
Remember that spelling of personal names was very variable,
writing rather difficult to read, and place names very variable or not given at
all.
Too many answers
limit by year
or search
only for surname, then look for possible first names
Too few answers
search only the start of a name
to check spelling ?
or look for alternative spelling or
word ?
was a standard
abbreviation used in place of your term ? (see Fields,
Abbreviations)