1940 United States Census

Sixteenth Census
of the United States

U.S. Census Bureau Seal

Population Schedule
General information
Country United States
Date taken April 1, 1940
Total population 132,164,569
Percent change Increase 7.3%
Most populous state New York
13,479,142
Least populous state Nevada
110,247

The Sixteenth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 132,164,569, an increase of 7.3 percent over the 1930 population of 123,202,624 persons. The census date of record was April 1, 1940. A number of new questions were asked including where people were 5 years before, highest educational grade achieved, and information about wages. This census introduced sampling techniques; one in 20 people were asked additional questions on the census form. Other innovations included a field test of the census in 1939.

Census questions

The 1940 census collected the following information:[1]

  • address
  • home owned or rented
    • school attendance
    • educational attainment
    • birthplace
    • if foreign born, citizenship
    • location of residence five years ago and whether on a farm
    • employment status
    • if at work, whether in private or non-emergency government work, or in public emergency work (WPA, CCC, NYA, etc.)
      • if in private or non-emergency government work, hours worked in week
      • if seeking work or on public emergency work, duration of unemployment
    • occupation, industry and class of worker
    • weeks worked last year
    • wage and salary income last year

    In addition, a sample of individuals were asked additional questions covering age at first marriage, fertility, and other topics. Full documentation on the 1940 census, including census forms and a procedural history, is available from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series.

    Data availability

    1940 US Census poster

    Following completion of the census, the original enumeration sheets were microfilmed; after which the original sheets were destroyed.[2]

    As required by Title 13 of the U.S. Code, access to personally identifiable information from census records was restricted for 72 years.[3] Non-personally identifiable information Microdata from the 1940 census is freely available through the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series. Also, aggregate data for small areas, together with electronic boundary files, can be downloaded from the National Historical Geographic Information System.

    On April 2, 2012[4]—72 years after the census was taken—microfilmed images of the 1940 census enumeration sheets were released to the public by the National Archives and Records Administration.[5][6] The records are indexed only by enumeration district upon initial release; several organizations are compiling indices, in some cases through crowdsourcing.[7]

    State rankings

    1940 U.S. State Population Rankings
    Rank State Population Region
    1 New York 13,479,142North East
    2 Pennsylvania 9,900,180North East
    3 Illinois 7,897,241Midwest
    4 Ohio 6,907,612Midwest
    5 California 6,907,387West
    6 Texas 6,414,824South
    7 Michigan 5,256,106Midwest
    8 Massachusetts 4,316,721North East
    9 New Jersey 4,160,165North East
    10 Missouri 3,784,664Midwest
    11 North Carolina 3,571,623South
    12 Indiana 3,427,796Midwest
    13 Wisconsin 3,137,587Midwest
    14 Georgia 3,123,723South
    15 Tennessee 2,915,841South
    16 Kentucky 2,845,627South
    17 Alabama 2,832,961South
    18 Minnesota 2,792,300Midwest
    19 Virginia 2,677,773South
    20 Iowa 2,538,268Midwest
    21 Louisiana 2,363,880South
    22 Oklahoma 2,336,434South
    23 Mississippi 2,183,796South
    24 West Virginia 1,961,974South
    25 Arkansas 1,949,387South
    26 South Carolina 1,899,804South
    27 Florida1,897,414South
    28 Maryland 1,821,244South
    29 Kansas 1,801,028Midwest
    30 Washington 1,736,191West
    31 Connecticut 1,709,242North East
    32 Nebraska 1,315,834Midwest
    33 Colorado 1,123,296West
    34 Oregon 1,089,684West
    35 Maine 847,226North East
    36 Rhode Island 713,346North East
    x District of Columbia 663,091South
    37 South Dakota 642,961Midwest
    38 North Dakota 641,935Midwest
    39 Montana 559,456West
    40 Utah 550,310West
    41 New Mexico 531,818West
    42 Idaho 524,873West
    43 Arizona 499,261West
    44 New Hampshire 491,524North East
    45 Vermont 359,231North East
    46 Delaware 266,505South
    47 Wyoming 250,742West
    48 Nevada 110,247West

    Notes

    1. ↑ "Library Bibliography Bulletin 88, New York State Census Records, 1790-1925". New York State Library. October 1981. p. 45 (p. 51 of PDF). Archived from the original on January 30, 2009. Retrieved December 15, 2008.
    2. ↑ The Ancestry Insider (May 16, 2012). "1940 Census Update for 16 May 2012: Bad News". www.ancestryinsider.blogspot.com. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
    3. ↑ "Historical Background". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 12, 2009. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
    4. ↑ "1940 Census". Archived from the original on January 3, 2007. Retrieved November 26, 2006.
    5. ↑ Weinstein, Allen (April 2008). "Access to genealogy data at NARA grows" (PDF). NARA Staff Bulletin. Washington DC: National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
    6. ↑ Weinstein, Allen (Summer 2008). "Finding Out Who You Are: First Stop, National Archives". Prologue magazine, vol. 40, no. 2. Washington DC: National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved July 2, 2009.
    7. ↑ Daley, Bill (March 27, 2012). "Unlocking a new door to the 1940s – 1940 census details to be released to public". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 20, 2012.

    External links