CENSUS

AL

AR

FL

GA

IL

KY

LA

MS

MO

NC

SC

TN

VA

-1790

1790

1800

1810

1820

1830

1840

.   Braswells in the 1790 Census.

Most genealogists consider the census as the most important of the federal records.  The first census count that began in 1790  was used to determine the amount of taxation and congressional representation.  The counting process began on August 2, 1790, and lasted about 18 months.  Enumerators on horseback had to ride throughout largely undeveloped country to count most of the population.  Many people refused to cooperate because they did not understand why the government wanted information about them.

CENSUS DAY 1790 - 1940    
1790, 1800, 1810.....Monday in August
1820.........................First Monday in August (August 7th)
1830 thru 1900.........June 1st
1910.........................April 15th
1920.........................January 1
1930, 1940...............April 1

Through 1840, only the head of each household was named and other members were enumerated in groups.  Beginning in 1850, each individual was named with age, sex, race, occupation, birthplace, ability to read or write, schooling during the year, and infirmities, such as blindness or deafness.  The 1890 census was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1921.  There are no surviving entries for Braswell.  Between 1880 and 1900, some states took their own censuses, which are useful substitutes for the missing 1890 census.  The 1900 census is the only one to include each person's month and year of birth.  All census through 1930 are open to the public.

The 1880, 1900, 1920 and much of the 1910 census records are indexed by state using a code that is based on the sounds in the last name.  This indexing system is called Soundex.  Soundex code B-624 includes all spelling variations of Braswell.  Many of the spelling variations of the name Braswell (57 at last count) were caused by illiteracy.  The enumerator then wrote the name as it sounded to him.

There is only an 1880 soundex census if there was a child under the age of 10 living at that address.  The 1910 U.S. Census was indexed in the Miracode system for the following states:  Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

The census in these records list all Braswells (B-624) and several names that could possible be Braswells.