Questionnaires

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This section contains facsimile copies of the enumeration forms used in the decennial census of the United States from 1860 through 2010, and the American Community Survey. Most of the forms are contained in Bureau of the Census, 200 Years of U.S. Census Taking: Population and Housing Questions, 1790-1990. While the facsimiles convey the physical layout of the documents used to enumerate the population, they are not always clear enough to actually read the questions. For this reason, we have also included text of the questions. Enumerator instructions for the early years - beginning with 1850 -- and general instructions included with the self-enumeration forms in the later years are also reproduced here.

The facsimile schedule for 1850 is not included in 200 Years of the U.S. Census Taking and was unavailable at this time from other sources. However, the 1850 enumeration schedule had "format and content identical with the 1860 schedule, except that the 1850 schedule did not contain the inquiry on value of personal estate." Text for the 1850 census questions is included.

Until 1950, respondents for the U.S. census were asked questions by phone or in-person by enumerators. In Puerto Rico, respondents were asked questions by enumerators for samples available through IPUMS from 1970-1990. In the U.S. census, respondents answered questionnaires sent by mail from the 1960 census onward; in Puerto Rico, respondents answered questionnaires sent by mail from the 2000 census onward.

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