MLP Census-to-Census Crosswalk File
- MLP version 2.0: released July 2025 -
The MLP census crosswalk file can be used to link IPUMS full-count census extracts outside of the dissemination system. For most users, the creation of linked data extracts through the dissemination system will be more convenient than the crosswalks. But the crosswalks support some specific use cases and provide access to older versions of MLP links, which are not available through the IPUMS extract system.
Each record in the crosswalk contains a Historical Identification Key (HIK) that uniquely identifies a person linked by MLP across census years. Associated with each HIK are the HISTIDs (persistent record IDs) for each census year in which that person has been linked. See the user guide.
Download CSV (15.0 GB) Download Parquet (14.6 GB)
Older versions. The crosswalk file described above is Version 2.0, released July 2025. Past versions of MLP links are also available as crosswalks. Descriptions of these earlier iterations are provided in the version history.
You must be registered with IPUMS USA to download the crosswalk. To check your account status or register to use IPUMS USA, see account options.
Citation and terms of use
To download these data, you must agree to IPUMS USA terms of use.
1. Cite both IPUMS MLP and the Full Count IPUMS Ancestry data:
Steven Ruggles, Nesile Ozder, Catherine A. Fitch, Matthew Sobek, Julia A. Rivera Drew, J. David Hacker, Jonas Helgertz, Cheyenne Lonobile, Matt A. Nelson, Evan Roberts, and John Robert Warren. IPUMS Multigenerational Longitudinal Panel: Version 2.0 [dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2025. https://doi.org/10.18128/D016.V2.0
Steven Ruggles, Matt A. Nelson, Matthew Sobek, Catherine A. Fitch, Ronald Goeken, J. David Hacker, Evan Roberts, and J. Robert Warren. IPUMS Ancestry Full Count Data: Version 4.0 [dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2024. https://doi.org/10.18128/D014.V4.0
2. Redistribution: You will not redistribute the data without permission:
Note that the version — and hence the citation — can differ between the extract system and crosswalk files.
Publications and research reports making use of IPUMS should be added to our Bibliography.
Contact us
For questions about IPUMS MLP, contact ipumsres@umn.edu.
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