MLP Census-to-Census Crosswalk Files
- MLP version 1.2: released April 2024 -
MLP census crosswalk files can be used to link IPUMS full-count census extracts outside of the dissemination system. Each crosswalk provides HISTIDs (persistent record IDs) for each census pairing. For most users, the creation of linked data extracts through the dissemination system will be more convenient than the crosswalks. However, the crosswalk links are currently of more recent vintage than those available through the extract system. Links to the 1950 census as well as direct 20 and 30-year intercensus links are only available through the crosswalks at present.
Number of individuals linked across census pairs: crosswalk filesThe MLP crosswalks are zipped files containing HISTIDs that link persons between census years and a variable (STEP) that identifies the stage of the linking process under which the link was made. The files are intended for use with IPUMS data extracts. See the user guide and the following "note".
NOTE: When creating extracts for use with the version 1.2 crosswalks, do not utilize the "link census data" feature on the USA full count sample selection page. The data underpinning that feature are not updated for the new version of the links in the crosswalk files. Crosswalk users should also not employ the case selection feature using the "LINKXXX" variables (e.g., LINK1930). Instead, users will need to include all cases for their population of interest and then drop the non-linked cases once they have downloaded the data. The files will be large, so it may be advisable to extract one census at a time.
Users should also be aware that the 10, 20, and 30-year links sometimes contradict one another. In other words, chaining 10-year links together from Census A to B to C will not always yield the same result as the direct 20-year link from Census A to C. In the next version of MLP links, we will resolve such disagreements.
Crosswalk File Download
| 1850-1860 Stata CSV | 1850-1870 Stata CSV | 1850-1880 Stata CSV |
| 1860-1870 Stata CSV | 1860-1880 Stata CSV | 1870-1900 Stata CSV |
| 1870-1880 Stata CSV | 1880-1900 Stata CSV | 1880-1910 Stata CSV |
| 1900-1910 Stata CSV | 1900-1920 Stata CSV | 1900-1930 Stata CSV |
| 1910-1920 Stata CSV | 1910-1930 Stata CSV | 1910-1940 Stata CSV |
| 1920-1930 Stata CSV | 1920-1940 Stata CSV | 1920-1950 Stata CSV |
| 1930-1940 Stata CSV | 1930-1950 Stata CSV | |
| 1940-1950 Stata CSV |
The crosswalk files listed above are Version 1.2, released March 2024. Older crosswalk versions are available here.
You must be registered with IPUMS USA to download the crosswalks. 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:
Jonas Helgertz, Nesile Ozder, Steven Ruggles, John Robert Warren, Catherine A. Fitch, J. David Hacker, Matt A. Nelson, Joseph P. Price, Evan Roberts, and Matthew Sobek. IPUMS Multigenerational Longitudinal Panel: Version 1.2 [dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2024. https://doi.org/10.18128/D016.V1.2
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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