BellaOnline Forums Family Genealogy Census of the future

Video: U.S. Census Bureau Trying to go Paperless

Ten years ago, the U.S. census enumerators carried paper maps to make sure each resident was counted. The maps were 3 feet wide and were unwieldy, to say the least. This year's census takers will carry something a bit more compact: a handheld GPS. Every single housing unit will be defined by its latitude and longitude.

You an watch a video about all this on the KCSG television station's web site

Posted by Dick Eastman on April 17, 2009

I don't mind them coming to my door if they went to all doors. But for some reason, each time they hit us up. Why do they need to know what time we leave for work, among other non necessary questions. We refuse to answer most of the questions. All they need to know is name, age and maybe occupation. What investments we have is NONE of their business. My opine.

Tina

I had a guy come to my door yesterday. He was checking addresses and handed me a sheet, English on one side and Spanish on the other, telling me what the census is all about. I told him I am a genealogist and love censuses. He chuckled and told me that someone else had told him the same thing.

I don't mind the census taking, just some of the personal questions that are on the ones given in TN... I would not have half my genealogy info were it not for those wonderful 1790-1930 census takers.....

I have not had a long form census. There are the two types. I guess you got a long form.

I think the census is a valuable tool to us family searches, however, I feel that some information is not their business. I like to see name, month/year born, relationship to head of house hold, state born, parents born, year married, if own or rent (that is neat to see on some 4th gen grandparents) occupation (is neat too, I found a 4th gen relative that was a vulanizer...I had to figure out what that was, as it was before star trek, lol) etc. But your right, they don't need to know when you leave for work. Or what you had for breakfast. :) Do the census takers go everywhere, as I have yet to ever fill out a census form and I've been on my own since 95. It would be nice to know why I am missed.

I've always had a basic census questionaire. How interesting.