1940 census

The 1940 U.S. Federal Census is the largest, most comprehensive, and most recent record set available that records the names of those who were living in the United States at the time the census was taken.  [It contains 132 million records!]

Many of these individuals are part of what has been called “the greatest generation”—people who lived through the Great Depression, fought in World War II, and lived in the 48 states that existed at the time.

Tens of millions of people living in the United States in 1940 are still living today, making the 1940 census a record set that connects people with recent family records. It was the first to record such interesting facts as where people lived five years before, individuals’ highest educational level achieved, and detailed income and occupation information.

“The 1940 census is attractive to both new and experienced researchers because most people in the United States can remember a relative who was living in 1940,” said David Rencher, chief genealogy officer for FamilySearch. “It will do more to connect living memory with historical records and families than any other collection previously made available.”