NARA released the 1950 population census schedules for researcher use on April 1, 2022, at https://1950census.archives.gov. This is the 63rd in a series of blog posts on the 1950 census.
No One at Home - Differences Between 1940 and 1950 Census Procedures
There were a lot of people who were not at home when the census enumerator called at their residence the first time. In 1950, these dwellings were given their own line on the page where the household would have been enumerated in the order of visitation if they had been home. The enumerator was instructed to write: "No One at Home - See Sheet __, Lines __." Later, when the enumerator called back at these residences, the people were enumerated on sheets numbered 71 and higher. We've written about this in 1950 Census: Enumerated Out-of-Order - “Callbacks” and Others on Page 71 and Up and 1950 Census: No One at Home: Where is Page 71, 72, 73, ... 87, 88, 89 ????
Slightly different procedures were used in 1940. If no one was at home, the dwelling's serial number (in column 3) was skipped without a "no one at home" notation being made. Then, people enumerated later during "callbacks" were recorded on page (sheet) 61 and higher. Thus, in the image below from the 1940 census for 520 E. 157th St., Bronx, New York, we see household serial numbers 37, 38, 39, 41 , and 44 were skipped in Column 3:
| Detail from 1940 Census: Sheet 2A, ED 3-17A, Bronx, New York, Showing Dwelling Serial Numbers 37-39, 41, and 44 Were Skipped |
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Later, these households were enumerated on Sheet 61A:
| Detail from 1940 Census: Sheet 61A, ED 3-17A, Bronx, New York, Showing Dwelling Serial Numbers 37-39, 41, and 44 Were Later Enumerated |
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No One at Home - and Never Enumerated
Some people were missed. The U.S. Census Bureau later estimated that 4.1 percent of the population was not enumerated in 1950, which was an improvement from the 5.4 percent missed in 1940. (See paragraph 8 of 1950 Census: Edwin Goldfield's List of Innovations in this Census). Some people weren't home when the census taker came the first time and, for various reasons, weren't enumerated later. Occasionally, the census may tell us why. For example, the Rixman family at 14537 Birchwood Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, shown below, were reported by neighbors as "In New York" so the enumerator "Left ICR [Individual Census Report(s)] for them to fill out on their return. Sadly, the family apparently did not return ICRs to the Census Bureau since they do not appear on Sheet 71 or higher in their enumeration district. There are probably other examples sprinkled throughout the 1950 census.
| Rixman household "In New York" - 1950 Census, ED 92-136, Sheet 17 |
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