Skip to main content

1950 Census News- NARA Site NOW LIVE!


The National Archives' 1950 Census page went live this week! The census search function will not be available until April 1st, but NARA has provided a ton of fantastic information that will be invaluable to all family historians eagerly awaiting the 1950 census release! Check out these highlights:
  • NARA confirmed that they are using Amazon Web Services (AWS) as the host for the digitized records- and you will be able to do a bulk download of the full census. AWS is using optical character recognition (OCR) technology to digitally index the records.
  • There will be a search function available that allows you to search by name and location. For the P8 Indian Reservation schedules, you will be able to search by Reservation.
  • NARA is seeking volunteers to help submit name updates, as the OCR indexing will not be 100% accurate. A transcription tool will be made available on the census website- more info to come.
Make sure to check out the resources available on the 1950 Census page- including a list of the questions asked on the census, an FAQ, finding aids, enumerator's instructions, training videos, and much more!

Make ISGS your first stop for all the latest 1950 Census news! We ran an in-depth feature on preparing for the 1950 census in our Summer 2021 issue, available for purchase in our Online Store. The ISGS Newsletters also feature census updates and resources, check them out! The latest word from Quarterly Editor Richard Anderson, is that we will be running an all-new, updated census special in our Spring 2022 issue, including the latest news from our ISGS super-sleuth reporters! Stay tuned!



© 2022, copyright Illinois State Genealogical Society

Comments