Many genealogy pros recommend people new to family history research start at the 1920 census when beginning to use sources outside of their family members and heirlooms. This is because most people alive right now can trace their family back at least that far on their own, usually, because they personally know someone who was alive then (or know someone who knew someone). When you start with what you already know in genealogy, it makes the rest of the research easier to get into and gives you a better start on the road to being a rock star family historian.
If you have used the 1920 census before, or are just considering using it for the first time, you will want to dig deeply into it. There is more genealogical information available on it than it at first appears. With a little attention to detail and knowledge about what certain information means to your family tree, you will find that the 1920 census offers far more genealogical gems than you initially thought. Here are some things to look for on the 1920 census, and how they can help further your genealogical research... Read More