Help

Having trouble finding your ancestor in the 1940 census?

We understand searching the census can be hard work! We’re here to support you with a number of online resources to make your search as simple as possible. If you are just getting started, or have questions, please explore the helpful resources this website has to offer.

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Browse our help resources

Here are a number of helpful resources that can help you to better understand the 1940 census. Explore these to learn everything you need to know about how to begin your search!

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Search for someone by name in the 1930 census

Don't know where the person you’re searching for lived in 1940?

You must have a location or enumeration district number to begin a 1940 census search since there is no name index available. If you don't have either of these we recommend searching for the person in the 1930 census first. This can help you to determine the person's whereabouts in 1930, which may give you a clue into their 1940 location.

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Other resources

There are a number of other ways you can find a person's location in 1940. It's helpful to know a person's exact address if you can find it. You may want to explore resources like:

City Directories The National Archives has original circa 1940 City Directories for Washington, DC. The Library of Congress holds a large nationwide collection of city directories and many libraries hold local directories.

World War II Draft Records Contact the National Archives' Regional Location for the state in which your ancestor lived.

Naturalization Petitions or Declarations of Intent filed close to 1940. Contact the National Archives' Regional Location for the state in which your ancestor lived.

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What's next

Once you've determined a person's location in 1940, you can use the search tools on this website to locate the corresponding enumeration district number. Click or enter the ED number to browse census schedule images to find the person you're looking for!