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1930 US Census Quick Facts

  • 1930 US Census Date:

April 1, 1930

(All reported data is “as of” this official date chosen by the census agency)

  • 1930 Census Duration:

1 month

  • 1930 US Census Population:

122,775,046

  • President During 1930 Census:

Herbert Hoover

48 States participated in the 1930 census. Participating territories: Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, the Canal Zone, Guam, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.

1930 Census Data: 15th United States Census

  • It took $40,156,000, approximately 87,756 enumerators and 35,700 published reports to complete the 1930 census.
  • The US population increased by 13.7 percent from the 1920 census to the 1930 census.

Information requested for the 1930 US Census

Census Data:

  • Street name
  • House number
  • Name
  • Relationship to head of family
  • Is the person's home owned or rented?
  • If the home is owned, is it owned free or mortgaged?
  • Does this person live on a farm NOW?
  • Did this person live on a farm A YEAR AGO?
  • Sex, Color or Race, Age
  • Is the person single, married, divorced, or widowed?
  • Has the person attended school at any time since Sept. 1, 1929?
  • Can the person read and write?
  • Person's place of birth
  • Person's father's place of birth
  • Person's mother's place of birth
  • Year of immigration into the United States
  • Is the person naturalized or an alien?
  • Is the person able to speak English?
  • Trade, profession, or particular kind of work done?
  • Industry or business in which at work
  • Is person an Employee (E), wage or salary worker (W), or own account (O)?
  • Whether the person is actually at work?
  • Record line number for unemployed
  • Whether the person is a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition?
  • If yes, which war or expedition
  • Number of farm schedule

Census of Unemployment

Enumerators were instructed to fill out the following questionnaire for all gainful workers unemployed on the workday before the census date.

  • Date of enumeration
  • Sheet number of person's corresponding population schedule entry
  • Line number of person's corresponding population schedule entry
  • Name
  • Does this person usually work at a gainful occupation?
  • Does this person usually have a job of any kind?
  • If this person has a job...
  • How many weeks since he has worked at that job?
  • Why was he not at work yesterday (or the last regular workday)?
  • How many days did he work last week?
  • How many days does he work in a full-time week?
  • If this person has no job of any kind...
  • Is he able to work?
  • Is he looking for a job?
  • For how many weeks has he been without a job?
  • Reason for being out of a job

Questionnaire for Indian Population

  • Sheet number of person's corresponding population schedule entry
  • Line number of person's corresponding population schedule entry
  • Name, Sex, Age
  • Is the person of full American Indian or mixed lineage?
  • Tribe
  • Person's Post Office address
  • Agency where the person is enrolled

What was lost from the 1930 US Census?

No major loss of records from for the 1930 US census.

Notable events

Famous figures of 1930: Walt Disney

Born in Illinois in 1901, Walter Elias Disney built an entertainment empire with his brother Roy that birthed unforgettable animated characters, adventure theme parks and one of the most recognized motion picture companies in the world. Disney is first and foremost remembered as an animator crafting his signature character Mickey Mouse for the first time in 1929, and won a total of eight Academy Awards for the first full-length animated film ever, Snow White, in 1937.

Disney spent $17 million to open the Disneyland theme park in 1955, attracting people from around the world to enjoy rides and meet Disney characters. Disney died in 1966 leaving Roy to open the Florida Walt Disney World theme park in 1971.

Walt Disney in the 1930 US Census while living in Los Angeles.

Historical Events Surrounding 1930 US Census

  • March 1, 1936: The Hoover Dam is completed two years ahead of schedule
  • In 1930, Richard Drew invents “Scotch Brand Cellulose Tape” known today as Scotch Tape
  • Superman is introduced in comics in June of 1938
  • March 3, 1931: Herbert Hoover signs an act officially declaring The Star Spangled Banner as the US national anthem
  • In 1933, the 21st amendment to the constitution is ratified ending the prohibition of alcohol
  • Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany in 1933
  • May 27, 1937: The Golden Gate Bridge opens in San Francisco, California
  • October 30, 1938: The radio broadcast “The War of the Worlds,” a realistic sounding descriptions of Martians attacking the United States, causing widespread panic