Ancestry.com has announced that the public can search its complete 1940 U.S. Census index for free.
The 16th U.S. Census was taken in America and its territories on April 1, 1940. Population: 132,164,569, not including the territories.
Today, each of the 134 million records is ready for you to explore on Ancestry.com. Simply search for your family member by name and you could find records that include details like address, age, occupation, income, education level and more. Almost nine out of 10 Americans have a relative in the 1940 Census.
The website also contains details on what was happening in the country around that time. In California, the Hollywood Stars moved to San Diego and became the Padres in 1936 and the Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937. Population: 6,907,387.
Although still a territory, Hawaii was included in the U.S. Census for the first time. The islands produced a million pounds of honey in 1940, and public schools shut down for two months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Population: 422,770.