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Dr. Zibro | Ancestry Project: Citing a Census Record

Citing a Census Record Found on Ancestry.com

You will find citation information on census records underneath the specific information for your ancestor. There is a screenshot of the record in the box on the right with all of the information to create both of your citations. The box on the left    includes instructions for you to follow to format your bibliography and footnote citations. 

How to Use the Information from Ancestry to Create Your Citations

Your bibliography citation for a census record will contain very general information. To make this citation follow these instructions:

 

1) Start with the Source Information that you can copy and paste from the census page:

Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

2) Delete Ancestry.com from the front of the citation and replace it with the name of your ancestor as it is listed on the census page, with the order:  Last-name, First-name Initial or Middle-name:

Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

Smith, John J. 1940 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.

Note: your middle initial will not have a period, but you will need to put a period at the end of the name.

Your footnote citation for a census record will contain very specific information. To make this citation follow these instructions:

 

1) Start with the Source Citation that you can copy and paste from the census page:

Year: 1940; Census Place: New York, New York, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02648; Page: 63A; Enumeration District: 31-1009

2) Add your ancestor's name as it is listed on the census page to the front of the citation with the order: First-name Initial or Middle-name Last-Name followed by a period. Then add a period to the end of your citation:

Year: 1940; Census Place: New York, New York, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02648; Page: 63A; Enumeration District: 31-1009

John J Smith. Year: 1940; Census Place: New York, New York, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02648; Page: 63A; Enumeration District: 31-1009.

Note: your middle initial will not have a period, but you will need to put a period at the end of the name.

Census Record and Citation Information

You will find all of the information you need to create your citations on the page for your source

 

 

 

Citation for Bibliography (Second and other lines indented 1/2 inch):

 

Citation for Footnote (First line indented 1/2 inch):