1970 Questionnaire

The 1970 census was taken principally by means of a

separate questionnaire (a 9 1/2′′ X 10 7/8′′ booklet) for

each household, completed by the respondent.

Instructions

Population inquiries 2-8 were asked for all persons. The

remaining questions were asked on a sample basis: some

at every fifth household (15 percent), others at every

twentieth household (5 percent), and some at both (20

percent).

Except for questions on Spanish origin or descent, citizenship, year of immigration, vocational training completed,

presence and duration of disability, and activity 5 years

ago, the 1970 population items were comparable to those

in 1960.

All answers were designed for self-identification on the

part of the respondent, but the enumerator was allowed to

fill in blanks by observation when this was possible. For

item 4 (color or race), it was assumed that the respondent’s relatives living in the unit were also of the same

race unless the census taker learned otherwise. The enumerator’s manual included a long list of possible

written-in entries and how they were to be classified: For

example, ‘‘Chicano,’’ ‘‘LaRaza,’’ ‘‘Mexican American,’’ ‘‘Moslem,’’ or ‘‘Brown’’ were to be changed to White, while

‘‘Brown (Negro)’’ would be considered as Negro or Black

for census purposes.

Although not specified on the questionnaire, the enumerator was instructed to limit question 25 (children ever born)

to mothers who were or had been married unless a son or

daughter had been listed.

The housing items were part of the household questionnaire. Except for the elimination of the inquiries on condition and land used for farming, and the addition of items

on dishwashers and second homes, the 1970 housing

items were much the same as those used in 1960.

The 1970 definition of a housing unit specified ‘‘complete

kitchen facilities’’ rather than just cooking equipment as in

1960.

Question A and H1 through H12 were asked for all housing units, and H13 through H30 on a sample basis only. At

vacant units, the enumerator completed only those items

marked with a double underscore.

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1980 Questionnaire

A separate questionnaire (a 10′′ X 11′′ booklet), containing

both population and housing items, was used for each

household, and completed by a respondent.

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1990 QUESTIONNAIRE

The ‘‘short form’’ questionnaire for 1990, contained the

100-percent inquiries those asked of each member of each

household. The ‘‘long form’’ or sample questionnaire (pictured here) included the 100-percent inquires plus a series

of population, housing, social, and economic questions

asked of a sample of households.

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