Many books on genealogical research describe what information you can expect to find in each census. Looking through the chapter on census records first may make it much easier to understand what you're seeing on the microfilm. If you know what state your ancestor lived in, but not which county, there are published census indexes to help you locate the family you are looking for. The library has indexes for both North and South Carolina from 1790 to 1870. In Gastonia these books are shelved on top of the file cabinets in the North Carolina room.
Most indexes list only the name of the head of the household.
Read the introduction to each publication carefully. However, we can borrow them for you for a small charge. Ask any staff member about Interlibrary Loan . The surviving 1790 census information was published in book form in the early 1900s. The missing portions were lost in the burning of Washington by the British in 1814.