IrishNY

I loved when they sent the notices that the census form would be coming soon. For what purpose? Did they think we were all going to clear our calendars and wait for it? Or that we wouldn't recognize it without advance warning? Or even that some of us said "I wasn't going to fill it out but now that you given me notice and I can prepare, I guess I will"?

What a waste of money.

busquilt

We never got a census form to fill out. So I was surprised when they anounced the deadline to get them in last week or so. But I think they have been doing the census around the world for a long time. I know the bible says that Mary and Joseph traveled back to their home land for the census. So glad we don't have to do that.

dglvr

I'm with ya there. I only gave them names, address, and dates too. I don't fill out the race part on anything anymore. Or any other info that is none of there business. :mrgreen:

sallysue

I have to agree with Charlee, I didn't mind filling the census out because I have relied on them many times in the research of my family lineage, and the census wasn't too personal.
:)

Joeysnana

That's all my census form asked also. Nothing too personal.

sunflower126

Those are the only questions that were on our form.

pookie ookie

In genealogy, census information is notoriously inaccurate. Hilariously so on good days. Another inaccurate source: death certificates with the info provided by immediate family members! People were just as clueless then as they are now. Use a primary source instead.

In 2000, I was asked to provide info on a neighbor. He was brand new to the 'hood so I said, "He's in his early twenties and Hispanic." That's it. No name. The census troll could never catch him at home and we didn't have names on our mailboxes.

This is a political topic btw. Corruption, fraud, redistricting, overreach, partisan politics, etc. Isn't politics verboten?

May in Jersey

DIL was doing genealogy search of my DH's family and came across a census report they filled out, under race they put Free Irish and where they were born was in the Free Irish State. Guess they wanted to make a statement!

I agree that sending a notice that the census would be coming was a waste of our money. May in Jersey

Maggiesmom

My form had 10 questions. None of which I deemed to be personal. Nothing like the information companies and marketing firms have been gathering from you for years. The census is taken so that they can track the population movement throughout the country. By doing so they have guidelines for resetting Congressional districts and awarding monies for education and other needs to states according to population. All the hype about it is just that hype. It is an important part of how things are done not some scheme to keep an eye on you. My sister found our grandfather who left for California when our father was about ten by reading the census documentation for the few years after he left.

breannabelle

Income tax forms require more information than the census form requested. No problem filling it out- it is all information that is relatively easy to find anyhow if one has access to the internet/court records...