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US Census 1920

Explore the 1920 United States census and find out more about your ancestors.

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Explore the 1920 United States census and find out more about your ancestors.

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1920 Census Quick Facts

1920 US Census Date: January 5, 1920 (All reported data is “as of” this official date chosen by the census agency)
1920 Census Duration: 1 month
1920 US Census Population: 106,021,537
President During 1920 Census: Warren G harding

48 States participated in the 1920 census. New States: Arizona and New Mexico. Participating territories: Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa, the Canal Zone, Guam, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.

1920: 14th United States Census

It took $25,117,000, approximately 87,234 enumerators and 14,550 published reports to complete the 1920 US census
The US population increased by 15 percent from the 1910 census to the 1920 census.

Information requested for the 1920 Census

Relationship to head of the family
Sex, color, race, age
Is the person single, married, widowed, or divorced?
State or country of birth and mother tongue
Mother and father’s place of birth and each mother tongue
Year of immigration to the United States
Naturalized or an alien?
If Naturalized, year of naturalization
Trade, profession, or occupation
General nature of the industry, business, or establishment of occupation
Is the person an employer, employee, or working on his own account?
Has the person attended school at any time since September, 1919?
Is the person's home owned or rented?
Is the person's home owned free or mortgaged?

What was lost from the 1920 Census?

No major loss of records for the 1920 Census.

Famous people in history: George Remus

Bootlegger George Remus is the infamous and larger than life figure that served as the basis for The Great Gatsby character, Jay Gatsby. Remus was a criminal defense lawyer before becoming a major bootlegger during the Prohibition era when alcohol was illegal in the US. Much of Remus's success came from finding loopholes in the law around prohibition, and his instant wealth became a source of legend.

George Remus is remembered as a generous, popular figure in the community having thrown lavish parties where in one case about 50 guests reportedly left with Pontiac vehicles. In 1925 a jury convicted Remus for 3,000 violations of the Volstead Act, the law that prohibited alcohol production or sale, and sentenced to two years in federal prison.

Historical Events Surrounding 1920 Census

August 18, 1920: The 19th Amendment to the US Constitution is ratified allowing women the right to vote.
The Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, determined post-war borders from Europe to the Middle East, established the League of Nations and punished Germany with reparations and loss of territory
F. Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby in 1925
The first collection of stories by A.A. Milne featuring Winnie-the-Pooh was published in 1925
The 18th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified in 1919 banning the manufacture and sale of “intoxicating liquors”
The Jazz age peaks in 1927 with the selling of 100 million phonograph records