West Tennessee Heritage Study Center microfilm information sheet — 1920 Census (2004 Aug)

WTHSC Historical Resources on Microfilm:

14th Decennial Federal Population Census of the United States (1920)
Tennessee

The most current version of this list is accessible as a printable .pdf file

through the WTHSC website at:

http://wthsc.utm.edu

West Tennessee Heritage Study Center

Univ. of Tennessee at Martin


The U. S. Census

Article one, section two of the U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the country’s population every ten years. The specific purpose for the census is to determine apportionment of representation in the Congress, but for genealogists the census data provides snapshots of the families in the country on a regular basis. The data collected by enumerators varies from census to census. The first U.S. Census was taken in 1790. Until 1850 only heads of households were listed by name (primarily since only white males 21 and older could vote); other family members were merely tallied in columns by age and gender. All members of a household began being listed in 1850, and in 1850 and 1860 separate census schedules were recorded for slaves.

Dozens of summaries are produced by the Bureau of the Census as soon as they can be compiled from the raw data schedules. During the first week of the first legislative session after a census is taken the Constitution requires the President to present the results of the census to Congress, but individuals’ data from the on the census is considered private. Data identifying specific individuals may not be given out by the Bureau or its members, except to those were enumerated or their heirs. According to federal law governing data privacy (44 U.S.C. 2108(b)), census data is closed to research for 72 years after the enumeration.

The 1920 population schedules for Tennessee exist as National Archives microfilm publication T625, reels 1728–1771. Each county in the U.S. maintained its own set of books for the enumeration, but the count was made and records organized by dividing each county (or metropolitan city) into smaller enumeration districts (EDs). The microfilm is arranged essentially alphabetically by county name, thereunder by census enumeration district, and thereafter by the household order taken by the enumerator; however, some counties were filmed out of order, so check the list carefully. Often enumeration districts were not filmed in order either, most often in cities.

The census schedules are not released with neat name indices. Indices to census records are produced by private individuals and groups as time and effort allow. Some exist in print, others are accessible only electronically across the Internet. Several commercial firms make the census film available as scanned image files, usually accessible on a per-search cost, though the microfilm itself usually has the best resolution.

This sheet gives researchers three useful numbers: the WTHSC film number, the Utah Genealogical Society film number (useful for access through the LDS Church’s Family History Library branches), and the National Archives publication number. The order of the filming is listed here when enumeration districts (EDs) are filmed out of order.

For more information:

Kathleen W. Hinkley. Your Guide to the Federal Census for Genealogists, Researchers, and Family Historians (Cinncinatti, Ohio: Betterway Books, 2002).

On the WTHSC shelves at: GEN HA37.U36H556 2002

WTHSC GSU film NARA

Film reel number T625 roll County and enumeration districts

772 1821728 1728 Anderson (EDs 1–4, 201, 5–15)

Bedford (EDs 1–8, 12–13, 9–11, 14–24)

Benton (all 16 EDs)

773 1821729 1729 Bledsoe (EDs 1–5)

Bradley (EDs 6–18)

Blount (EDs 16–17, 198, 19–22, 196–197, 200, 24–32, 18, 33, 23)

774 1821730 1730 Campbell (EDs 34–51)

Cannon (EDs 25–36)

Carter (EDs 1–12)

775 1821731 1731 Carter (EDs 13–19)

Cheatham (EDs 1–8)

Chester (EDs 43–56)

Carroll (EDs 17–42)

776 1821732 1732 Claiborne (EDs 20–37)

Clay (EDs 1–7)

Coffee (EDs 37–40, 145, 41, 141, 42–43, 146, 44–51)

777 1821733 1733 Cocke (EDs 38–54)

Davidson (EDs 128–131)

Davidson Co., Nashville (EDs 45–46, 52–60, 66–76)

778 1821734 1734 Davidson Co., Nashville (EDs 28–44, 47– 51, 45–46, 52–60, 66–76)

779 1821735 1735 Davidson Co., Nashville (EDs 61–65, 77– 105, 203, 106–108, 111–114)

780 1821736 1736 Davidson Co., Nashville (EDs 109–110, 115–127, 132) Crockett (EDs 1–11, 161, 12–15)

Cumberland (EDs 8–16)

781 1821737 1737 Decatur (EDs 57–68)

De Kalb (EDs 52–66 142–143)

Dickson (EDs 1–16, 177, 17–18)

Fayette (EDs 1–4)

782 1821738 1738 Fayette (EDs 5–24)

Dyer (EDs 16–34)

783 1821739 1739 Dyer (EDs 35–39)

Franklin (EDs 19–35)

Fentress (EDs 17–21)

Gibson (EDs 40–49)

784 1821740 1740 Gibson (EDs 50–71)

Giles (EDs 19–44)

785 1821741 1741 Giles (EDs 45–48)

Grainger (EDs 55–67, 36–43)

Greene (EDs 68–85, 87)


786 1821742 1742 Greene (EDs 86, 88–94)

Hamblen (EDs 52–63)

Hamilton (EDs 153–178)

787 1821743 1743 Hamilton (EDs 179–215)

788 1821744 1744 Hamilton (EDs 216–236, 44–48)

Hancock (EDs 95–106)

Hardin (EDs 69–75, 4, 77–85)

789 1821745 1745 Hardeman (EDs 25–47)

Hawkins (EDs 107–124)

Hickman (EDs 49–52)

790 1821746 1746 Hickman (EDs 53–63)

Humphreys (EDs 70–81)

Haywood (EDs 72–84)

791 1821747 1747 Henderson (EDs 86, 189, 87–91, 190, 92, 192, 93–98, 191, 99–102)

Houston (EDs 174, 64, 175, 66, 65, 67–69)

Henry (EDs 103–129)

792 1821748 1748 Jackson (EDs 22–35)

Johnson (EDs 125–135, 64)

Jefferson (EDs 64–79)

Knox (EDs 136, 140–143, 202)

793 1821749 1749 Knox (EDs 80–107)

794 1821750 1750 Knox (EDs 108, 207, 109–110, 205, 111–113, 204, 114–116, 199, 117–119, 203, 120–135, 138–139)

795 1821751 1751 Lake (EDs 85–91)

Loudon (EDs 144–154)

Lauderdale (EDs 92–108, 110, 109)

Lewis (EDs 100–104)

796 1821752 1752 Lawrence (EDs 82–99)

Lincoln (EDs 67–91)

797 1821753 1753 McMinn (EDs 49–65)

McNairy (EDs 129–146)

Macon (EDs 36–40)

798 1821754 1754 Macon (EDs 41–46)

Marion (EDs 66–82)

Madison (EDs 147–148, 154–155, 162–171, 193, 172–173)

799 1821755 1755 Madison (EDs 149–153, 177, 156, 157, 174, 176, 158–161, 175)

Maury (EDs 105–109, 114–119, 110–113, 120–133, 176, 134, 135)

800 1821756 1756 Marshall (EDs 92–108)

Montgomery (EDs 133–169)

801 1821757 1757 Meigs (EDs 83–88)

Monroe (EDs 89–96, 237, 97–103)

Moore (EDs 109–113)

Pickett (EDs 69–74)

Polk (EDs 104–115)


802 1821758 1758 Morgan (EDs 47–55)

Rhea (EDs 93–98, 162, 99–103)

Obion (EDs 111–116, 160, 117–130)

803 1821759 1759 Overton (EDs 56–61, 163, 62–67)

Perry (EDs 178–188)

Putnam (EDs 75–92)

Rutherford (EDs 114–117)

804 1821760 1760 Rutherford (EDs 118, 119, 144, 120–140)

Roane (EDs 155–172)

805 1821761 1761 Robertson (EDs 170–179, 202, 180–183, 204, 184–188)

Scott (EDs 173–182)

Stewart (EDs 189–201)

806 1821762 1762 Sequatchie (EDs 116–119)

Sevier (EDs 136–156)

Shelby (EDs 48–52, 274, 275, 53–62, 276, 277, 63, 64, 285, 65–69)

807 1821763 1763 Shelby Co., Memphis (EDs 70–140)

808 1821764 1764 Shelby Co., Memphis (EDs 141–153, 156– 166, 154, 155, 167–169, 170–172, 287, 173–175, 179–183, 286, 184–188)

809 1821765 1765 Shelby Co., Memphis (EDs 189–212, 279, 213, 214, 280, 215–223, 278, 284, 226, 227, 225, 224)

810 1821766 1766 Shelby (EDs 228–237, 281, 282, 238–246, 283)

Smith (EDs 104–116)

Sullivan (EDs 157–165)

811 1821767 1767 Sullivan (EDs 166, 220, 167–184)

Sumner (EDs 117–133)

812 1821768 1768 Tipton (EDs 247–263, 265, 264, 266–273)

Trousdale (EDs 134–138)

Unicoi (EDs 185–192)

Union (EDs 183–195)

813 1821769 1769 Van Buren (EDs 120–122)

Williamson (EDs 150–173)

Warren (EDs 123–139)

Washington (EDs 193–200)

814 1821770 1770 Washington (EDs 201–219)

Wayne (EDs 136–149)

White (EDs 140–152)

815 1821771 1771 Weakley (EDs 131–159)

Wilson (EDs 139–161)

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