1. dwelling (order of visitation)
2. family (order of visitation)
3. name
4. race
5. gender
6. age
7. age (in months, if born during the census year)
8. relationship within household
9,10,11. civil condition ("single; married; widowed, divorced")
12. (checked off if married during the census year)
13. profession
14. number of months unemployed during the census year
15 through 20. health ("blind; deaf/dumb; idiotic; insane; maimed, crippled bedridden, or otherwise debilitated")
21, 22, 23. education ("attended school within the year; cannot read; cannot write")
24. place of birth
25. place of father's birth
26. place of mother's birth
My mother's paternal great-grandfather (or the enumerator) did not give (or fill in) items 15 through 23... one wonders if they were optional.
Mr.niteowl77
Because of my recent genealogy research, I think I am more apt to answer most of the short form questions. They have most of that info already from tax forms, so its not that big of a deal.
With that said, I got the long form in 2000. I answered only the number of people in the house. I don’t recall getting any follow up visits for the other answers.
And to answer the legal question, there is supposedly a fine for not answering all questions, but good luck finding a single instance where that fine has been actually levied. None for me in 2000.
I prefer the census’ prior to 1840. They usually listed the name of the head of household, their occupation and place of birth (as well as the place of birth of parents). Then it asked how many males and females of certain age groups (1-10), (11-20), (30-40), etc.