1848 Jewish Census Instructions for Transcribers

First, many thanks to those who have contributed to the project.

At this point we have over 30,000 records transcribed. The estimation is that this leaves about 40,000 to go. This covers the information contained in the seven films available from the FHL (Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah).

This 1848 Census is really the Bible of Hungarian Jewish genealogy, as it gives us people from the early 1800's, as well as many of those who lived until the latter part of the 19th century when vital records became available.

The impetus at this point is to complete the creation of the data in such a way as to make them available through the searchable All Hungary Database on JewishGen.

A more complete introduction is part of the Searchable database already on line.

You will find hereafter 3 parts as follows:

Part 1 is a set of "Instructions for Volunteers (Transcribers) for the 1848 Jewish Census of Hungary."

Part 2 is a set of "Transcription Rules".

Part 3 is the table of present and possible assignments.

Many thanks.

Robert Neu

1848 Census Coordinator

P.S. If you have any question or remark, send me an e- mail, please.

1848 Jewish Census Project Update:

INSTRUCTIONS FOR VOLUNTEERS ( TRANSCRIBERS )

Thank you for your commitment to the 1848 Jewish Census of Hungary transcription project. Your efforts are contributing to improving the availability of genealogical data, and we thank you for your contribution.

Part 1 – The Process

1. Complete the JewishGen Volunteer Agreement, which is located under "Forms" on the H-SIG website at http://www.jewishgen.org/jewishgen/agree/volunteer.html. Mail the completed form to Robert Neu at.

                                            Robert Neu

                                            160 East Southgate Avenue

                                            South Salt Lake, UT 84115

2. Review the master transcription assignment document shown hereafter as "part 3'. Select the locations and/or county or film you would like to transcribe and send your assignment request by e-mail to roneu1@yahoo.com. Because we have 40,000 records to transcribe, we prefer that volunteers if at all possible take about 1,000 entries each, but we will accept a lesser commitment. We will make every effort to honor specific assignment requests, but we may not be able to so in every case.

3. Once you receive the ok by return e-mail, download the Excel spreadsheet, which is located at 1848finaltemplate.xls. The template must be followed exactly as given. Because of problems that exist when using Excel 2000, please save all spreadsheets in the format described as "Microsoft Excel 97-2000 & 5.0/95 Workbook." If you don’t use this format, we may have trouble transferring your data. If you don’t use Excel, contact Robert Neu to review options.

4. Choose one of the three options available to transcribers as outlined in Part 2 of the present, hereafter. If you need to locate a FHL branch go to: Family History Library.

5. Become familiar with the transcription instructions and information documents including Debbie Korman’s article on understanding the census columns and Melody Katz’s tips for data entry. Because we are creating an index, not an exact translation, not all of the fields discussed in Debbie Korman’s article are to be transcribed. We provided the article as well as the list of translations of professions for those interested in more detailed information. These are found at  http://www.jewishgen.org/Hungary/Data_Entry_Tips.htm

6. Enter your data into a single spreadsheet named <your last name.xls." When your assignment is completed, send your Excel spreadsheet as an attachment by e-mail to Robert Neu. Since we are permitted to submit data to JewishGen on a quarterly basis, I will try to contact you every 2 or 3 months regarding your progress.

7. All questions, comments, and/or concerns with respect to this project and its processes are welcomed but should be brought to the attention of the coordinator by private e-mail. JewishGen technical consultants will be contacted by the coordinator when necessary to obtain appropriate technical advice. Volunteers should NOT post their project-related questions to the H-Sig discussion group or any other public discussion group nor should they contact JewishGen staff directly.

 
1848 Jewish Census Project Update:

Part 2 –– Transcription Rules

1. Because we are creating an index, not an exact translation, not all of the fields that you see are to be transcribed. Use the template provided for the project, and do NOT alter the spreadsheet template in any way. Do not change headings or fonts.

Complete the columns of the Excel spreadsheet as follows:

Column 1: Enter the county (megye) as shown in the film. Repeat for each entry whether the original does or not.

Column 2: Enter the town as listed on the census. Do not substitute other spellings such as modern spellings. A town name must be entered in all cases. If the name can’’t be deciphered or cannot be entered for any reason contact the coordinator.

Column 3:

a. Enter the registration number(s) listed by the census record as follows:

When there is a number for the Head of Household enter this number for each

member of the household in the Household Registry Number (Column 3 –– H Reg#).

b. When there is no Head of Household # but there is the Individual Registry Number

for the Head Household it becomes a "pseudo" Household Registry # and is entered for all the members of the Household in their Household Registry Number (Column 3 – H Reg#.)

c. When there is no number for either Household or Individual, a "fictitious" Household Registry Number is created. It is to start with "9900",then "9901", "9902" for each town. The numbers are started over for each town, as needed.

In no case should the H Reg# be left blank, as it is part of the key used to Display all members of a household . 

Column 4: When there is a unique number for each individual record, enter this number in the Individual Registry column (I –– Reg#).

This applies whether there is only an individual number or both a Household number and an individual number

Column 5: Enter the surname (last name or family name) in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.

Enter the surname for each entry whether repeated in the original or not. Mostly the surname is given first and first name last, and sometimes the order is reversed.

Use other entries to help determine the correct order, since generally the surname is the same for all family members. See other tips for entering names below.

Column 6: Enter the given name (first name) and capitalize only the first letter.

Column 7: Enter the relationship as indicated on the census form. Use the following translations:

neje = wife

gyermek(e) = (his/her) children

felesege = his wife

fia = son

fogadot = adopted

lanya = daughter

mostoha = step-

neje = wife

Please note "ne" at the end of a name means "Wife of" or "Mrs." with the married name of the person.

Example "Schusterne" means Mrs. Schuster - Schuster being the family name of the Husband. This matters, as it is very often used for a widow, and therefore is not her maiden name.

nover = sister

ozvegy = widow, widower

seged-ne = helper, cook or aide (female)

sogor = in-law

szakacs-ne = servant or household domestic (female)

szolgalo = servant (Usually not a family member and with a different last name - if no last name is shown, leave last name column blank)

testver = brother

unoka(j)= (his)grandchild

Column 8: Enter the age as shown. If blank, enter "-".

Column 9: Enter the birth county or usually country as shown. Use the following translations:

Magyar = Hungary (really "Hungarian")

Lengyel = Poland (really Polish)

Galicia = Galicia

Nemet = Germany (really German)

Morva = Moravia (either Moravia or Moravian)

Orosz = Russia (really Russian)

Porosz = Prussia (really Prussian)

Gacs = Galicia (abbreviation for Galician)

Bajor = Bavaria (really Bavarian)

Erdely = Transylvania (Transylvanian if "Erdelyi")

Kulfoldi = Foreigner

Column 10: Enter the birth community as shown.

Column 12: Enter the FHL (Family History Library) film number for each entry. If not a FHL film, please enter reference as provided by the project coordinator.

Column 13: Reserved for a link to the corresponding image

Column 14: Enter any comments for the reviewers, or remarks in the original.

Column 15: A key reference not entered by the transcriber (see introduction)

2. Remember to save all of your transcriptions in a single Excel spreadsheet named as follows: "your last name.xls." For example, neu.xls.

3. Names from the original census should be entered exactly as they appear on the list, without interpretation, unless otherwise instructed.

a. If the name is abbreviated in the census, it should be transcribed exactly as abbreviated. For example, we cannot be certain if "Abr." is Abram or Abraham or if "Mich." is Michel or Michael. Include the period after abbreviated names if a period was used in the original.

b. DO NOT change the spelling of names. For example, do not change Haim to Chaim or Salamon to Solomon.

c. All diacritical marks (the little accent marks used above certain letters, for pronunciation purposes) are to be ignored.

d. If the name is difficult to read, enter the possibilities into the appropriate column using both a question mark and slash symbol to separate each possible name, as in "STEIN?/STERN?." Do not enter more than three alternative names in the appropriate name column.

e. For names which can only partially be deciphered, enter as many letters as you can, substituting a dash "-" for each letter that cannot be read, such as "Weinb-----" or "----berger." If the name is totally illegible, put a question mark in the column. If there was no name entered at all, enter a dash "-". DO NOT leave the column blank if a name appeared in the original Census. Note that to enter a dash in Excel, you must first enter a single apostrophe mark (‘‘), then the dash, rather than just the dash.

4. Enter the names in consecutive order as they appear on the original Census. This will ease the validation process.

A special treatment had to be added for the suffixes that appear at the end of names and name places, as follows:

-(ne) which appears at the end of the name, but is not part of it: Szabo Lajosne, or Szabone which simply means “Mrs. Szabo”, or Mrs Lajos Szabo. It appears mostly with widows, and also most of the times it gives us both the maiden name of the widow, and her husband’s name such as: “Klein Hani, Szabo Lajosne”. In this case the maiden name and the first name are entered in the surname and given name column, and the husband surname and given name is entered in the relationship column, and the explanation of (ne) Mrs Lajos SZABO is entered in the comments column
Example:            
 Column  E               F                           G                                                           M
 Surname         Given Name           Relationship                                  Comments  
 KLEIN           Hani                      widow SZABO Lajos(ne)             (ne)  Mrs SZABO Lajos

The same principle applies when the town name includes at the end the suffixes: (be), (ba), (ben), (ban), all meaning “in”,(on), (an) meaning “at”, (i)  meaning “of” or “from”, and is therefore not part of the name.  The town name with the suffix in () is entered in the town column(J) and the explanation shown in the Comments column (M)
Example:                       Column J                                     Column M
                                      Gyor(be)                                      (be) in Gyor
                                      Gyor(i)                                         (i) from Gyor

Another comment concerns the Country/County Column I and the Town column J. Whenever a “County/Megye” is shown in either column it is to be entered in column I, and NOT in J .
Example:                          Column  I                    Column J
                                          Zemplen                     Homonna 

Let us remember that we are transcribing not changing what is written. If the spelling is wrong, or other than what we think it should be, we enter what was written, whether it is a person name, relationship or town,
Examples: Munkats, Kemetse, Ignatz, VAJS, etc…

To ensure as perfect transcribing as possible, we suggest you go through the process twice and then proofread a printed copy of your entries as follows:

  • The first time making the transcription.
  • The second time verifying the entries against the film.
  • Then print and proofread, checking any doubtful entry.

If you encounter difficult-to-read names, send them to the coordinator for consultation in trying to decipher them, using either close up digital pictures via e-mail, or tracings that can be faxed. The project coordinator also has access to all of the FHL films. Lastly, if you have any questions related to the project, please contact me at roneu1@yahoo.com.

1848 Jewish Census Project Update:

Part 3 Assignment

Current and possible assignments

We need help transcribing the microfilms. As noted in the table below, there are many town and counties waiting for a volunteer to come forward. If you can read microfilm at a local Family History Library, PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO HELP. Contact the Coordinator, Robert Neu, at roneu1@yahoo.com. There are also other ways to obtain the data and help in transcribing:

In order to provide researchers with information as quickly as possible, we are posting the initial database transferred from the existing project. We hope to add additional data as soon as they are transcribed and validated.

We need help transcribing. As noted in the table below, there are many town and counties waiting for a volunteer to come forward. Our availability to the original information is on microfilms from the LDS Family History Library.

You can select the area you want to transcribe by comparing the availability below with the description on the on line catalog of Familysearch as outlined in the beginning on part 1 of this chapter. Then………….

PLEASE VOLUNTEER TO HELP. Contact the Coordinator, Robert Neu, at roneu1@yahoo.com.

As indicated in part 1, there are three options to transcribe. We just mention them briefly hereafter. They are:

Transcribing at a local Family History Library (Films can also be ordered and viewed at the YIVO in New York)

Transcribing from microfilm at another location than FHL

Transcribing at home from e-mailed CD images of the microfilms.

.PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY MATERIAL RECEIVED WITH THIS PROJECT MUST BE RETURNED TO THE COORDINATOR OR DESTROYED. ALSO THE TRANSCRIPTION CREATED IS THE SOLE PROPERTY OF JEWISHGEN, AND IS NOT TO BE USED IN ANY WAY OR FROM BY ANY PERSON OR ORGANIZATION WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN APPROVAL OF JEWISH GEN

There are roughly 40,000 records to be yet transcribed. Each film has 5 to 15,000 records, so we don’t expect any volunteer to transcribe an entire film, but would like to see volunteers accept assignments of 1,000 records, though will be grateful for what you can do. Please note that even at that rate it will require "70" volunteers.

Also there is no search involved on the films, just plain transcribing and some of it plain repeat as the information is "per household" meaning certainly last name and often country and place of residence and birth are the same, and entry numbers sequential, as all records are to be entered.

Completed, Assigned and Not Yet Assigned locations of 1848 Hungarian Jewish Census


Microfilm
number

County (Megye)

 Status

# of
entries
719,823
 Debrecen    
Completed 
 119
Esperjes
 Completed 
 168
Gyongyos Completed 540
Gyor (town only) Completed  187
Miskolcz Partially Completed
 726
Modor Completed  18
Nagyszombat Completed  183
Pecs Completed 
 246
Sopron Completed 
 136
Szakolcza not assigned
Szentgyorgy Assigned 422
Ujvidek Assigned
Temesvar Assigned
Trencsen Assigned
Zombor Assigned
Bekes Megye Assigned
Baranya Megye Almost Completed
 4,128
Bihar Megye Completed
 3,191
719,824
 Csanad Megye, Mako only completed 1,231
Csanad Megye (balance) not assigned
Fejer Megye not assigned
Gyor Megye not assigned
Hajdu Megye Completed  531
Komarom Megye completed 3,447
Kozep-Szolnok Megye Somylo only
 Assigned
 7
Kozep-Szolnok Megye (balance) not assigned
719,825
 Maramaros Megye (as available on FHL film) Completed  178
Moson Megye Completed 1218
Szabolcs-Szatmar, Kisvarda only Completed 719
Szabolcs-Szatmar  Completed 9,984
Tolna Megye Completed 1,781
719,826
 Trencsen Megye partly assigned
Tuncz Megye not assigned
Ung Megye, Ungvar only completed 1,197
Ung Megye (balance) Mostly assigned
719,827
 Vasvar Megye Nearly Complete
 3,026
Veszprem Megye not assigned
719,828
 Zala Megye, Nagykanzsa only Completed 104
Zala Megye (balance) Nearly Complete
 3,415
Zemplem Megye, Homonna/Ujhely Completed 9
Zemplem Megye (balance) Not available  

 

1848 HUNGARIAN JEWISH SAMPLE IMAGE SAMPLE

County

Town

H Reg #

I Reg #

Surnname

Given Name

Relationship

Age

Birth County

Birth Community

LDS Film No

Image Link

Comments

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

1

1

Ganz

Ajzik

26

Hungary

Karacsonyfalva

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

1

2

Ganz

Ruzse

spouse

20

Hungary

Liget Orasda

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

1

3

Ganz

Rifke

child

2

Hungary

Gyulalfalva

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

2

1

Feder

Mozes

65

Hungary

Vamofalva

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

2

2

Feder

Maria

spouse

60

Hungary

Ruskova?

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

2

3

Feder

Slom

grandchild

9

Hungary

Szlatina

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

3

1

Ganz

David

60

Hungary

Karacsonyfalva

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

3

2

Weintraub

Feige

spouse

60

Hungary

Sziget

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

3

3

GANZ

Mechel

child

14

Hungary

Breb

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

3

4

GANZ

Rila?/Gila?

daughter

24

Hungary

Karacsonyfalva

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

4

1

WEGH

Simon

48

Hungary

K. Apsa

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

4

2

WEGH

Brai?e

daughter

17

Hungary

Gyulalfalva

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

4

3

WEGH

Maria

daughter

14

Hungary

Gyulalfalva

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

4

4

WEGH

Ruzse

daughter

11

Hungary

Gyulalfalva

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

4

5

WEGH

Szimu

son?

6

Hungary

Gyulalfalva

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

4

6

WEGH

Hiszele?

daughter?

3

Hungary

Gyulalfalva

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

5

1

JUNGER?

Luzer?

28

Hungary

Sajo

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

5

2

JUNGER?

Hafia?

spouse

28

Hungary

Sajo

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

5

3

JUNGER?

Dvere?

son?

7

Hungary

Sajo

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

5

4

JUNGER?

Binge?

daughter

5

Hungary

Sajo

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

5

5

JUNGER?

?????

daughter

4

Hungary

Sajo

719825

Maramaros

Gyulafalva

5

6

JUNGER?

Abram

son?

4

Hungary

Sajo

719825

 

1848 CENSUS SAMPLE OF AN ORIGINAL PAGE