Full Citation

Title: Historical Census Record Linkage

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2018

ISBN:

ISSN: 0360-0572

DOI: 10.1146/annurev-soc-073117-041447

NSFID:

PMCID:

PMID:

Abstract: For the past 80 years, social scientists have been linking historical censuses across time to study economic and geographic mobility. In recent decades, the quantity of historical census record linkage has exploded, owing largely to the advent of new machine-readable data created by genealogical organizations. Investigators are examining economic and geographic mobility across multiple generations, but also engaging many new topics. Several analysts are exploring the effects of early-life socioeconomic conditions, environmental exposures, or natural disasters on family, health and economic outcomes in later life. Other studies exploit natural experiments to gauge the impact of policy interventions such as social welfare programs and educational reforms. The new data sources have led to a proliferation of record linkage methodology, and some widespread approaches inadvertently introduce errors that can lead to false inferences. A new generation of large-scale shared data infrastructure now in preparation will ameliorate weaknesses of current linkage methods.

Url: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6200350/

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Authors: Ruggles, Steven; Fitch, Catherine A.; Roberts, Evan

Periodical (Full): Annual Review of Sociology

Issue: 1

Volume: 44

Pages: 19-37

Data Collections: IPUMS USA, IPUMS International

Topics: Methodology and Data Collection

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