Syrena logo BIEGA FAMILIES IN U.S.A.
Part 1 - The U.S. Census of 1910 and 1920
Bill Biega's
History
Essays

INDEX
    For families searching for their roots, the U.S.Census records are a good source of information. The following tables are extracts from the actual records for persons with the surname "Biega". The actual records contain much more information, such as which family members can read and write, and whether they understand English.
Unfortunately these records are incomplete and contain many errors, for the following reasons.
  • The census was compiled by clerks physically visiting homes. If no one was at home at the time of visit, no information was recorded. Particularly in areas populated by immigrants, no second visit was made.
  • Language problems caused some information to be recorded incorrectly, particularly if the person interviewed was the wife who was unable to speak English. The census taker was likely to be not well versed in the geography and history of central and eastern Europe. To add to the difficulty, Poland was not an independent country until just before the 1920 Census.
  • Unless the person interviewed insisted on designating their origin as Polish, the country of birth, and even language were listed as Austrian, German, Russia or some other country. Many immigrants had spent considerable time in a port in Germany waiting for a ship, adding to misunderstandings.

    Please note that regarding age, the question posed was "How old were you at your last birthday?". I have calculated the year of birth, but it may be later by one year than the actual. To assist those who might wish to do further research and would like to search for Naturalization records, I have indicated whether the person was naturalized at the time of census. "nat" means naturalized, "al" means not.
A "?" indicates difficulty in reading the scanned information.

    I acknowledge the invaluable and drudging work performed by the volunteers of Ancestry.com in scanning the thousands of microfilms into their on-line files, and providing links between names and the actual files. This page would not have been possible without them. The information provided in the tables that follow are extracts. To see the complete records you must go to http://Ancestry.com.

    These records do not provide any information as to the actual birth-place of the immigrants. This information can only be obtained from Naturalization records or from birth certificates. I still believe that the majority of these Biega families originate from the Sanok area in central Galicia, then occupied by Austria, now southern Poland. However, since the end of the 17th century some young people sought relief from poverty in their land-poor villages. Some went to towns offering education, others sought adventure by enrolling in the military, whether in the Austrian forces, or the Napoleonic armies. Thus some of them ended up far from home before they finally embarked on the voyage to America.

Home page.


Genealogy resources.
Biega main page.
Ancestry.com,
Invaluable source of information for researchers.
Extract from 1910 Census files for records with surname "Biega"
refFirst NameTypeBornStateBorn InFather Born InMother Born InArrivedWorkNotes
1910 Census, New Jersey, Perth Amboy, Middlesex County
002 Wladyslaw head 1882m 4yAust-Pol Aust-PolAust-Pol 1900 al railroad
brakeman
003 Frania? wife 1886m 4yAust-Pol Aust-PolAust-Pol 1900 al none
004 Nellie daughter 1908sNJ
005 Helen daughter 1910s 
1910 Census,Pennsylvania,, Chewton, Wayne Township, Lawrence County (north of Beaver Falls)
006 Mike head 1876m15yAust-Pol Aust-Pol Aust-Pol1892 al coal miner
007 Susiewife1877m15yAust-PolAust-PolAust-Pol1896 al none
008 Albert son 1895s Pa Aust-Pol Aust-Pol miner
009 Julia daughter 1897s Pa Aust-Pol Aust-Pol weaver silk mill
010 Joseph son 1898s Pa 
011 Helen daughter 1901s Pa 
012 Tony son 1904s Pa 
013 Jennie daughter 1906s Pa 
014 Carl son 1907 Pa 
1910 Census, West Virginia, Big Creek District, McDowell County
015 Joe head 1882m 4yAustria Austria Austria 1907 al coal miner
016 Johanna wife 1885m 4yAustria Austria Austria 1907 al none
017 Frank son 1908s W.va 
Extracts from 1920 Census
refFirst NameTypeBornStateBorn InFather Born InMother Born InArrivedWorkNotes
1920 Census, Massachusetts, Haverhill, Essex County
020 Joseph head 1882m LithuaniaLithuaniaLithuania?1905 al block cutter
021 Eva wife 1889m LithuaniaLithuaniaLithuania?1911 al paster shoe shop
022 Josie daughter 1907s Mass 
023 Bennie son 1914s Mass 
024 Jennie daughter 1917s Mass 
New Jersey, West Hoboken, Hudson County
027 Katherine wife* 1862m@21 NY Germany? Germany? none* 1st husband Biega
2nd - Frederick Meyer
025 Edward(Edwin)son1889sNY - - electrician son of Katherine
026 Eleanordaughter 1887s NY - - weaver silk milld-ter of Katherine
New Jersey, Perth Amboy, Middlesex County
Biega records missing
Pennsylvania, Woodlawn, Beaver County (now Aliquippa, S of Beaver Falls)
030 Alexander head 1890m Poland Poland Poland 1904 tinner
031 Anna wife 1892m Poland Poland Poland 1911 none
032 Bill son 1915s Ohio Poland Poland
033 Henry son 1918s Pa 
Pennsylvania, Washington Township, Butler County
040 Mike head 1894 m Galic-Pol Gali-PolGal-Pol 1912 coal miner
041 Julia wife 1895 m Galic-Pol Gali-PolGal-Pol 1910 none
042 Victoria daughter 1916 s Pa 
043 Joeson1918 s Pa 
044 Albert son1919 s Pa 
West Virginia, Wheeling, Jacob Street
050 Albert head 1886 m Poland Poland Poland ? coal miner
051 Pauline wife 1890 m Poland Poland Poland ? none
052 Mary daughter 1919 sPa 
West Virginia, Wheeling, 8th street
055 Stanley head 1877 m Poland Poland Poland 1899 al labor steel mill
056 Nellie wife 1885 m Poland Poland Poland 1891 al none
057 Mary daughter 1913 s W Virg 
058 Frank son 1919 s WV  
059 Walter son 1915 s WV 
060 Pauline daughter 1905 s WV 
061 John son 1906 sWV 
062 Albert son 1909 s WV 

Continue to Part 2 - Extracts from 1930 U.S.Census.

Return to Index.>

Return to Home Page.
Return to Biega Families Main Page.
Copyright © 2006 B. C. Biega. All rights reserved.

Last update February, 2006