Daily AncestorR
R in the home column of the 1900 to 1940 census means rented; in 1930 a separate R column meant the family had a radio set.
On the head of the family's line, R meant the home was rented, even if no rent was actually paid in 1940. The letter appears in several other places, so check the column heading.
In 1930, an R in the radio set column meant someone in the family owned a radio. In 1940, an R in the 1935 residence column meant the person had lived in the open country or a village under 2,500 people, with the county and state written beside it.
As seen in a recordHome, rent and radio columns of the 1930 census
Moran, Thos., Head, R, $18, R
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "R." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/abbreviations/census-r. Last checked 2026-10-10.