Daily AncestorUsual place of abode
Usual place of abode was the census rule for where to count a person: at the home where they normally lived and slept, even if away on census day.
The 1850 instructions explain place of abode as the house or usual lodging place. People away on a visit, a journey or a voyage were counted at home, and students were counted with the family where they boarded and lodged.
The 1880 instructions admit the law never defined the phrase and that some people would be counted twice and others missed. Seafaring men were reported at their land homes however long they had been away. Boarders at hotels and students caused the most doubt, so a person can appear both at home and at a school or boarding house.
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Daily Ancestor. "Usual place of abode." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/census-terms/usual-place-of-abode. Last checked 2026-10-03.