Daily AncestorSoldier
A soldier was a member of an army, especially an enlisted man; in a census it usually means a man serving in the U.S. Army.
The word comes through Old French from Latin solidus, a coin, and once meant one having pay, a mercenary. Wiktionary notes that in formal use soldier means an enlisted member as opposed to a commissioned officer.
The 1880 census instructions said soldiers of the U.S. Army at posts or on military reservations were to be counted where they lived. The 1900 instructions said a soldier, sailor or marine should be returned as such, and told enumerators to distinguish between an officer and an enlisted man.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Soldier." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/soldier. Last checked 2026-10-12.