WD
William Donovan — 1940 US Census Record
Linked across censuses1940 United States Federal Census · Middlesex-County, Massachusetts
Our Model Tree links this William Donovan across the 1930 and 1940 US Censuses in Middlesex-County, Massachusetts (XGBoost, ~Confirmed) — first a son (b.~1918), then head of a 12-person household.
Age 22
b. ~1918
Male
Son
Born: Massachusetts
Single
1940 Census Record Details
| Census Year | 1940 |
| Location | Middlesex-County, Massachusetts |
| Surname | Donovan |
| Given Name | William |
| Relationship to Head | Son |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 22 |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Birthplace | Massachusetts |
| 1935 Residence (City) | Somerville City |
| 1935 Residence (County) | Middlesex |
| Additional Details | |
| Occupation | Freight Handler |
| Industry | Ry. Merchant |
| Class of Worker | PW |
| Hours Worked | 48 |
| Income (1939) | 988 |
| Highest Grade | H-3 |
| 1935 Residence | Same place |
| Birth State | Massachusetts |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | massachusetts |
| Occupation | Freight Handler |
| Township / Ward | Somerville City |
| Est. Birth Year | ~1918 |
Household Members
Census records only state relationship to the household head.
Pairwise kinship is derived (~90–95% accurate), not recorded.
Step/blended families and boarders can break it.
12 people recorded at the same address in the 1940 census.
| Name | Relation to head | Relative to William | Age | Birth yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catherine Donovan | Spouse | — | 62 | ~1878 |
| Jane Donovan | Daughter | — | 17 | ~1923 |
| Jeremiah Donovan | Son | — | 33 | ~1907 |
| John Donovan | Son | — | 15 | ~1925 |
| Daniel Donovan | Head | — | 67 | ~1873 |
| William Donovan | Son | — | 22 | ~1918 |
| Timothy Donovan | Son | — | 25 | ~1915 |
| Margaret Donovan | Daughter | — | 29 | ~1911 |
| Catherine Donovan | Daughter | — | 31 | ~1909 |
| Elizabeth Donovan | Daughter | — | 18 | ~1922 |
| Ann Donovan | Daughter | — | 27 | ~1913 |
| Esther Donovan | Daughter | — | 20 | ~1920 |
Census Appearances
1930
Middlesex, Massachusetts
Son, age 11
Middlesex, Massachusetts · implied b. ~1919 — 5 household members
●
Primary link
· ~Confirmed · 2 sources
XGBoost
Household
| Surname | Donovan |
| Given Name | William |
| Relationship to Head | Son |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 11 |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Birthplace | Massachusetts |
| Father's Birthplace | Massachusetts |
| Mother's Birthplace | Canada |
| Can Read/Write | Yes |
| Birth State | Massachusetts |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | massachusetts |
1940
Middlesex-County, Massachusetts
Son, age 22
Middlesex-County, Massachusetts · implied b. ~1918 — 12 household members
| Surname | Donovan |
| Given Name | William |
| Relationship to Head | Son |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 22 |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Birthplace | Massachusetts |
| 1935 Residence (City) | Somerville City |
| 1935 Residence (County) | Middlesex |
| Occupation | Freight Handler |
| Industry | Ry. Merchant |
| Class of Worker | PW |
| Hours Worked | 48 |
| Income (1939) | 988 |
| Highest Grade | H-3 |
| 1935 Residence | Same place |
| Birth State | Massachusetts |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | massachusetts |
Model Tree
An inferred pedigree reconstructed from census links — up to 4 generations within the 1900–1950 window. Closer generations are built from household co-residence; deeper ones are bridged by following a relative to their own childhood census. Confidence compounds and weakens with each generation.
Our Model Tree links William Donovan across 2 US Census years (1930 and 1940) in 2 locations, using XGBoost record linkage.
Show:
This person
Anchor record
William Donovan
Son · 1940 · age 22 · b. ~1918 · Massachusetts
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Sibling
Jeremiah Donovan
Sibling · 1940 · age 33
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Sibling
Esther Donovan
Sibling · 1940 · age 20
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Sibling
Margaret Donovan
Sibling · 1940 · age 29
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Sibling
Elizabeth Donovan
Sibling · 1940 · age 18
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Sibling
Jane Donovan
Sibling · 1940 · age 17
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Sibling
Timothy Donovan
Sibling · 1940 · age 25
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Sibling
John Donovan
Sibling · 1940 · age 15
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Sibling
Catherine Donovan
Sibling · 1940 · age 31
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Sibling
Ann Donovan
Sibling · 1940 · age 27
Source co-child of head (derived)
● Co-child · derived · ~0.88
Confirmed / household (~0.90+)
Probable / derived (~0.65–0.89)
Candidate (<0.65, unverified)
Original Census Page
1940 US Federal Census — Middlesex-County, Massachusetts
Open full size
1940 US Federal Census — Middlesex-County, Massachusetts
Page Contents
40 people indexed on this census page (nara:1940:m-t0627-01705-00308)
| Line | Name | Age | Relation | Occupation | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sadlier, Mary L. Sadlier | 36 | Daughter | Owner | Massachusetts |
| 2 | Sadlier, William J. Sadlier | 33 | Son | Stock-Man | Massachusetts |
| 3 | Alan L. Holmes | 72 | Head | — | Maine |
| 4 | Elizabeth H. Holmes | 66 | Wife | — | Maine |
| 5 | Joseph W. Glone | 35 | Head | Post Office Clerk | Massachusetts |
| 6 | Ellen C. Glone | 36 | Wife | — | Massachusetts |
| 7 | Andrew H. Murphy | 47 | Head | Printer | Massachusetts |
| 8 | Ruth E. Murphy | 42 | Wife | — | Massachusetts |
| 9 | Robert G. Murphy | 17 | Son | — | Massachusetts |
| 10 | Richard C. Murphy | 14 | Son | — | Massachusetts |
| 11 | Franklin D. Murphy | 8 | Son | — | Massachusetts |
| 12 | Helen C. Dayle | 73 | Lodger | — | New York |
| 13 | Helen F. Dayle | 51 | Lodger | Book-Keeper | Massachusetts |
| 14 | May G. Dayle | 38 | Lodger | Stenographer | Massachusetts |
| 15 | Archie M. Currie | 52 | Head | Teacher | Canada-English |
| 16 | Ellen A. Murphy | 69 | Head | — | Eire |
| 17 | Ellen J. Murphy | 44 | Daughter | Telephone Operator | Massachusetts |
| 18 | Mary J. Murphy | 32 | Daughter | Stenographer | Massachusetts |
| 19 | John Gondry | 30 | Lodger | Electrical Engineer | Massachusetts |
| 20 | Agnes G. Sullivan | 50 | Head | — | Vermont |
| 21 | Edith F. Sullivan | 26 | Daughter | Saleslady | Vermont |
| 22 | Kathleen M. Sullivan | 24 | Daughter | Proof-Reader | Massachusetts |
| 23 | — | None | — | — | — |
| 24 | Ernest M. Sousa | 41 | Head | Post Office Clerk | Massachusetts |
| 25 | Mary E. Sousa | 37 | Wife | — | Massachusetts |
| 26 | Ernest Sousa | 11 | Son | — | Massachusetts |
| 27 | Ann M. Sousa | 7 | Daughter | — | Massachusetts |
| 28 | Daniel J. Donovan | 67 | Head | Stevedore | Eire |
| 29 | Catherine Donovan | 62 | Wife | — | Eire |
| 30 | Jeremiah Donovan | 33 | Son | Laborer | Massachusetts |
| 31 | Catherine Donovan | 31 | Daughter | Comptometer Operator | Massachusetts |
| 32 | Margaret Donovan | 29 | Daughter | Filing Clerk | Massachusetts |
| 33 | Ann Donovan | 27 | Daughter | Office Worker | Massachusetts |
| 34 | Timothy Donovan | 25 | Son | Freight Handler | Massachusetts |
| 35 | William Donovan THIS PERSON | 22 | Son | Freight Handler | Massachusetts |
| 36 | Esther Donovan | 20 | Daughter | Iron Worker | Massachusetts |
| 37 | Elizabeth Donovan | 18 | Daughter | — | Massachusetts |
| 38 | Jane Donovan | 17 | Daughter | — | Massachusetts |
| 39 | John Donovan | 15 | Son | — | Massachusetts |
| 40 | Gertrude M. Nicholson | 59 | Head | — | Maine |
About This Record & Model Tree
This record was independently indexed by YourRoots from the 1940 United States Federal Census (NARA). Our Model Tree links this person across census decades using XGBoost-based record linkage, with per-link confidence scores. Household corroboration strengthens the signal when co-residents appear on the same census pages in multiple years.
Source: National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)