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Willie Nelson — 1940 US Census Record
Linked across censuses1940 United States Federal Census · Kearney-County, Nebraska
Our Model Tree links this Willie Nelson across the 1920, 1930 and 1940 US Censuses in Kearney-County, Nebraska (XGBoost, ~Confirmed) — first a head (b.~1888), then head of a 3-person household.
Age 52
b. ~1888
Male
Head
Born: Nebraska
Married
1940 Census Record Details
| Census Year | 1940 |
| Location | Kearney-County, Nebraska |
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | Willie |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 52 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | Nebraska |
| 1935 Residence (City) | Sherman Twp. |
| 1935 Residence (County) | Kearney |
| Additional Details | |
| Occupation | Farming |
| Industry | Farm |
| Class of Worker | OA |
| Hours Worked | 48 |
| Income (1939) | 30 |
| Highest Grade | No 8 |
| 1935 Residence | Same House |
| Birth State | Nebraska |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | nebraska |
| Occupation | Farming |
| Township / Ward | Sherman Twp |
| Est. Birth Year | ~1888 |
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.
3 people recorded at the same address in the 1940 census.
| Name | Relation to head | Relative to Willie | Age | Birth yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willie Nelson | Head | — | 52 | ~1888 |
| Richard Nelson | Son | — | 11 | ~1929 |
| Ella Nelson | Spouse | — | 47 | ~1893 |
Census Appearances
1920
Kearney, Nebraska
Head, age 33
Kearney, Nebraska · implied b. ~1887 — 3 household members
●
Primary link
· ~Confirmed · 2 sources
XGBoost
Household
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | Willie |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 33 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | Nebraska |
| Father's Birthplace | Denmark |
| Mother's Birthplace | Denmark |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Industry | General farm |
| Class of Worker | OA |
| Can Read | Yes |
| Can Write | Yes |
| Speaks English | Yes |
| Home Owned/Rented | R |
| Birth State | Nebraska |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | nebraska |
1930
Kearney, Nebraska
Head, age 43
Kearney, Nebraska · implied b. ~1887 — 4 household members
●
Primary link
· ~Confirmed · 2 sources
XGBoost
Household
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | Willie |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 43 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | Nebraska |
| Age at First Marriage | 23 |
| Father's Birthplace | Denmark |
| Mother's Birthplace | Denmark |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Industry | General Farm |
| Class of Worker | O |
| Can Read/Write | Yes |
| Home Owned/Rented | O |
| Radio Set | R |
| Birth State | Nebraska |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | nebraska |
1940
Kearney-County, Nebraska
Head, age 52
Kearney-County, Nebraska · implied b. ~1888 — 3 household members
| Surname | Nelson |
| Given Name | Willie |
| Relationship to Head | Head |
| Sex | M |
| Color / Race | White |
| Age | 52 |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Birthplace | Nebraska |
| 1935 Residence (City) | Sherman Twp. |
| 1935 Residence (County) | Kearney |
| Occupation | Farming |
| Industry | Farm |
| Class of Worker | OA |
| Hours Worked | 48 |
| Income (1939) | 30 |
| Highest Grade | No 8 |
| 1935 Residence | Same House |
| Birth State | Nebraska |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birthplace (normalized) | nebraska |
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 Willie Nelson across 3 US Census years (1920, 1930 and 1940) in 2 locations, using XGBoost record linkage.
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This person
Anchor record
Willie Nelson
Head · 1940 · age 52 · b. ~1888 · Nebraska
★ You are viewing this record
Confirmed / household (~0.90+)
Probable / derived (~0.65–0.89)
Candidate (<0.65, unverified)
Original Census Page
1940 US Federal Census — Kearney-County, Nebraska
Open full size
1940 US Federal Census — Kearney-County, Nebraska
Page Contents
40 people indexed on this census page (nara:1940:m-t0627-02251-00944)
| Line | Name | Age | Relation | Occupation | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thomas J. Cesper | 27 | Head | Farming | Nebraska |
| 2 | Ethel L. Cesper | 20 | Wife | — | Nebraska |
| 3 | Aldean T. Cesper | 0 | Son | — | Nebraska |
| 4 | Hans Peterson | 76 | Head | Farming | Denmark |
| 5 | Mary Peterson | 67 | Wife | — | Denmark |
| 6 | Willie Peterson | 33 | Son | Labour | Nebraska |
| 7 | Earl Peterson | 21 | Son | Labour | Nebraska |
| 8 | Renus Nelson | 57 | Head | Farming | Nebraska |
| 9 | Anna E. Nelson | 53 | Wife | — | Nebraska |
| 10 | Ruben Nelson | 33 | Son | Farming | Nebraska |
| 11 | Martin E. Homer | 62 | Head | Farming | Nebraska |
| 12 | David E. Carlson | 40 | Head | Farming | Nebraska |
| 13 | Anna Carlson | 66 | Mother | — | Sweden |
| 14 | Frank A. Rundquist | 50 | Head | Farming | Nebraska |
| 15 | Emma E. Rundquist | 51 | Wife | — | Nebraska |
| 16 | Ardis L. Rundquist | 15 | Daughter | — | Nebraska |
| 17 | Ardella L. Rundquist | 12 | Daughter | — | Nebraska |
| 18 | Andrew R. Madsen | 64 | Head | Farming | Denmark |
| 19 | Anna M. E. Madsen | 57 | Wife | — | Denmark |
| 20 | Hans E. Madsen | 35 | Son | Farming | Nebraska |
| 21 | Tony V. Madsen | 31 | Son | Farming | Nebraska |
| 22 | Andrew E. Madsen | 31 | Son | Farming | Nebraska |
| 23 | Ruben H. Hansen | 36 | Head | Farming | Nebraska |
| 24 | Esther M. Hansen | 37 | Wife | — | Nebraska |
| 25 | Robert A. Hansen | 5 | Son | — | Nebraska |
| 26 | George Dorn | 21 | Hired Hand | Labour | Nebraska |
| 27 | Andrew Walberg | 47 | Head | Farming | Nebraska |
| 28 | Bertha Walberg | 47 | Wife | — | Kansas |
| 29 | Norma L. Walberg | 11 | Daughter | — | Nebraska |
| 30 | Alice M. Walberg | 7 | Daughter | — | Nebraska |
| 31 | Martin Youngson | 29 | Hired Hand | Laborer | Nebraska |
| 32 | Ernest Jensen | 33 | Head | Farming | Nebraska |
| 33 | Anne Jensen | 32 | Wife | — | Nebraska |
| 34 | Marilyn Jensen | 2 | Daughter | — | Nebraska |
| 35 | Willie Nelson THIS PERSON | 52 | Head | Farming | Nebraska |
| 36 | Ella M. Nelson | 47 | Wife | — | Sweden |
| 37 | Richard W. Nelson | 11 | Son | — | Nebraska |
| 38 | Lester P. Nelson | 31 | Head | Farming | Nebraska |
| 39 | Ruby S. Nelson | 32 | Wife | — | Nebraska |
| 40 | Carol J. Nelson | 5 | Daughter | — | Nebraska |
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)