Manual Search the Census on Non-Name Columns

If you "know" where an ancestor should be living in post-1840 United States census and can't find their name easily, try searching the place of birth column for locations that match the probable place of birth. This won't work for someone living in Ohio born in Ohio, but in rural areas if the person was born somewhere outside the area where he or she lived, it may help you to locate the person of interest.