# Variable for who filled out the census form?

**URL:** <https://forum.ipums.org/t/variable-for-who-filled-out-the-census-form/4314>\
**Category:** USA\
**Created:** [September 15, 2021, 1:20am UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/variable-for-who-filled-out-the-census-form/4314 "2021-09-15T01:20:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![LeShae\_Henderson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@LeShae\_Henderson](https://forum.ipums.org/u/LeShae_Henderson)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2021, 1:20am UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/variable-for-who-filled-out-the-census-form/4314/1 "2021-09-15T01:20:53Z")

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Is there a variable that tells you who filled out the census form (e.g. enumerator, neighbor, head of household, etc)?

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**Author:** ![Matthew\_Bombyk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Matthew\_Bombyk](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Matthew_Bombyk)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/variable-for-who-filled-out-the-census-form/4314/2 "2021-09-17T21:53:01Z")

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There is no such variable available in the Census samples. The closest variable is [RESPMODE](https://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variables/RESPMODE#description_section), but this is only available for the ACS. You can find information about the possible response modes by decade on the [Census History website](https://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades/census_instructions/). Prior to 1960 all enumeration was done in person.