1940 US Federal Census Data South Portland
Where one member of the family was an East European immigrant
Data extracted by DMJ consultants (2020)



Namedate of birthplace of birthmarriage statusrelation to head of householdaddressoccupationindustryresidence in 1935 highest gradedays worked in prior yearincome in prior year
Myer Simon1896LithuaniaMarriedHead29 Thomas StreetOwnerAuto SupplySameElementary school, 7th grade520
Florence Simon1897MaineMarriedWife29 Thomas Street  SameHigh School, 4th year00
Adelle Simon1922MaineSingleDaughter29 Thomas StreetNew Worker SameHigh School, 4th year00
Lester Simon1923MaineSingleSon29 Thomas Street  SameHigh School, 4th year00
Harriet Simon1929MaineSingleDaughter29 Thomas Street  SameElementary school, 5th grade  
Bernard Simon1937MaineSingleSon29 Thomas Street   None  
Sarah Rosenbloom1908RussiaMarriedWife39 Walnut Street  SameElementary school, 7th grade00
George Lamport1868RussiaWidowedFather-in-law39 Walnut Street  SameNone00
Abraham Rosenbloom1901RussiaMarriedHead39 Walnut StreetProprietorRetail Ice & CoalSameElementary school, 7th grade520
Sylvia Rosenbloom1925MaineSingleDaughter39 Walnut Street  SameHigh School, 1st year00
Ruben Black1889RussiaMarriedHead320 Preble StreetProprietorLunch StandRural, Cumberland, MaineElementary school, 8th grade80
Gertrude Black1901GermanyMarriedWife320 Preble Street  Rural, Cumberland, MaineElementary school, 8th grade00
Lillian J Black1921GermanySingleDaughter320 Preble StreetNew Worker Rural, Cumberland, MaineHigh School, 4th year00
Charles Rosenbloom1874RussiaMarriedHead8 Bonny Bank RoadSalesmanReal EstateSameHigh School, 4th year520
Rose Rosenbloom1884ScotlandMarriedWife8 Bonny Bank Road  SameCollege, 4th year00
Ralph Lamport1897RussiaMarriedHead344 BroadwayManagerRetail Ice & CoalSameHigh School, 4th year520
Goldie Lamport1897MaineMarriedWife344 Broadway  SameHigh School, 4th year00
Saul G Chason1898PolandMarriedHead6 AlbanyOperatorInsurance Real EstateSameCollege, 1st year520
Charles G Chason1926MaineSingleSon6 Albany  SameHigh School, 1st year00
Dorothy Chason1899New YorkMarriedWife6 AlbanyManagerApt HotelSameCollege, 2nd year521800
Joseph August1865PolandMarriedHeadHighland AvenueLaborerPiggerySameElementary school, 6th grade52375
Jennie August1870MaineMarriedWifeHighland Avenue  SameElementary school, 5th grade00

Methodological notes :

This data was culled from the original U.S. census manuscripts, as found on www.ancestry.com.
Jews are understood to constitute an ethnic group of Eastern and Central European origin characterized by common names and occupational pursuits, as well as a distinctive language.
This definition lends itself well to analysis of the data preserved in census records.
Two primary methods were used to identify Jews:
1. Individuals born abroad whose mother tongue is "Yiddish," "Jewish," or "Hebrew" were automatically included in the spreadsheet, as were all members of their families.
2. For individuals born abroad whose mother tongue was another Eastern or Central European language (e.g., Russian, Polish, German), or individuals born in the U.S. with one or more parents from Eastern or Central Europe, we examined surnames, given names within a household, and occupations in light of common Jewish characteristics. This method of analysis is, of course, subject to inaccuracy, as we may have excluded Jews with uncommon names or occupations or included non-Jews whose characteristics appear Jewish. Individuals listed with the annotation "nj?" in the far right-hand column are those whose Jewish ancestry is plausible but questionable.
This method of analysis easily misses Jewish households whose members' parents were all born in the United States. In 1930 Maine, however, such households were quite rare. Special efforts were made to identify households of this nature in Portland, where they constituted less than 1% of identified Jewish households.
All members of a household containing a Jew are included in the spreadsheet, with the exception of Jewish lodgers and servants, who are listed individually. Household members who are evidently not Jewish (such as non-Jewish servants and some spouses or in-laws) are listed with the annotation "nj."
Information on place of birth
Some people replied with the name of the place when they left; others replied with the name of place when the census was taken; in other cases it just seems that it was easier for the census taker to write ‘Russia’ rather than Lithuania, Ukraine or other unfamiliar country names.
And there is another reason to be skeptical of the accuracy of the place of birth information. Immigrants from the Pale had a very justified fear of the Russian and often local governments. One way to manage this reality was to tell government representatives what they expected they wanted to hear or what they thought would bring them the least trouble. This may well explain why a number of family members, who were clearly from Eastern Europe, may have answered ‘Maine’ or ‘New York’.

Last Updated : Jan 2 , 2021

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