In this paper, we present results from one of the pre-1990 census tests in which the identity of the decennial census respondent for the household was coded and captured. We use this information to paint a demographic portrait of the census respondent. This information is important for two reasons. First, it may give us some indirect measures of the quality of census data. Differences are likely in the ability of various household members to perform as a household respondent for all members of the household. The identity of the respondent, and such characteristics as age, educational level, and relationship within the household may provide some indirect information about the quality and accuracy of the data. Factors such as the respondents’ knowledge of the housing unit and other household members, and his/her accessibility to information and records may influence how well the respondent completes the form, or how much data he/she can provide about other household members.

The second reason that information about respondent characteristics is important is because this information can help us design a better census. Learning more about the characteristics of persons who fill out the forms can give us a better idea of how to design the form, and also suggest where to target our outreach programs.