United States Census State Censuses

Availability

Location of records--State census records may be found at State Archives, State Historical Societies, State Libraries, the Family History Library and on the Internet. The state census records at the Family History Library are located with the United States and Canada films on the 2nd floor of the library. They are not included with the federal census records.

Historical Background

State censuses were often taken in the years between the federal censuses, such as 1875 or 1892. For some states these exist from about 1825 to 1925. They are found in state archives, and copies of most are on microfilm at the Family History Library. The library's most complete collections of state censuses are for Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. However censuses exist for the following states also: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming. The years are listed in this article by Summer Owens.

They are usually listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under [STATE] - CENSUS RECORDS. 

Content

• Lainhart, Ann S. State Census Records. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1992. (FHL book X2Lai;) State-by-state list of censuses, and selected census substitutes. Describes dates, coverage, content, indexes and availability.
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Family History Library, US/Canada Reference Staff, State Census Register, 3 vols. (Salt Lake City: Family History Library, 2005). FHL Ref. book 973 X23us.

Value

State census records may help fill in the gaps in the years between the federal censuses. State census records may have asked different or unusual questions which may give additional information on the family. 

Indexes

Indexes for state census records vary. You may find the following types of indexes:

No index

Surname index

Heads of house and strays index

Every name index

Soundex or Miracode index

Reconstructed index

Town, county, or state index

Multi-volume or multi-year indexes

Web Sites

Ancestry:  www.ancestry.com

References

• Szucs, Loretto Dennis and Wright, Matthew. Finding Answers in U.S. Census Records. (Orem, Utah: 2001 Ancestry) FHL Book 973 X27s.
  

Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)