United States Census

United States    U.S. Census

This article is about censuses of the United States. For other uses, see Census (disambiguation).

For details about federal censuses see United States Federal Census .

See also Beginning Census Research and Record Keeping in the FamilySearch Learning Center.

US Census

Topics

Accuracy Analyzing/Using Data Availability Blank Forms Historical Background Indexes Maps Online Censuses Registers at the FS Library Searching Soundex Census Substitutes Abbreviations and codes

Non-Population Federal Schedules

Agriculture Schedules Defective Schedules Indian Schedules Institutions Manufacturing or Industrial Schedules Merchant Seamen Military / Naval Forces Mortality Schedules Slave Schedules Social Statistics Schedules Veterans Schedules

U.S. Census Types

Colonial Censuses Federal Censuses Indian Census Rolls School Censuses State Censuses Territorial Censuses

Substitute Records

Directories Maps (especially plat and insurance maps) Taxation Voting Records

Key U.S. Census Internet Links

• Record Search free indexes & images 1850-1920 
• U.S. Census Online Internet links
• U.S. Census Bureau Free images of 1790 census for 12 states
• Ancestry.com ($) indexes & images 1790-1930
• HeritageQuest ($) images 1790-1930 + a few indexes
• Fold3.com ($) index & images 1860 and 1930
• Census Finder free census links and how to use census records for genealogical research.
• Cyndi's List - United States - U.S. Census free index of links

Value of Censuses

A census is a count and description of the population of a country, state, county, or city. Census lists are also called “schedules." In the United States a nationwide census has been taken every ten years since 1790. A well-indexed census is one of the easiest ways to locate where an ancestor lived and when they lived there. You can also use censuses to:

• Follow the family over time.
• Determine family relationships.
• Show clues for finding other records.
• U.S. Presidents appearing in census schedules.

Contents of Federal Censuses

Historical Census Browser 1790-1960 (University of Virginia Library)

Federal Census Years

after 1940	1910	1870	1840	1810
1940	1900	1860	1830	1800
1930	1890	1850	1820	1790
1920	1880

Blank forms for each U.S. census year

Finding Census Records

Census Records by State

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas

Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina

North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Censuses in U.S. Territories

American Samoa Cuba

Guam Panama Canal Zone Philippines

Puerto Rico United States Virgin Islands

Key Reference Sources

• William Thorndale, and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to U.S. Federal Censuses 1790-1920 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publ., 1987) [FHL Book 973 X2th]. Shows county boundary changes in each state from 1790 to 1920, and which census areas were lost or still exist.
• William Dollarhide, The Census Book: a Genealogist's Guide to Federal Census Facts, Schedules and Indexes: with Master Extraction Forms for Federal Census Schedules, 1790-1930. (Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 1999)[FHL book 973 X27d]. An online edition is at HeritageQuestOnline. Discusses indexes, regular, and non-population schedules.
• G. David Dilts, "Censuses and Tax Lists" in Kory L. Meyerink, ed., Printed Sources: a Guide to Published Genealogical Records (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1998), 300-52. [FHL Book 016.9293 P96m] Strategies for finding elusive ancestors, and history of indexing.
• Tiffany Perkins, Tiff's Census Class (27 minute online video) FamilySearch Research Classes Online, and Mid-Continent Public Library, Midwest Genealogy Center, 2010.
• Gary Toms, State and Special Census Records (36 minute online video) FamilySearch Research Classes Online, and Mid-Continent Public Library, Midwest Genealogy Center, 2010.
• Angela McComas, Heads of Household Only: Analysis of Pre-1850 Federal Census (19 minute online video) FamilySearch Research Classes Online, and Mid-Continent Public Library, Midwest Genealogy Center, 2010.

Wiki articles describing these collections are found at:

• United States Census Populaltion Schedule, 1850 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• United States Census Population Schedules, 1860 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• United States Census Population Schedules, 1870 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• United States Census Population Schedules, 1880 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• United States Census Population Scheduale, 1890 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• United States Census Population Schedules, 1900 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• United States Census Population Schedules 1910 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• United States Census Population Schedules 1920 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• United States Census Population Schedules 1930 (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• United States, Census of Merchant Seamen, 1930 (FamilySearch Historical Records)

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