Minnesota Census

Additional Information may be found on the United States Census Portal page.

Availablity

1860-2000

1860-1930-- Federal Census Records-are available for research Minnesota with the following exceptions:

                       1870--The National Archives copy of the 1870 census was destroyed, another version was reconstructed from       duplicates preserved by the state.  The Family History Library has copies from both the Minnesota Historical Society (Archives and Manuscripts Collections) and the National Archives.

                       1890-- census lost for all counties except Rockford Township, Wright County; Union Vet. 

                                 The Minnesota Histoirical Society has produced two microfiche of 1890 census information. It covers  several families in Rockville Township, Wright County, Minnesota.

• U.S Census Rockville Township, Wright County, Cneus Schedules, 1890. St Paul, Minnesota: Minnestor Historical Society, 1987. (Not at FHL)

                       1900-- the schedual for White Earth Indian Reservation follows Yellow Medicine County Census

Many federal census records are found at the Family History Libray, it Centers , the National Archives, and other federal and state archives.  The United States Census (http://wiki.familysearch.org/en/United_States_Census) artical provides detailed information about these records.

Historical Background

 Minnesota became a state in 1858.  The land area that we now know as Minnesota was a part of Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin Terriroties.

 Minnesota has an 1850 federal territorial census, but the first federal census taken for the state of Minnesota was in 1860. 

Although most of the 1890 census was destroyed, small portions do exist for Minnesota:

• United States. Census Office. 11th Census, 1890. Population Schedules of the Eleventh Census of the United States, 1890. National Archives Microfilm Publication M0407. Washington, D.C.: The National Archives, 1962. (FHL film 926499 is for Minnesota.) The schedules for parts of Rockford, Wright County, Minnesota start on page 1017. For an every-name index to the 1890 census see:

Indexes

Statewide indexes

for the census schedules of 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 are available in book format. These index the names of the heads of each household. They also include the first person in the household who has a different surname from the head.

An 1860 every-name card index on microfilm is:

• Index to the 1860 Federal Census Schedules for Minnesota. St. Paul, Minnesota: Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts, 1978. (FHL films 1373881–911). The page numbers in this card index do not always correspond to the page numbers in the National Archives microfilms of the 1860 census. This index may be used to decide which county and township the family lived in. Then that location can be searched line by line on the census schedules.

The Minnesota Historical Society has an every-name card index to the 1870 federal census that is different from the printed version. The index is on microfilm and is available through interlibrary loan. A few printed county or area indexes exist for some of the state censuses.

1880,1900, 1920 Indexes-- Soundex (phonetic) are available for part of the 1880 census and all of the 1900 and 1920 censuses.

There is no statewide index to the 1910 census of Minnesota.

County-wide indexes to federal censuses often contain the names of every person in the household, and may also include heads of households who were overlooked or whose names were misspelled in statewide indexes. County-wide indexes are listed in the Family History Library Catalog Place Search under:

MINNESOTA, [COUNTY]– CENSUS – [YEAR]

When indexes are not available or a name is omitted from an index you can still look for the name in the census. To find a person who lived in a large city, it helps to first find his or her address in the city directory for the same year as the census. (See the "Directories" section of this outline). Then look for that address on the original census schedules.

The following reference tools help determine which census schedule microfilm and enumeration district to search for specific addresses:

• Kirkham, E. Kay. A Handy Guide to Record- Searching in the Larger Cities of the United States. Logan, Utah: Everton, 1974. (FHL book 973 D27kc; fiche 6010059-60.) Contains street maps for Duluth, Minneapolis, and St. Paul.

Census Descriptions of Geographic Subdivisions and Enumerations Districts. 

Special Censuses

Veteran Schedules (1890)

A special census was taken in 1890 of Union veterans of the Civil War:

• United States. Census Office. 11th Census, 1890. Schedules Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War. National Archives Microfilm Publication M123. (On 118 FHL films.) The Minnesota returns are available at the Family History Library on FHL films 338181–84. This census lists the veteran’s name or widow, rank, company and regiment or vessel, dates of service, and current post office address. An index to the Minnesota returns has been published:
• Dilts, Bryan Lee. 1890 Minnesota Census Index of Civil War Veterans or Their Widows. Salt Lake City, Utah: Index Publishing, 1985. (FHL book 977.6 X22d 1890).

Mortality

list of persons who died in the 12-months period  prior to the census

There are published indexes to the mortality schedules for 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880.

1850-- indexed by county

1860--indexed

1870-- indexed by county

1880-- indexed

• Jackson, Ronald Vern, ed. Mortality Schedule, Minnesota 1880.  Bountiful, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems. 1979.  (FHL book 977.6X2j 1880) the list is arranged alpahbetically and gives the  county of residence.

1900-- the surviving portion of the 1900 mortality schedule taken for Minnesota.  The printed full transcription at the FHL is: 

• Warren, James W. Minnesota 1900 Census Mortality Schedule. St. Paul Minnesota
• Mortality Records of Minnestoa by Counties from the Territorial Period of 1850 to the End of the year 1870: with the Records of St. Louis County to End of Year.  This book gives name, age, sex. state or country of birth, occupation and month of death.  The St. Louis County lists are for 1872-1879 and 1881-1883.  This book is arranged by vcounty and is not indexed.  The records come form the federal census except St. Louis County, which appears to come from local records.

State Census

After Minnesota became a state, censuses listing the name of every person were taken by the state government in 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, and 1905. Portions of some counties have been indexed, and some are available in published format. Census schedules for some years have been lost for some counties. Microfilms are available at the Minnesota Historical Society and at the Family History Library.

The Minnesota Historical Society created guides of their collection for the 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, and 1905 censuses that include a county index, an introduction that lists counties that have no schedule, and a roll content list that has the subdivisions (townships, municipalities) in each county and the order they appear on the roll. To find these guides, see the Place Search of the catalog under:

MINNESOTA – CENSUS – [YEAR] – INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS

The Minnesota Historical Society’s Genealogical Resources of the Minnesota Historical Society, A Guide has information on all the censuses that pertain to Minnesota. (See the "Archives and Libraries" section of this outline.)

Some of the early territorial censuses have been published in the Minnesota Genealogist and the Minnesota Genealogical Journal. (See the "Periodicals" section of this outline.)

Microfilm numbers of Minnesota territorial or state censuses are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

MINNESOTA – CENSUS– [YEAR]

They are also found in:

 U.S. State and Special Census Register: A Listing of Family History Library Microfilm Numbers. Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Library, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,  (FHL book 973 X2        )

• Jackson, Ronald Vern. Michigan 1820 Census Index. Bountiful, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1981. (FHL book 977.4 X22m 1820.)

Territorial Census

Portions of present-day Minnesota were included in the 1836 Wisconsin territorial census, as part of Crawford and Dubuque counties. (Dubuque County was later in Iowa Territory.) In 1838, the Wisconsin territorial census covered some of Minnesota in Crawford and Clayton counties. Some Minnesota residents are listed in the 1840 territorial censuses of Wisconsin and Iowa.

In 1849 Minnesota became its own territory. Censuses were taken in 1849, 1850, 1853, 1855 and 1857. A microfilmed index is at Minnesota Historical Library and available through interlibrary loan. Parts or all of some of these censuses have been lost. Others are at the Minnesota Historical Society Library. The Family History Library has:

• Minnesota. Census Bureau. Schedules of the Minnesota Census of 1857. National Archives Microfilm Publication, T1175. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1973. (FHL films 944283–90.) The 1857 census is arranged alphabetically by county and then by the smaller jurisdiction. It was taken by 21 September 1857 and lists each household member and includes name, age, sex, race, birth locality (state, territory, or country), occupation, and if naturalized or native citizen.

According to the article below, some fictional names of people and places of residence were listed in southwestern Minnesota in the 1857 census:

• Forrest, Robert J. Mythical Cities of Southwestern Minnesota. Minnesota History: A Quarterly Magazine. 14, no. 3 (September 1933): 243–62. (FHL book 977.6 H25m; film 965778.)

Web Sites

                        http://ancestry.com  ($)

                        http://heritagequest.com

                        http://www.mnhs.org/index.htm

                        http://www.censusfinder.com/minnesota.htm

                        http://www.accessgenealogy.com/census/minnesota.htm

                        http://www.census-online.com/links/MN/

                        http://www.rootsweb.com/~census/states/minnesota/

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

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