Maine Census
Availability
1800--Some of York County is missing.
1810--Half of Oxford County is missing.
1820--Some of Washington County is missing.
Historical Background
Indexes
1790-1930 Online Index--All federal census records for Maine are indexed online at www.ancestry.com.
The following indexes are available at the Family History library: 1790-1850 Indexes--The Family History Library has statewide indexes for the 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, and 1850 censuses in book and microfiche format.
1850-1870 Indexes--The library also has a partial index of some counties and some towns for the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses.
- Maine Census Indexes, 1850-1870. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1953. (FHL films 009734-8.) Sorted alphabetically by town, then census year. Lists head of household and page number in census.
1880, 1900, 1920 Indexes--Soundex (phonetic) indexes are available for part of the 1880 census and all of the 1900 and 1920 censuses.
1910--The 1910 Federal census for Maine is indexed online at www.ancestry.com.
Town Indexes--Town indexes can sometimes help you find names overlooked in statewide indexes. A few town indexes are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under MAINE, [COUNTY], [TOWN] - CENSUS.
Special Censuses
Veterans’ Censuses
1840 Federal Census--A listing was made of Revolutionary War veterans that included the age of the veteran, the place where he was living, and the name of the head of the household . An index is:
- A General Index to A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Service, 1840. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1965. (FHL book 973 X2pc 1965 index; fiche 6046771; film 899835.) The census of pensioners is published in:
- A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. (FHL book 973 X2pc 1840; film 2321.)State Censuses
1890 Federal Census--The 1890 census has a veterans schedule, which lists the veterans or their widows who were living when the census was taken. Ancestry subscribers can access these records online.
For a copy of the veterans schedule, see:
- Jackson, Ronald Vern. Maine 1890 Veterans Census Index. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems International, 1990. (FHL book 974.1 X22j 1890.)
- United States. Census Office. 11th Census, 1890. Schedules Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Washington, D.C.: The National Archives, 1948. (FHL films for Maine 338165-6.)
State Censuses
1837 State Census--A state census was taken in 1837, but only the schedules for Portland, Bangor, Eliot, and unincorporated areas still exist. The census names the head of each household and lists the ages of other persons in the household. This census is not at the Family History Library. The schedules for Portland, Bangor, and unincorporated areas are at the Maine State Archives. The Maine Historical Society has the Eliot section. This census is also known as the Maine Special 1837 Census and it is online.
Territorial Censuses
Maine does not have a territorial census.
Web Sites
http://www.heritagequestonline.com
http://www.census-online.com/links/ME/
http://dir.genealogytoday.com/usa/me/census.html
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/census/maine.htm
Federal Censuses
Population Schedules. Many federal census records are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The United States Census article provides detailed information about these records.
Images for each of the federal censuses up to 1930 are available online. To find out more, go to United States Census Online
When indexes are not available or do not include a person's name, you can still look for the person in the census. If the person lived in a large city, first search a city directory of the year the census was taken in order to find the person's address (see the "Directories" section of this outline). Then look for the address on the original census schedules.
The following reference tools can help you determine which microfilm has the census schedule and enumeration district you need to search in order to find a specific address:
Census Descriptions of Geographic Subdivisions and Enumerations Districts.
- 1880 FHL film 1402861
- 1900 FHL film 1303022
- 1910 FHL film 1374004
- 1920 FHL film 1842708
Buckway, G. Eileen. U.S. 1910 Federal Census: Unindexed States: A Guide to Finding Census Enumeration Districts for Unindexed Cities, Towns, and Villages. Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Library, 1992. (FHL book 973 X2bu 1910; fiche 6101340.) This work lists all Maine towns or wards with their 1910 census enumeration district numbers and FHL film numbers. The section on Portland has special instructions and includes the city directory and the Family History Library book or film numbers you will need.
Mortality Schedules. The 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses have mortality schedules, which are lists of the people who died in the year before the census was taken. The Family History Library, Maine State Archives, and the National Archives have copies of the mortality schedules. The Family History Library film numbers are listed below:
- 1850 (FHL film 009739)
- 1860 (FHL film 009740)
- 1870 (FHL film 009741)
- 1880 (FHL film 1841575)