Pennsylvania Census

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 Research Outline provides more detailed information about these records. Many of the Federal Censuses have been indexed and are online.

The Family History Library has the U.S. federal censuses of Pennsylvania (1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930). There were two enumerations for Philadelphia in 1870. The 1890 census was destroyed, but this is available:

United States. Census Office. 11th Census, 1890. Schedules Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War. (FHL films 338160-277, Pennsylvania is on films 338237-50.)

Statewide indexes are available for the 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, and 1850 censuses in book and microfiche format. The 1860 and 1870 indexes are available in book and compact disc formats. The 1860 book indexes are divided into five sets: East, Central, West, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh (Butler and Allegheny counties). The 1870 indexes are divided into Pennsylvania East, Central, West, and Philadelphia. Soundex (phonetic) indexes are available for part of the 1880 census and all of the 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930 censuses. Philadelphia County is indexed separately in 1910. An alphabetical transcript of Pittsburgh and Allegheny City is on microfilm for the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses (listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under PENNSYLVANIA, ALLEGHENY, PITTSBURGH - CENSUS).

County-wide indexes to federal censuses sometimes help locate names overlooked in statewide indexes. A few county-wide indexes are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under PENNSYLVANIA, [COUNTY] - CENSUS.

When indexes are not available or omit a name, you can still look for the name in the census. In large cities it helps to first learn the person's address by searching the city directory for the same year (or the year before and after) as the census (see the "Directories" section of this outline). Then look for that address on the original census schedules. If the address is not on the census, as is the case in the earlier censuses, look for the address on a ward map to identify the ward and search every name on the census for that ward.

These 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.) Includes ward maps and street indexes for:

Harrisburg 1878;
Philadelphia 1850-1855, 1860, and 1878;
Scranton 1878;
Williamsport 1878.

Census Descriptions of Geographic Subdivisions and Enumerations Districts.

1880	Missing Pennsylvania descriptions
1900	FHL film 1303026
1910	FHL film 1374010
1920	FHL film 1842717

United States. Bureau of the Census

Cross Index to Selected City Streets and Enumeration Districts, 1910 Census. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, [1984]. (51 FHL fiche 6331481.) Lists street addresses of Erie (after Elizabeth, New Jersey) on fiche 19, Philadelphia on fiche 38-42, and Reading on fiche 43 (after Phoenix, Arizona) with corresponding census enumeration districts.

Mortality Schedules

Mortality schedules (lists of persons who died in the 12 months prior to the census) were taken with the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses. They are on microfilm at the Family History Library and the National Archives. The originals are at the State Library of Pennsylvania. The 1850 and 1860 schedules have also been published. The 1850, 1860, and 1870 mortality schedules are indexed.

Master Indexes

Some of the indexes mentioned above are combined into composite master indexes of several census years, states, and census types:

FamilyFinder™ Index and Viewer: Version 3.0 [Novato, Calif.]: Brøderbund Software, 1995. (FHL compact disc no. 9 1995 index). FamilyFinder and Family Tree Maker are trademarks of Brøderbund Software, Inc.). Not available at Family History Centers. Single, composite index to the Pennsylvania censuses (1790-1860), the federal censuses (1870, partial), and the mortality schedules (1850, 1860, and 1870).

The FamilyFinder Index is also available on the Family Tree Maker™ Internet web site. You can search the FamilyFinder Index for free. It displays the census year and state for each name matching the search. Once you know the year and state, you can use the original index on compact disc, microfiche, or book to obtain enough data to easily find the name in the original census schedules. The FamilyFinder Index includes the following Jackson indexes:

Jackson, Ronald Vern. AIS Microfiche Indexes of U.S. Census and Other Records. Bountiful, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems International, 1984. (No FHL fiche number but available at many Family History Centers.) Pennsylvania census indexes for 1790, 1800, and 1810 are combined on Search 1. A composite mortality schedule index for 1850, 1860, and 1870 is on Search 8. Separate indexes for Pennsylvania 1820, 1830, 1840, and 1850 are on other searches.

Agriculture Schedules

An important source for potentially valuable historical information about farmers is United States, Census Office, Nonpopulation Census Schedules for Pennsylvania; Agricultural Schedules, 1850-1880 (FHL films 1602240-301). These records list the name of the farmer and include details on farm implements, livestock, and crops.

Manufacturers Schedules

Also potentially helpful is United States, Census Office, Nonpopulation Census Schedules for Pennsylvania; Manufacturers Schedules 1850-1880 (on 21 FHL films beginning with 1578849). These schedules contain the names of owners and details about their business or firm. If an individual is listed in the population census with an occupation involving manufacturing, such as a blacksmith, shoe maker, barrel maker, etc., details about the business or firm may be given in this census.

Products of Industry in Pennsylvania

The Family History Library has United States, Census Office, 8th census, 1860, Schedule 5: Products of Industry in Pennsylvania, 1860 (FHL films 899751-52). It gives the name of the corporation, company, or individual producing products with an annual value up to $500; name of the business, manufacturer, or product; capital invested in real and personal estate in the business; raw material used; kind of motive power or machinery; average number of hands employed; wages; and annual product.

Social Statistics

The library also has United States, Census Office, Nonpopulation Census Schedules for Pennsylvania; Social Statistics, 1850-1880 (FHL films 1602302-24). The 1850-1870 censuses give no names, only numbers; the 1880 census gives names of idiots, deaf-mutes, the blind, homeless children, prisoners, paupers, and indigents.

Colonial and State

There are no colonial censuses for Pennsylvania. See Pennsylvania Taxation for census-like lists of early residents.

Septennial censuses (actually tax lists) were taken every seven years, beginning in 1779 and continuing until 1863. Remaining records are at the State Archives. A Guide to Genealogical Sources at the Pennsylvania State Archives (see Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries), pp. 99-100, has a list of the available censuses and the information they contain. See Pennsylvania Minorities for more information about these censuses.