Indiana Census

A census is a count and description of the population of a country, territory, state, county, or city. A well-indexed census is one of the easiest ways to locate the specific places your ancestors lived and to identify the dates they lived there. You can also find excellent family information, particularly in more recent censuses. Use the censuses with caution, however, since the information may have been given to a census taker by any member of the family or by a neighbor.

Federal Censuses

Population Schedules. All federal census records through 1930 are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and National Archives regional centers. State libraries and archives may also have census microfilms. The United States Research Outline provides more detailed information about these federal records.

The Family History Library has microfilms of the U.S. federal censuses of Indiana from 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. The 1800 and 1810 censuses for areas in Indiana were lost, except the 1810 Harrison County census. You can use territorial censuses and records as a substitute for these missing early federal censuses. The 1820 Davies County census was lost and the 1890 schedules for all of Indiana were destroyed.

Master Indexes. Some of the statewide census indexes mentioned below are combined into a master index for several census years, states, and census types. Two of these large indexes are:

FamilyFinder™ Index and Viewer: Version 4.0. [Novato, California]: Brøderbund Software, 1997. (FHL compact disc no.9 1997 index FamilyFinder is a trademark of Brøderbund Software, Inc.) Not circulated to Family History Centers. This is a single composite index to a 1790 French census that included part of Indiana, the 1820 to 1860 Indiana federal censuses, and the 1850 mortality schedule.

The FamilyFinder Index is also available on the Family Tree Maker™ Internet web site, www.familytreemaker.com .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. Similar index information is also available at the www.ancestry.com  web site. 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. (This does not have a Family History Library fiche number, but it is available at most Family History Centers in the United States.) Search number one includes the 1790 French census and the 1810 Harrison County census. Separate 1820, 1830, 1840, and 1850 indexes are on other searches.

Statewide indexes are available for the 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850 and 1860 federal census records for Indiana.

Soundex (phonetic) indexes are on microfilm for the 1880, 1900, and 1920 censuses. The 1880 census index includes only families with children born from 1869 to 1880. The 1900 and 1920 censuses have indexes to all heads of households. Special ethnic indexes are also available for African-Americans, Mulattoes, and Indians in the 1870 and 1880 censuses of Indiana. For more details see the "Minorities" section of this outline.

County-wide indexes to federal censuses sometimes help to locate names overlooked in statewide indexes. Several county-wide indexes are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

INDIANA, [COUNTY]- CENSUS

When indexes are not available or a name is omitted from an index, 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 under the census year (see the "Directories" section of this outline). Determine which enumeration district held that address. Then look for that enumeration district and address on the original census schedules.

To learn which enumeration district in a big city held a specific address, see the United States Research Outline, "Census" section. It cites the enumeration district descriptions you can use to find the boundaries of federal enumeration districts.

Buckway, Eileen G., comp. 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 set of 8.) This lists all Indiana towns, or wards, with their 1910 census enumeration district numbers and the Family History Library film numbers. Evansville, Fort Wayne, Gary, Indianapolis, South Bend, and Terre Haute each have special instructions, often including the library’s city directory book and film numbers.

The Indiana Division of the Indiana State Library has additional 1910 city directories for Kokomo, Lafayette, New Albany, Richmond, Terre Haute, and Vincennes. Local public libraries may also have city directories for their communities for 1910.

Selected enumeration district maps for Indiana in 1910 are listed in:

United States. Bureau of the Census. Cross Index to Selected City Streets and Enumeration Districts, 1910 Census. National Archives Microfiche Publications, M1283. Washington, DC: National Archives, 1984. (FHL fiche 6331481)

The enumeration district maps are on the following microfiche:

• Fort Wayne and Gary fiche 6331481, part 19
• Indianapolis fiche 6331481, part 21
• South Bend fiche 6331481, part 49

Davidson, J. W. Map of Evansville, and Howell, Indiana, 1910: With Suburban Plats. [N.p., 1910?] (FHL map case 977.233/E1 E7d; fiche 6049928)

Mortality Schedules, 1850–1880. Indiana mortality schedules exist for 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880. They list persons who died during the 12 months before 1 June of the census year (for 1850, 1860, and 1870) and before 31 May for 1880. They list name, sex, color, age, free or slave, married or widowed, state or country of birth, month of death, occupation, cause of death, and number of days ill prior to death. For 1880 the state or country of birth of the parents is listed. The original mortality schedules are available at the Genealogy Division of the Indiana State Library. Indiana mortality schedules are not available at the Family History Library.

The following published mortality schedule indexes are available:

Volkel, Lowell M. 1850 Indiana Mortality Schedule. Three volumes. N.p.: L. M. Volkel, 1971. (FHL book 977.2 X21p; film 1428705 item 6.) Volume one has counties A through Harrison; volume two, Hendricks through Posey; and volume three, Pulaski through Whitley. Each volume includes a separate every-name index. These books have the full data from the schedules.

Jackson, Ronald Vern. Mortality Schedule, Indiana, 1850. South Bountiful, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1979. (FHL book 977.2 X2j 1850.) This is an alphabetical index.

Index to Indiana Mortality Schedules, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880. Eight volumes. These volumes are not available at the Family History Library, but you can write to the Indiana State Library for a search.

1890 Veterans Census Substitute. The 1890 federal census and veterans schedules of Indiana were destroyed. As a substitute for the 1890 census, use the military enrollment records made in 1886, 1890, and 1894 by the county assessor of each township. The assessor made a record of veterans who served in the War of 1812, the Civil War, and other wars, or their widows or orphans who were residing in Indiana at the time of enrollment. These enrollments and an index to these records are described in the War of 1812 portion of the "Military Records" section in this outline. See also the listing for tax records in the "Taxation" section of this outline.

Territorial and State Censuses

1801–1820. The portion of the 1800 census that included the area that is now Indiana was lost or destroyed. A census substitute for this early period is:

Franklin, Charles H. Indiana Territorial Pioneer Records 1801-1820. N.p.: Heritage House, 1983- 1985. (FHL book 977.2 N4i.) Volume 1 covers 1810–1815, and volume 2, 1801–1820. These abstracts of election returns, military records, census records, births, and histories are compiled by county. Each volume has a surname index and maps showing the early formation of counties.

1807. An 1807 census was published in:

Census of Indiana Territory for 1807. Indianapolis, Indiana: Indiana Historical Society, 1980. (FHL book 977.2 X2c 1807; film 1033927 item 4.) This includes an every-name index.

1810. The only remaining portion of the 1810 census is for Harrison County. These records covered the northern part of the county and included most of the south-central part of the state in 1810. They are found in the following:

Beanblossom, Walter S. Early Records of Harrison County, Indiana. N.p.: Beanblossom, 1975. (FHL film 928263 item 5.) This contains an alphabetical abstract of the 1813 tax list of Harrison County and includes the names of the townships.

1810 Census of Harrison County, Indiana (Harrison and Exeter Townships). The Hoosier Genealogist 16 (June 1976): 22–50. (FHL book 977.2 B2h.) This includes a typescript and facsimile copy, an alphabetical typescript copy, and photocopies of the original census.

The FamilyFinder Index and Viewer (FamilyFinder is a trademark of Brøderbund Software, Inc.) and the AIS Microfiche Indexes mentioned previously in "Master Indexes" also index this 1810 census fragment.

1820. In 1820 an enumeration was made of all white male inhabitants (voters) age 21 or older. The records for Crawford, Gibson, Jackson, Jennings, Knox, Monroe, Orange, Perry, Posey, Ripley, Vanderburgh, Washington, and Wayne counties are at the Indiana State Archives. These records have been published and are available as:

Moran, Mary M. The Indiana 1820 Enumeration of Males. Indianapolis, Indiana: Indiana Historical Society, Family History Section, 1998. (FHL book 977.2 X2m 1820.) This book is indexed and shows the name of the male and his county and town of residence.

1853, 1866, 1871 and 1877. The 1851 Constitution provided for an enumeration every six years. The first enumeration under this Constitution was to be completed in 1853, before 1 June. Apparently, in 1859 and 1865 voter enumerations were not taken. Starting with the 1866 enumeration, the age of the individual also was required. Beginning in 1877, the census listed the name and age of white male residents, 21 or over, and included a separate list of names of African-American males 21 or over. This is listed under the heading "Negro". A few fragments of the 1877 census are at the Indiana State Archives.

A few scattered fragments of the 1853, 1866, 1871, 1877 and later enumerations are at the Indiana State Archives. Many of these fragments have been published in periodicals. The Family History Library has one of these records on microfilm:

Hendricks County (Indiana). County Clerk. Male Census, 1853. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1967. (FHL film 488432.) This lists white males over age 21 alphabetically by the first letter of the surname and gives their county of residence.

Some of these voter enumeration lists include:

• 1853: Hendricks County
• 1857: Blackford County, Hartford City
• 1871, 1877, 1883, 1889: Blackford County (various townships)
• 1877: Fayette County (five townships)
• 1889–1919: Pike County
• 1901: Washington County, Jackson Township
• 1913, 1931: Henry County
• 1919: Ripley County, Jackson Township
• 1919: Starke County, Center Township

Census records are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

INDIANA- CENSUS

INDIANA, [COUNTY]- CENSUS

INDIANA, [COUNTY], [TOWN]- CENSUS

For a summary of Indiana censuses see:

Beatty, John D. Indiana Census Records and Census Substitutes. Indiana Genealogist 8, no.1 (March 1997): 1–17.

Online Resources

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

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

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

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

All U.S. Federal Censuses are digitized, indexed and available online at both www.ancestry.com and www.heritagequestonline.com . These are both subscription websites that may be available for free use at your local public or academic library.