Iowa Census

Census records from 1850 on can show names of each member of the household, his or her age, state or country of birth, occupation and race. Censuses can also give clues about marital status, marriage dates, death dates, immigration and naturalization information, migration patterns, previous residence, adoptions, and divorces. (See the United States Research Outline for more details.) Censuses for 1840 and earlier list only heads of families.

Most families were listed when a census taker made his visits, making these records rich in clues. Other persons in the county with the same surname may be related to each other. Statewide indexes can also help to locate families when only the state where they lived is known.

Federal Censuses

Federal censuses for the state of Iowa begin with 1850 and were taken every ten years through 1990. See the United States Research Outline for more information about nationwide census records and indexes.

Many federal census records are at the following archives:

State Historical Society (in Des Moines and Iowa City)
The Family History Library (Iowa censuses from 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910 and 1920)

The National Archives

Other federal and state archives

The 1890 census schedules for Iowa and most other states were destroyed in a fire on 21 January 1921 at the Commerce Department in Washington, D.C.

The 1850, 1860, and 1870 federal censuses have statewide, head-of-household indexes (in books). These were compiled by various organizations. If an ancestor does not appear in one index, check another for the same year as the handwriting may not have been deciphered correctly.

The 1880 (partial), 1900, and 1920 censuses have Soundex (phonetic) indexes on microfilm.

The 1910 census does not have a Soundex index for Iowa; however, if you know the town or city where your ancestor lived, you can find the appropriate county, enumeration district number, and Family History Library film number by looking in the following source:

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)

Mortality Schedules, 1850–1880

The 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses have mortality schedules. These schedules list the names of persons who died during the year preceding the census. Mortality schedules contain information on a person’s age, state or country of birth, month of death, cause of death, number of days ill, race, occupation, and for 1880, parents’ birthplaces.

The State Historical Society in Des Moines and Iowa City and the Family History Library have copies of the mortality schedules.

1850 (FHL film 1421006)
1860 (FHL film 1421007)
1870 (FHL films 1421008-10)
1880 (FHL films 1421011-14)

Like the census, these records are arranged by county and then by town.

The 1850 census mortality schedule has been indexed in:

Jackson, Ronald Vern. Iowa 1850 Mortality. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1987. (FHL book 977.7 X2j 1850).

Territorial Censuses

Territorial census enumerations were taken for the following years (although in most cases only records of a few counties have survived):

Wisconsin Territory: 1836 and 1838
Iowa Territory: 1840, 1844, and 1846

The above censuses give the name of the head of household and the county of residence.

The 1840 territorial census also provides the name of the head of household and the number of males and females with age indications: under 5, 5–10, 10–15, 15–20, 20–30, and ten-year increments to 100 plus.

Indexes to the territorial censuses for 1836, 1838, 1840, and 1841–1846 are available in book form at the Family History Library.

State Censuses

State censuses were taken from 1846 to 1925 and give the following information:

The state censuses taken through 1854 list: heads of households, and the number of males and females by age groups.

The 1854 census also indicates race, citizenship, militia status and whether the person is registered to vote.

State censuses were taken in the following years:

1840, 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844 (Keokuk County)
1846 (Louisa, Polk, and Wapello Counties)
1847, 1849, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854
1856 (statewide, by county)
1881 (Mason City, Cerro Gordo County)
1882 (town of Keokuk, Lee County)
1885 (statewide)
1888 (town of Algona, Kossuth County)
1889 (town of Cherokee, Cherokee County)
1891 (town of Emmetsburg, Palo Alto County, town of Spencer, Clay County, town of Villisca, Montgomery County)
1892 (town of Carroll, Carroll County, town of Eagle Grove, Wright County, town of Estherville, Emmett County, town of Greene, Jefferson County, and town of Tama, Tama County)
1893 (town of Mystic, Appanoose County, town of Hampton, Franklin County, town of Ames, Story County, town of Bloomfield, Davis County, town of Nevada, Story County, and town of West Union, Fayette County)
1895 (statewide)
1905 (statewide)
1915 (statewide, alphabetical by county)
1925 (statewide)

The following indexes are available for 1841 to 1859:

Jackson, Ronald Vern, ed. Iowa Census Records, 1841–1849. Two Volumes. Salt Lake City, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1979, 1981. (FHL book 977.7 X22i 1841–1849; fiche 6019963 [vol. 1]).

Jackson, Ronald Vern, ed. Iowa Census Records, 1851 to 1859. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1981. (FHL book 977.7 X2i 1851–1859).

Jackson, Ronald Vern, ed. Iowa 1852. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1988. (FHL book 977.7 X22io 1852).

For 1856 a census substitute for many cities in Iowa is:

Sopp, Elsie L. Personal Name Index to the 1856 City Directories of Iowa. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Company, 1980. (FHL book 977.7 D42s).

The 1856, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, and 1925: Iowa census records list each person in the household and give the following information:

1856: Name, sex, age, birthplace, marital status, length of residence, race, citizenship, native or naturalized voter, occupation, militia status, years of residence in Iowa, land ownership, disability, economic status, and agriculture or manufacturing information.

1885: Name, address, age, race, marital status, occupation, state or country of birth, county of birth (if born in Iowa), native or foreign parentage, military service eligibility and whether they are registered to vote. If the person is an alien, it also lists whether he or she has applied for citizenship.

1895: Name, age, race, marital status, state or country of birth, occupation, religious affiliation, military service eligibility, whether they are registered to vote, citizenship status, births and deaths in 1894, and Civil War service (and unit).

1905: There is a card for each person, and the cards are arranged by county. They contain: name, city, ward, post office address, sex, race, age, state or country of birth, parents’ state or country of birth, home or farm ownership, estimated property value, mortgage debt, citizenship status, years of residence in the United States and in Iowa, marital status, occupation, and military service (war and unit, with dates of enlistment and discharge). Note: some of the cards are difficult to read.

1915: Name, age, race, marital status, citizenship status, years in the United States and in Iowa, occupation, education, state or country of birth, home or farm ownership, military service (war and unit), religious affiliation, and parents’ state or country of birth.

1925: Name, relationship to head of family, race, age, marital status, home ownership or rental information, citizenship status, years in the United States and in Iowa, education, state or country of birth, father’s name, state or country of birth and age, mother’s full maiden name, state or country of birth and age, and parents’ place of marriage.

For the 1925 census, there is an index for the following cities: Boone, Cedar Falls, Centerville, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Council Bluffs, Dubuque, Ottumwa, Sioux City, Waterloo, Davenport, and Des Moines. Under each city, residents are listed alphabetically. You can find this information in:

1925 'Iowa State Census Index. [Des Moines, Iowa]: State of Iowa, Department of General Services, Records Management Division, Micrographics Section, 1980. (On 29 FHL films beginning with 1430705).

Iowa state censuses are available at:

The State Historical Society in Des Moines and the Family History Library (Iowa censuses through 1925).
The State Historical Society of Iowa in Iowa City (all Iowa censuses except 1905).

For further information about state censuses of Iowa, see:

Lainhart, Ann S. State Census Records. Baltimore, Maryland.: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., 1992. (FHL book 973 X2Lai).

Census schedules and their indexes are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:

IOWA - CENSUS

IOWA - CENSUS - [YEAR]

IOWA - CENSUS - [YEAR] - INDEXES

IOWA, [COUNTY] - CENSUS - [YEAR]

IOWA, [COUNTY], [TOWN]- CENSUS- [YEAR]