West Virginia Census
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.
The Family History Library has the U.S. federal censuses of West Virginia from 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. West Virginia was part of Virginia in the pre-1870 censuses. The 1790, 1800, half of the 1810, and the 1890 censuses have been lost or destroyed. The 1890 Union veterans schedule (FHL films 338268-69) and a published index are available at the Family History Library and at the National Archives.
For the missing 1790 census use the two substitutes listed below. These are based on state censuses and tax lists. Each covers different counties. Most of present-day West Virginia is included in the second item, but both must be used for a complete search of West Virginia.
Fothergill, Augusta B. and John Mark Naugle. Virginia Tax Payers, 1782-87, Other than Those Published by the United States Census Bureau. 1940. Reprint. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1966. (FHL book 975.5 R4f 1966; film 874197 item 4.) This includes areas of Augusta, Berkley, Hardy, and Montgomery counties in Virginia that later became part of West Virginia.
Heads of Families . . . Records of the State Enumerations: 1782 to 1785, Virginia. 1908. Reprint. Baltimore, Maryland: Southern Book Company, 1952. (FHL book 975.5 X2us 1790; film 874193 item 4.)
Also see West Virginia Taxation for information about other tax lists which may be used as substitutes for the 1790 and 1800 censuses.
For the missing portions of the 1810 census use Netti Schreiner-Yantis, A Supplement to the 1810 Census of Virginia: Tax Lists of the Counties for Which the Census is Missing (Springfield, Virginia: Genealogical Books in Print, 1971; FHL book 975.5 R4s). This includes information from Cabell, Greenbrier, Hardy, and Tazewell counties (and 15 Virginia counties) that are missing from the 1810 census.
Published indexes are available for the 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses. There are published indexes of all counties for 1880 plus a combined index. There are soundex (phonetic) indexes on microfilm for part of the 1880,1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930 censuses.
The Family History Library and the Archives and History Library have mortality schedules on microfilm for 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880. The schedules for 1860 and 1870 are indexed. Most censuses have been indexed and are online. See websites below
There are no state censuses for West Virginia except the 1782 to 1785 state censuses noted above.
Web Sites
Censuses are digitized, indexed and online at these subscription websites: