Wisconsin Census

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United States  Gotoarrow.png  U.S. Census  Gotoarrow.png  Wisconsin  Gotoarrow.png  Census

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  • Photocopy each ancestor's census. Identify where you found it.
  • Look for an ancestor in every census during her or his lifetime.
  • On the family group record show each person's census listings.
  • Study others in the same household, neighbors, and anyone with the similar names nearby on the census in community context.


  • For a list of the exact date of each federal census, click here.

Online Wisconsin indexes and images[edit | edit source]

Template:Census Online Wisconsin

Federal population schedules[edit | edit source]

Microfilm images[edit | edit source]

Two manuscripts exist for the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses. One set of manuscripts exists at the National Archives and another at the Wisconsin Historical Society. The information on each set is supposed to be the same, but it can be beneficial to check both. Transcription errors might exist. The two might differ in the legibility of the handwriting, the condition of the manuscript, and the quality of the microfilm.[1] The Family History Library has microfilms of the set in the possession of the National Archives.

Federal Census Microfilms Available from the Family History Library
1940 N/A 1910 1870             1840
1930 1900 and Soundex 1860 1830
1920 and Soundex 1890 fragments 1850 1820
  1880 and Soundex    


Federal Census Microfilms Available from the National Archives
1940 N/A 1910 T624 1880 T9 and Soundex T779 1850 M432
1930 T626 1900 T623 and Soundex T1079 1870 M593 1840 M704
1920 T625 and Soundex M1595 1890 fragments M123 1860 M653

Indexes: fiche, film, or book[edit | edit source]

For a list of microform and book indexes for the population schedules of Wisconsin, click here

Federal non-population schedules[edit | edit source]

Online indexes and images[edit | edit source]

Online Federal Non-Population Schedules for Wisconsin

Free Free at Some Libraries (usually with library card) Pay
Year Type Record Search Census Bureau Google Book Heritage Quest Ancestry FHL Ancestry Library Ancestry Home
1890 Veterans - - - - Link Link Link
1880 Mortality - - - - Link Link Link
1870 Mortality - - - - Link Link Link
1860 Mortality - - - - Link Link Link
1850 Mortality Link - - - Link Link Link
1840 Pensioners - BookLink BookLink - Link Link Link

Microfilm images[edit | edit source]

1850 Mortality 1850 - 1870 Mortality 1880 Mortality 1890 Veterans Census

Indexes: fiche, film, or book[edit | edit source]

For a list of microform and book indexes for the non-population schedules of Wisconsin, click here.

State, territorial, and colonial censuses[edit | edit source]

Newberry Library. Territorial, State, and Federal Censuses in Michigan. List of dates and census description including counties involved, and repository.

Wisconsin state, territorial, and colonial censuses[2]
1905  State Census [3][4][5][6]
1895  State Census [3][7][8][6]
1885  State Census [3][9][10]
1875  State Census [3][11]
1865  State Census Lost, except for the counties of Dunn, Green, Jackson, Kewaunee, Ozaukee, and Sheboygan. [3]
1855  State Census, except for Kewaunee County, which was not enumerated.[3][12][13]
1847  Territory Census, except for the counties of Rock, Sheboygan, Washington, Waukesha, and Chippewa. [3][14]
1846  Territory Census, except for the counties of Crawford, Fond du Lac, Grand Rapids in Portage, Sheboygan,  Chippewa, LaPointe, and Richland. [3][15][13]
1842  Territory Census [3][16][13]
1838  Territory Census Lost, except for the counties of Brown, Calumet, Crawford, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green,  Jefferson, Manitowoc, Marquette, Milwaukee, Portage, Sheboygan, and Washington. [3][17][13]
1837  Territory Census [13]
1836  Territory Census [3][18][19][20][13]
1834  Territory Census for, then known as, Crawford, Brown and Iowa Counties located in the far western part of Michigan Territory; now Wisconsin.[21][22]

 

Existing and lost censuses[edit | edit source]

For a list of available and missing Wisconsin censuses, click here.

Why use a census?[edit | edit source]

A well-indexed census is one of the easiest ways to locate where an ancestor's family lived and when they lived there. You can also use censuses to follow the changes in a family over time, and identify neighbors. These and other clues provided by censuses are important because they help find additional kinds of records about the family.

More about censuses[edit | edit source]

Click here for additional details about how to use censuses, such as:

Sources and footnotes[edit | edit source]

  1. "Local Genealogy," McMillan Memorial Library (http://www.scls.lib.wi.us/mcm/local/local_genealogy.html : accessed 2 October 2009).
  2. Henry J. Dubester, State Censuses: An Annotated Bibliography of Censuses of Population Taken After the Year 1790 by States and Territories of the United States (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1948)[[Template:Dubes]], 62-65, 72-73.
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Ann S. Lainhart, State Census Records (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1992)[[Template:Lainha]], 113-15.
  4. Wisconsin, Secretary of State, Wisconsin Census Enumeration 1905, Names of Ex-Soldiers and Sailors Residing in Wisconsin, June 1, 1905 (Madison, Wisconsin Democrat Printing Company, State Printing 1906) A published document based on information from the census schedules.
  5. Wisconsin Department of State, Wisconsin State Census, 1905 (Wisconsin, State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1952. Microfilm of original records in Wisconsin)[[Template:Wisc1905]]
  6. 6.0 6.1 Ancestry.com. Wisconsin State Censuses, 1895 and 1905 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. Original data: Wisconsin State Census, 1895 Microfilm, 10 reels and 1905 Microfilm, 44 reels. Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin
  7. Wisconsin, Secretary of State, Wisconsin Census Enumeration 1895, Names of Ex-Soldiers and Sailors Residing in Wisconsin, June 1, 1895 (Madison, Wisconsin Democrat Printing Company, State Printing 1896.) A published document based on information from the census schedules.
  8. Wisconsin, Department of State, Wisconsin State Census, 1895 (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1979. Microfilm of original records in the Wisconsin State Historical Society at Madison, Wisconsin.)[[Template:Wisc1895]]
  9. Wisconsin, Secretary of State Enumeration of Soldiers and Sailors of the Late War Residing in Wisconsin June 20, 1885 (S.l.:sn,1885)
  10. Wisconsin, Department of State, Wisconsin State Census, 1885 (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1979. Microfilm of original records at the Wisconsin State Historical Society at Madison, Wisconsin.)[[Template:Wisc1885]]
  11. Wisconsin, Department of State, Wisconsin State Census, 1875 (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1979. Microfilm of original records in the Wisconsin State Historical Society at Madison, Wisconsin.) [[Template:Wisc1875]]
  12. Wisconsin Department of State, Wisconsin State Census, 1855 (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1979. Microfilm of original records in the Wisconsin State Historical Society at Madison, Wisconsin.) [[Template:Wisc1855]]
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp. Wisconsin Census, 1820-90 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. Original data: Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes. Ancestry.com Home edition
  14. Wisconsin Territory, Secretary, Wisconsin Territory census for 1847 (Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1980. Microfilm of original records in the Wisconsin State Historical Society, at Madison, Wisconsin.)[[Template:Wisc1847]]
  15. Wisconsin Territory, Secretary, Wisconsin Territory Census for 1846 (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1980. Microfilm of original records in the Wisconsin State Historical Society at Madison, Wisconsin.)[[Template:Wisc1846]]
  16. Wisconsin Territory Census for 1842 (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1980. Microfilm of original records in the Wisconsin State Historical Society at Madison.) [[Template:Wisc1842]]
  17. Wisconsin Territorial Census for 1838 (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1980. Microfilm of original records in the Wisconsin State Historical Society at Madison.) [[Template:Wisc1838]]
  18. Wisconsin Territorial Census for 1836 (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1980. Microfilm or orginal records in the Wisconsin State Historical Society at Madison, Wisconsin.) [[Template:Wisc1836]]
  19. Reuben Gold Thwaites, The Territorial Census for 1836 (Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1980. Article originally published in Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, v. 13 p. 247-170. Madison : State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1895) [[Template:Thwaites1836]]
  20. Reuben Gold Thwaites, Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin (Democrat Printing Company, State Printer : Madison, Wisconsin 1895)
  21. LeRoy Barnett, "State Censuses of Michigan: A Tragedy of Lost Treasurers" and Appendices in Family Trails [[Template:BarnettL]] 6 no. 1 (Summer-Fall 1978): 3, 21. Original census at Michigan State Archives, Lansing. In 1834 Crawford County was part of Michigan Territory. Lists heads of house by name, and age categories for others.
  22. Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp. Michigan Census, 1827-70 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1999. Original data: Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes.
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