Missouri Census
Additional Information may be found on the United States Census Portal page.
Availability
Many federal census records are at the following archives:
- State Historical Society (in Columbia)
- The Family History Library (Missouri censuses from 1830—1880, and 1900—1930)
- The National Archives
Other federal and state archives
The 1890 census schedules for Missouri and most other states were destroyed in a fire on 21 January 1921 at the Commerce Department in Washington, D.C.
Missouri state censuses or transcriptions of those census records are available at:
- The State Historical Society in Columbia and the Family History Library.
Historical Background
Federal censuses for the state of Missouri begin with 1830 and were taken every ten years through 2000. See the United States Research Outline for more information about nationwide census records and indexes.
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.
Indexes
Special Censuses
State and Territorial Censuses
The Territory of Missouri took censuses in 1814, 1817, and 1819. The State of Missouri took censuses in 1821, 1824, every four years through 1868 and in 1876, the last year. Most of these Territorial and State Censuses no longer exist. Listed below are copies currently available.
At the State Historical Society of Missouri (University of Missouri–Columbia Campus):
- 1817 - St. Charles Territorial Censuses (transcription)
- 1819 - St. Charles Territorial Censuses (transcription)
- 1840 - Rives County [now Henry County] (transcription)
- 1844 - Callaway County (microfilm), Marion County (transcription)
- 1852 - St. Charles County (transcription)
- 1864 - Gasconade County (transcription)
- 1868 - Cape Girardeau, Ste. Genevieve, and Webster counties (all microfilm)
- 1876 - Benton, Callaway, Cape Girardeau, Christian, Greene, Holt, Howard, McDonald, Montgomery, Osage, Phelps, Reynolds, St. Francois counties (all microfilm) Butler, Iron and Texas counties (transcriptions).
At the Missouri State Archives (Jefferson City):
- 1840 - New Madrid, Newton, Pike, Randolph, Ray, Rives (later Henry), Shelby, Stoddard and Warren counties (all transcriptions)
- 1844 - Callaway County (microfilm); Greene County (transcription)
- 1868 - Cape Girardeau County (microfilm)
Territorial Censuses
Web Sites
Ancestry: http://www.ancestry.com
Heritage Quest Online: http://www.heritagequestonline.com
Census Online: http://www.census-online.com/links/MO/
Genealogy Today: http://dir.genealogytoday.com/usa/mo/census.html
Access Genealogy: http://www.accessgenealogy.com/census/missouri.htm
Bibliographic Citations
Missouri Research Outline. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1998, 2001.
Federal
Many federal census records are found at the Family History Library, State Historical Society of Missouri, 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 Missouri for 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930. The 1890 census was destroyed. The 1890 Union veterans schedule and published index are available at the Family History Library and at the National Archives. The 90,000 names in the index include some Confederate soldiers.
St. Louis Public Library also owns the U.S. federal censuses of Missouri for 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930, and in addition owns the 1890 Union veterans schedule and published index. SLPL also owns the statewide book indexes and the Soundex indexes mentioned below.
Statewide indexes are available for the 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses in book format. Separate published indexes for many counties are also available for 1860. Soundex (phonetic) indexes are available on microfilm for part of the 1880 census and all of the 1900, 1910, and 1920 censuses.
Mortality schedules (lists of deaths during the year preceding the census) exist for 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880. The State Historical Society of Missouri has these records. Copies of the schedules and indexes for 1850, 1860, and 1870 (counties A-L) are available at the Family History Library.
Territorial and State
A few Spanish censuses were taken as early as 1772. Portions of Missouri were included in the 1810 census of Louisiana Territory. Missouri Territory took censuses in 1814, 1817, 1819, and 1820. The 1820 census was destroyed, but tax and vital records have been published as a substitute.
The state of Missouri took censuses in 1821, at four-year intervals from 1824 to 1868, and in 1876. The 1876 census, available for 10 counties, is the most complete. It lists only the heads of households. Most of the other schedules have been destroyed. Copies of the portions that remain are available at the State Historical Society of Missouri, the Family History Library, and the Missouri State Archives, and in some local county offices.
Web Sites
http://www.census-online.com/links/MO/