United States Census

United States  Census

See also Beginning Census Research and Record Keeping in the FamilySearch Learning Center.

Study a quick start guide to United States Census Records by Jill Shoemaker, Riverton FamiliySearch Library, (printable).

Key U.S. Census Indexes and Images Internet Links



 * United States Census Online Genealogy Records| Internet links by year for FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, FindMyPast, and MyHeritage
 * Internet Archiveimages 1790-1930
 * Fold3.com ($) index &amp; images 1860 and 1930
 * CensusRecords.com ($) indexes &amp; images 1790-1940
 * My Free Census Find your ancestors in the U.S. census, and International census records
 * New Horizons Genealogy Specializing in State Census Records.
 * Census Finder free census links and how to use census records for genealogical research.
 * U.S. Census Bureau images of published transcriptions of 1790 census for 12 states

Value of Censuses
A census is a count and description of the population of a country,state, county, or city for a given date. Census lists are also called “schedules." In the United States a nationwide census has been taken every ten years since 1790. A well-indexed census is one of the easiest ways to locate where an ancestor lived and when they lived there. You can also use censuses to:


 * Follow the family over time.
 * Determine family relationships.
 * Find clues to other locations where the family lived
 * Show clues for finding other records.

Contents of Federal Censuses

 * Headings of census records 1790=1930
 * What You'll Learn in the Census Year by Year Ancestry.com ($) Comparison table of census headings
 * Historical Census Browser 1790-1960 (University of Virginia Library)

State Censuses

 * Index only.
 * Index only.
 * Arizona, Territory Census, 1864 ($)
 * Arizona and New Mexico Territories Census, Late 1800s Index ($)
 * California Spanish Mission Censuses, 1796-1798 Index and images ($)
 * Index only
 * California State Census, 1852 Index and images ($)
 * Images.
 * Colorado State Census, 1885 Index and images ($)
 * 1670 Connecticut State Census, index
 * Index and images.
 * Index and images.
 * Index and images.
 * Florida, State Census, 1867-1945 Index and images ($)
 * 1818 Illinois Territory Census, index.
 * Illinois, State Census Collection, 1825-1865 Index and images ($)
 * Index only.
 * Index and Images.
 * Iowa State Census Collection, 1836-1925 ($)
 * Index only.
 * Iowa, State Census, 1885 ($)
 * Index only.
 * Iowa, State Census, 1895 ($)
 * Index only.
 * Iowa, State Census, 1905 ($)
 * Images only. Broken down by county and town
 * Iowa Census, 1838-70 ($)
 * Iowa State Census Transcription Project
 * Kansas State Census Collection, 1855-1925 Index and images ($)
 * Kansas Territorial Census, 1855 Index. ($)
 * Maryland, Colonial Census, 1776 ($)
 * Massachusetts, State Census, 1855, ($), index/images
 * Massachusetts, State Census, 1855, index/images
 * Massachusetts, State Census, 1865, ($), index/images
 * Massachusetts, State Census, 1865, index/images
 * State Census, 1827-1874, search by name, county, township, and year by using the advanced search link
 * Census of the state of Michigan, 1884. ($)
 * Michigan, State Census 1884 (Published 1886), ($), index
 * Seeking Michigan - 1884 and 1894 State Census Index and images. Search Digital Archive - Advanced Search.
 * Missouri, State Census Collection, 1844-1881 ($)
 * Missouri, State and Territorial Census Records, 1732-1933, index.
 * Index only.
 * Michigan, State Census, 1894 Index only ($)
 * Census of the state of Michigan, 1904. ($)
 * Minnesota, Territorial and State Census, 1849-1905($)
 * Index and images. Also FindMyPast, and MyHeritage, indexing may vary
 * Index and images. Also FindMyPast, and MyHeritage, indexing may vary
 * Index and images. Also at FindMyPast, and MyHeritage, indexing may vary
 * Index and images. Also FindMyPast, and MyHeritage, indexing may vary
 * Index and images. Also FindMyPast, and MyHeritage, indexing may vary
 * Index and images. Also FindMyPast, and MyHeritage, indexing may vary
 * Nebraska State Census Collection, 1860-1885 Index and images. ($)
 * Index and images.
 * Nebraska, State Census, 1885 Index and images. ($)
 * Nevada Territorial Census, 1862 by county
 * Nevada State Census, 1875 Index ($)
 * Index and Images.
 * New Jersey, State Census, 1895, ($) index/images
 * Index and Images.
 * New Jersey, State Census, 1915, index.
 * New Mexico Resident Index, 1790 Index ($)
 * Arizona and New Mexico Territories Census, Late 1800s Index ($)
 * Index and Images.
 * New Mexico, Territorial Census, 1885 Index and images
 * , also at Ancestry.com, ($), index
 * , also at Ancestry.com, ($), index
 * , also at Ancestry.com, ($), index
 * , also at Ancestry.com, ($), index
 * , also at Ancestry.com, ($), index
 * , also at Ancestry.com, ($), index
 * , also at Ancestry.com, ($), index
 * North Carolina, State Census, 1784-1787 ($)
 * Minnesota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1849-1905, index/images
 * NDSU Archives - Dakota Territory 1885 Census Index
 * North Dakota, Territorial and State Censuses, 1885, 1915, 1925 Index and images. ($)
 * North Dakota Census, 1915($)
 * North Dakota Census, 1915, index/images
 * North Dakota Census, 1925($)
 * North Dakota Census, 1925, index/images
 * Oklahoma Territorial Census, 1890 and 1907 Index and images ($)
 * OHS 1890 Oklahoma Territorial Census Index.

Key Reference Sources

 * Map Guide to U.S. Federal Censuses 1790-1920 Shows county boundary changes in each state from 1790 to 1920, and which census areas were lost or still exist.
 * The Census Book: a Genealogist's Guide to Federal Census Facts, Schedules and Indexes: with Master Extraction Forms for Federal Census Schedules, 1790-1930 An online edition is at HeritageQuestOnline. Discusses indexes, regular, and non-population schedules.
 * Censuses and Tax Lists Strategies for finding elusive ancestors, and history of indexing.
 * Census Class Video
 * State and Special Census Video
 * Heads of Households Only Video
 * United States Census, 1890 (FamilySearch Historical Records)