Mississippi Census

Federal
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 Mississippi for 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920, however, the 1830 census for Pike County and the 1860 census for Sunflower and Washington counties are missing.

The 1890 census has been destroyed. The 1890 Union veterans schedule and index are available at the Family History Library and at the National Archives.

Statewide indexes are available for the 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses. Soundex (phonetic) indexes are available on microfilm for part of the 1880 and all of the 1900, 1910, and 1920 censuses.

Mortality schedules for 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 are at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. Indexes to the 1850, 1860, and 1870 schedules are available at the Family History Library.

Territorial and State
Territorial and state censuses were taken at frequent intervals between 1792 and 1866 for various counties. Few are complete and the information in the censuses varies. For example, maiden names are included in the 1792 census. These censuses are available at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and at the Family History Library (FHL film 899868-870).

For an index covering the years 1792 to 1816, see Norman E. Gillis, Early Inhabitants of the Natchez District (Baton Rouge, Louisiana: N.E. Gillis, 1963; FHL book 976.2 X2p). This includes a list of residents in 1810.

Published indexes are available for the surviving censuses for the years 1810, 1820-25, 1830/37, 1840/41, and 1845. Some additional information about research and records in Mississippi is in Richard Stephen Lackey, “Mississippi,” Genealogical Research: Methods and Sources, Volume 2: 188-218 (Washington, D.C.: American Society of Genealogists, 1980; FHL book 973 D27gr).