Idaho Census

Online Resources

 * United States Online Census, 1790-1940
 * Oregon Territory Census, 1850 Index ($)
 * 1890 Reconstructed Census, identifies Idaho residents 1884-1895.

Online Idaho indexes and images
The 1890 federal census for Idaho was destroyed. However, the Idaho State Historical Society Public Archives and Research Library is creating a list of 1890 Idaho residents by indexing a variety of records, 1885-1894. This reconstructed list will substitute for the destroyed 1890 federal census.

Indexes: fiche, film, or book
For a list of microform and book indexes for the population schedules of Idaho, click here

Indexes: fiche, film, or book
For a list of microform and book indexes for the non-population schedules of Idaho, click here.

State, territorial, and colonial censuses
The area that is now Idaho was for some years included in the federal censuses under the name of other territories:


 * 1870 and later in Idaho Territory or State
 * 1860 Washington Territory (for Idaho residents, if any, see the Spokane County, Washington census)
 * 1850 Oregon Territory (no known white residents in what is now Idaho)

Also, in 1860 and 1870 a few households on thin slices of far southern Idaho were included in the federal censuses of Cache County, and possibly Box Elder County, Utah.

Also, the 1856 territorial census of Utah included residents in "Malad County" and the northern part of Cache County who lived on the south edge of Idaho.

Idaho itself did not take any state or territorial censuses of its residents.

Existing and lost censuses
For a list of available and missing Idaho censuses, click here.

Why use a census?
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
Click here for additional details about how to use censuses, such as:


 * index searching tips
 * analyzing and using what you find
 * census accuracy
 * historical background
 * contents of various census years and types