Bulgaria Census

The first national census was conducted in 1880 just after liberation from Ottoman rule. Additional censuses were conducted in 1884, 1887, 1892, 1900, 1905, 1910, 1926, 1934, 1946, 1956, 1965 and other more recent years. The name lists for the censuses from 1880-1892 have not been preserved. The disposition of the census name lists for the 20th century is not known.

Ottoman census records for the period 1831-1872 were enumerations of males compiled not as population counts but for fiscal and military purposes. They contain the name of the head of household, male family members, ages, occupation, and property. Ottoman census records are located at the Oriental Department of the Cyril and Methodius National Library, Sofia. Some may be preserved among the archives of the Ottoman Empire in Istanbul.

Accessing the Records
The Family History Library does not have census records from Bulgaria.