Argentina, Capital Federal, Census, 1855 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
Censo de 1855 de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Record Description
This collection includes census records for 1855.

Each of the census registers is separated by a title page, which includes the name of the parish, the name or number of the ward, and the name or number of the block. It is followed by the enumeration sheets containing the following information in columns: Names and surnames of the inhabitants, relationship to the householder, civil status, gender, age, if the person knows how to read and write, place of birth, nationality, the length of time in the country if the person is a foreigner, and occupation or profession.

This census of the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, was performed on Wednesday, October 17, 1855, under the direction of the then Statistics Department (Mesa de Estadística), which was directed at the time by Justo Maeso. Authorization for the census was given in July 1855 by the government council member Valentín Alsina. This census covers about 92,000 inhabitants.

For the purpose of the census, the city of Buenos Aires was divided into thirteen parishes: Balvanera, Barracas al Norte, Catedral Sud, Catedral del Norte, Cañuelas, La Piedad, Monserrat, Para Campo, Pilar, San Miguel, San Nicolas, San Pedro Gonzalez Telmo and Socorro. Each parish was subdivided into barracks and blocks.

The data element listed in the census is of great value when civil or parish records are not available. It will permit the patron to find information unavailable elsewhere, which will help to continue research for an ancestor. The census records should be considered as a secondary source and used only when civil or church records are not available.

For a list of localities currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Record Content
The census of 1855 of the city of Buenos Aires may include the following information:


 * Name
 * Relationship to head of household
 * Gender
 * Age
 * Marital Status
 * Residence
 * Birthplace
 * Country of birth
 * Literacy
 * Number of years in Argentina

How to Use the Record
As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.


 * There is some variation in the information given from one record to another.

To search this collection by index: Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

To browse this collection by image: ⇒ Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒ Select the “Parish” category ⇒ Select the “Section Number” category that takes you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information

 * Use the marriage date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each partner to find a couple's birth records and parents' names.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records.
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church and land records.
 * Occupations listed can lead you to other types of records such as employment or military records.
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family.
 * The name of the officiator is a clue to their religion or area of residence in the county. However, ministers may have reported marriages performed in other counties.
 * Compile the marriage entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the marriage records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the bride and groom who may have married in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * Use the marriage number to identify previous marriages.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

Unable to Locate Ancestors
If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:


 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Search the records of nearby localities.

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in Spanish. For help reading the records, see the following wiki articles:


 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * Argentina Language and Languages

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Websites

 * Autonomous city of Buenos Aires Maps
 * Autonomous city of Buenos Aires History

Related Wiki Articles

 * Argentina
 * Autonomous city of Buenos Aires
 * Argentina Census

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
Citations for individual image records are available for this collection. Browse through images in this collection and click on the "Show Citation" box: Argentina, Capital Federal, Census, 1855

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