United States Census, 1890 - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

What is in This Collection?
This article describes the surviving population and veteran (Union Army and Navy and widows) schedules. Index and images of the surviving population schedules for 6,160 names exist only for the states of Alabama, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, and Texas. The schedules are from Record Group 29, Records of the Bureau of the Census and is NARA microfilm publication M407.

 Related State Census Collections 
 * Iowa, 1895
 * Kansas, 1895
 * Michigan, 1894
 * Minnesota, 1895
 * New Jersey, 1895
 * New York, 1892
 * New York City, Police Census 1890
 * Wisconsin, 1895

Related Articles
 * Kelle Blake. "First in the Path of the Firemen. The Fate of the 1890 Population Census, Part 1" Prologue 28 (Spring, 1996)
 * Christopher A. Nordmann. "Substitutes for the 1890 Census." NGS Magazine 33 #4 (October-December 2007): 23-26.
 * Evangeline Thurber. "The 1890 Census Records of the Veterans of the Union Army." National Genealogical Society Quarterly pp. 7-9

To Browse the Veteran Schedules
Index and images of surviving veteran schedules enumerating Union veterans and widows of veterans of the Civil War for the states of Kentucky through Wyoming. Some returns include U.S. Naval Vessels and Navy Yards. The schedules are from Record Group 15, Records of the Veterans Administration and is NARA microfilm publication M123. See also Evangeline Thurber. "The 1890 Census Records of the Veterans of the Union Army" published in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly.

 Related Collections 
 * Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865
 * General Index to Pension Files,1861-1934

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Census
 * State, county and enumeration district where census was taken
 * Date census was taken
 * Full name of head of household
 * Names of all persons living in household
 * Was head of household a participant in the Civil War
 * Relationship of person to head of household
 * Race
 * Gender
 * Age at nearest birthday, if under 1 year, it is given in months
 * Marital status (single, married, widowed or divorced)
 * Married during the census year?
 * Mother of how many children
 * How many are still living
 * Place of birth given for each member of household
 * Birthplace of father of each person
 * Birthplace of mother of each person
 * Number of years having lived in the United States
 * Naturalized citizen?
 * Profession/occupation
 * Able to read, write and speak English
 * Ever been a prisoner, convict, homeless or a pauper

Veterans and widows
 * State, county and district where census was taken
 * Date census was taken
 * Full name of surviving soldier, sailor, marine, or widow
 * Rank, company, regiment or vessel
 * Date of enlistment
 * Date of discharge
 * Length of service in years, months, and days

Sample Images

 * 1890 Sample Form Veteran Schedule

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search you will need to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The residence of your ancestor
 * The age of your ancestor

View the Images
United States Census, 1890 View images in this collection by visiting the 
 * 1) Select State
 * 2) Select County
 * 3) Select Township of other division of county
 * 4) Select Enumeration District to view the images

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 
 * 1) Select State
 * 2) Select County
 * 3) Select City or Town to view the images

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the estimated birth year to determine an approximate birth date. This date along with the place of birth can help you find a birth record. Birth records often list biographical and marital details about the parents and close relatives other than the immediate family
 * Use the race information to find records related to that ethnicity such as records of the Freedman’s Bureau or Indian censuses
 * Use the military service information to locate their military files in the State or National Archives

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the surnames
 * Look for another index. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor
 * There is also the possibility that a family was missed in the census
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Your ancestor may have used different names, or variations of their name, throughout their life
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the United States.
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Beginning Research in United States Military Records
 * US Military Basic Search Strategies

General Information About These Records
The U.S. federal census was conducted each decade from 1790-present. This information pertains to censuses conducted in 1850, 1860, and 1870.

Federal census takers were asked to record information about all those who were in each household on the census day, which was 1 June. A census taker might have visited a house on a later date, but the information he collected was supposed to be about the people who were in the house on the census day. The basic census enumeration unit was the county. Each county was divided into enumeration districts, one for each enumerator. The completed forms were sent to the Census Office in the Commerce Department in Washington D.C.

The U.S. federal census was taken at the beginning of every decade to apportion the number of representatives that a state could send to the House of Representatives in Congress. In the absence of a national system of vital registration, many vital statistics and personal questions were asked to provide a statistical profile of the nation and its states.

Population schedules consisted of large sheets with rows and columns. The schedules were arranged by place, such as township or post office. The places were not filed in any particular order. The arrangement of families on a schedule is normally in the order in which the enumerator visited the households.

Federal censuses are usually reliable, depending on the knowledge of the informant and the care of the census enumerator. Information may have been given to a census taker by any member of the family or by a neighbor. Some information may have been incorrect or deliberately falsified.

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.

United States Census, 1890
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.