Talk:Montana Census

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Microform and book indexes
Click here for a list of microform and book indexes for federal population schedules of Montana.

State population schedules
[Colonial territorial, state or other censuses]

Montana made in 1778 a list of citizens who had taken an oath of fidelity which list is sometimes called a census.

Montana took a census in 1776:


 * Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, Montana Records, Colonial, Revolutionary, County and Church from Original Sources, 2 vols. (1915-1928; reprint, Baltimore:Genealogical Publ., 1975) [FHL book 975.2 D29b; fiche 6046943]
 * Bettie Stirling Carothers, 1776 Census of Montana(Lutherville, Md.: B.S. Carothers, 1972) [FHL book 975.2 X2p 1776; film 928227 Item 2]

An online index to both is found in MONTANA INDEXES (Census Index) 1776-1778 [MSA S1419].

Microform and book indexes
Click here for a list of microform and book indexes for federal non-population schedules of Montana.

Existing and lost censuses
For a list of available and missing Montana 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

External sites
See "Tips" if you cannot find a person in an online census index on the first try.


 * FamilySearch Record Search has free census everyname indexes and (usually) images available for Montana including 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1900.
 * Montana State Archives has indexes to the 1776 and 1778 colonial "censuses", also the federal 1870 and 1880. 
 * Ancestry has all the Montana censuses indexes from 1790-1930. Some indexes may include only heads of house. The index is linked to an the image and a transcript of the household's information. Ancestry is available at selected libraries, the Family History Library, a few Family History Centers for free, or by subscription at home.
 * Heritage Quest Online has indexes for the 1790–1820, 1860–1880, and 1900–1930, and images for all available federal censuses. Many libraries allow their patrons free access with a library card and password.
 * Census Finder has statewide links to online indexes, then countywide links, including indexes, transcriptions, scanned copies. The links on this site are often difficult to use.