Wisconsin, State Census 1865 - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains an index and images of the 1865 State Census which names the head of household. Most records have been destroyed but schedules exist for the following counties: Dunn, Green, Jackson, Kewaunee, Ozaukee, and Sheboygan.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The 1865 Wisconsin State Census can provide the following information:
 * Name of the head of household
 * The number of individuals in the household who are male and female
 * The number of individuals in the household based on race
 * Whether deaf and dumb, blind, or insane
 * Whether foreign born

How Do I Search This Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. To begin your search, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The name of a family member or place of residence

Search the Index
Search by name by visiting the Collection Page.
 * 1) Fill in the search boxes on the Collection Page with the information you have
 * 2) Click Search to show possible matches

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page.
 * 1) Select County
 * 2) Select Locality 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 information to find the family in additional censuses.
 * Use the information to determine an approximate birth date to find other records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death records. Also search land and probate records.
 * "Foreign born" information may indicate there are immigration records.
 * Use the race information to find records related to that ethnicity such as records of the Freedman’s Bureau or Indian censuses.
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.

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

 * Try viewing the original record. Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relatives that can be verified by records.
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality in an area search.
 * Try variant spellings of your ancestor’s name.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names.

Citing This Collection
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.


 * Collection Citation:

"Wisconsin State Census, 1865." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Citing State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison.

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