United States Census

United States  Census

See also Beginning Census Research and Record Keeping in the FamilySearch Learning Center.

Study a quick start guide to United States Census Records by Jill Shoemaker, Riverton FamiliySearch Library, (printable).

Key U.S. Census Indexes and Images Internet Links



 * United States Census Online Genealogy Records Internet links by year for FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, FindMyPast, and MyHeritage
 * Internet Archiveimages 1790-1930
 * Fold3.com ($) index &amp; images 1860 and 1930
 * CensusRecords.com ($) indexes &amp; images 1790-1940
 * My Free Census Find your ancestors in the U.S. census, and International census records
 * New Horizons Genealogy Specializing in State Census Records.
 * Census Finder free census links and how to use census records for genealogical research.
 * U.S. Census Bureau images of published transcriptions of 1790 census for 12 states

Value of Censuses
A census is a count and description of the population of a country,state, county, or city for a given date. Census lists are also called “schedules." In the United States a nationwide census has been taken every ten years since 1790. A well-indexed census is one of the easiest ways to locate where an ancestor lived and when they lived there. You can also use censuses to:


 * Follow the family over time.
 * Determine family relationships.
 * Find clues to other locations where the family lived
 * Show clues for finding other records.

Contents of Federal Censuses

 * Headings of census records 1790=1930
 * What You'll Learn in the Census Year by Year Ancestry.com ($) Comparison table of census headings
 * Historical Census Browser 1790-1960 (University of Virginia Library)

Key Reference Sources

 * Map Guide to U.S. Federal Censuses 1790-1920 Shows county boundary changes in each state from 1790 to 1920, and which census areas were lost or still exist.
 * The Census Book: a Genealogist's Guide to Federal Census Facts, Schedules and Indexes: with Master Extraction Forms for Federal Census Schedules, 1790-1930 An online edition is at HeritageQuestOnline. Discusses indexes, regular, and non-population schedules.
 * Censuses and Tax Lists Strategies for finding elusive ancestors, and history of indexing.
 * Census Class Video
 * State and Special Census Video
 * Heads of Households Only Video
 * United States Census, 1890 (FamilySearch Historical Records)