Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes lists of children compiled by Mississippi counties and school districts for the years 1850-1892, 1908 to 1957.

School records can be a viable substitute for birth records. These include the names of both black and white students. The early records include the names of students and the school attended. More recent records include the age of the child and a parent or guardian's name.

The listing of school-aged children in Mississippi dates back to 1850, though some counties took another 100 years to adopt the practice. In some areas the records are referred to as school censuses. The records are usually compiled on a yearly basis.

School records helped local governments determine funding needs for individual schools. The information is usually reliable.

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


 * County, town, and school district of enumeration
 * Race
 * School Status (regularly attending, enrolled, or withdrawn from school)
 * Parents' names
 * Name of child
 * Age
 * Month of birth
 * Gender
 * School and ward
 * Address

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The place of residence

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the County
 * 2) Select the Year 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?

 * Search for vital records such as birth, marriage, and death
 * Search for the family in census records
 * Search for church, land, and probate records

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

 * Try viewing the original record to see if there were errors in the transcription of the name, age, residence, etc. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations 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
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Mississippi.
 * Mississippi Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

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: "Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children, 1850-1892; 1908-1957." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Citing Department of Archives and History. Government Records, Jackson.