Vermont Census

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Existing and lost censuses
For a list of available and missing Vermont censuses, click here.

Availability
1790-1930--The Family History Library has microfilms of the U.S. federal censuses of Vermont taken every 10 years from 1790 (actually taken in 1791), 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930.

1850 Census--The state copy of the 1850 federal census of the towns of Baltimore and Springfield listed the town of birth for each resident. For an index of this state copy of these two towns see the following web site: http://www.yourgenealogist.com/names_index.htm

1850 United States Census—A free Internet index and images to the 1850 United States Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. This index includes every name listed on the census and is linked to an image including information about each person’s residence and age in 1850, birthplace, occupation, other family members, and neighbors.

1860 United States Census—A free Internet index and images to the 1860 United States Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. This index includes every name listed on the census and is linked to an image including information about each person’s residence and age in 1860, birthplace, occupation, other family members, whether married or single, and neighbors.

 1870 United States Census---A free internet index and images can be viewed on FamilySearch Record Pilot site. This index includes the full name, age, sex, race, birthplace, occupation, month if born in census year, month if married in census year, birth place of father and mother, if born in a foreign country.

1880 United States Census– A Free Internet Index and Images to the US Census can be viewed on the Family Search Record Pilot – Pilot Site. This index includes an every name index to population schedules listing inhabitants. It includes the full name, race, sex, age, birth month (if born during the previous year), relationship to head of household, whether married, single or divorced, whether married during the previous year, country or state of birth of each person and his parent’s, occupation and street address and house number.

1890 Census--The 1890 census was destroyed, but the 1890 Civil War Union veterans schedule and a published index are available at the Family History Library and at the National Archives.

1900 Federal Census - A free Internet index and images to the 1900 United States Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. Important additions to this census are month and year of birth of each household member, number of years married for each married person, number of children born to each mother and the number of those still living, year of immigration, and number of years in the United States.

Historical Background
1724--The first permanent English settlement was made at Fort Dummer, near the site of present-day Brattleboro.

1749-1764--New Hampshire is granted land for 129 towns in Vermont.

1764-1776--New York claimed jurisdiction and tried to establish county governments in the area. Albany, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Charlotte counties of New York included what is now Vermont.

1777-1791--Vermont was an independent republic until it joined the Union in 1791.

Indexes
Ancestry--All Vemont federal census records are indexed on Ancestry.

Statewide Indexes
1790-1870--Statewide indexes are available for the 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, and 1870 federal censuses in book and microfiche format.

Statewide indexes represent almost every household in the Vermont censuses. For most families, they index only the first person listed in each household, who was usually the father or head of the household. Many families, however, had relatives or friends with a different surname living with them when the census was taken. In those cases, the first person of each surname in the household is included in the index.

Soundex--Soundex or phonetic indexes are available for part of the 1880 census (those indexed are households with children born between 1870 and 1880). There is a Soundex index for all households in the 1900 and 1920 censuses. The 1910 census does not have a Soundex index.

Omissions--Some statewide indexes and multi- state indexes have significant omissions. There are 18 towns omitted from the 1850 statewide census index. These include indexes for Rutland County census pages 348–416, Washington County census pages 62–132, and Windham County census pages 1–151. The 1860 statewide census index omits an entire microfilm of census records for the county of Addison on census pages 1–616.

Colonial Census
For a partial list of Vermont residents in 1771, see:


 * Holbrook, Jay Mack. Vermont 1771 Census. Oxford, Massachusetts: Holbrook Research Institute, 1982. (Family History Library book 974.3 X3h.) This source gives an alphabetical list showing name, year, residence, record type, and source. It also gives a reconstructed list of names compiled from records of first settlers, residents, petitioners, rioters, and landowners from 1761 to 1778.

Mortality Schedules
Mortality Schedules 1850–1880--The 1850 and 1860 mortality schedules are indexed in the multi-state indexes described previously.

The 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 mortality schedules (lists of persons who died in the preceding 12 months) are at the Vermont Department of Libraries. The 1870 schedule is also at the National Archives. In addition to providing the same information about the deceased person that the regular census schedules provide for the living, mortality schedules also state the month and cause of death and the number of days ill.

The Family History Library has abstracts of the 1850 and 1860 mortality schedules in volumes 17 and 18 of the Daughters of the American Revolution records described in the "Societies" section of this outline. The abstracts may show the county of residence, name, age, sex, color, marital status, and occupation of the deceased. The library also has the 1880 mortality schedules:


 * United States. Census Office. 10th Census, 1880. Vermont Mortality Returns, 1880. Montpelier, Vermont: Public Records Division, 1982. (Family History Library film 1405371.)

Mortality Schedules 1850-1880

Veterans Schedules
Veterans Schedules 1840 and 1890--In the 1840 federal census a listing was made of the Revolutionary War veterans, giving their age, residence, and the name of the head of the household. The following index is available, listing these veterans for all states:


 * A General Index to a Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Service, 1840. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1965. (Family History Library book 973 X2pc 1965 index; fiche 6046771.) The book with the actual 1840 census information is:
 * A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Service: With Their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington D.C.: Printed by Blair and Rives, 1841. (Family History Library book 973 X2pc 1840; film 1064759, item 3.)

For the 1890 census of Vermont Union Army veterans of the Civil War, see:


 * United States. Census Office. 11th Census, 1890. Schedules Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M0123. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1948. (Family History Library film 338264.)

For an index to the 1890 veterans schedules, see:


 * Jackson, Ronald Vern. 1890 Vermont Census Index. Salt Lake City, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1984. (Family History Library book 974.3 X22j 1890.)

State Censuses
Vermont does not have a state census.

Territorial Censuses
Vermont does not have a territorial census because it was never a territory.

Web Sites
Ancestry: http://www.ancestry.com

Heritage Quest Online: http://www.heritagequestonline.com

Census Online: http://www.census-online.com/links/VT/

Genealogy Today: http://dir.genealogytoday.com/usa/vt/census.html

Access Genealogy: http://www.accessgenealogy.com/census/vermont.htm

Mortality Schedules: http://mortalityschedules.com/