Nebraska Census

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Why use census records?
Censuses are the basic records used for identifying your ancestors. The records give the places where your ancestors lived, dates and places of birth, and family members. You can also locate neighbors' names, learn about immigration, and other information. Many censuses are indexed and these indexes and images can be found on the Internet. This is the easiest way to find information about your ancestors.

Availability
The first federal census was taken in 1790. The census has been taken every ten years and the census has been made public through 1930. The 1890 census was damaged and then destroyed in a fire.

In 1860, Nebraska Territory encompassed most of present-day Nebraska and parts of the present-day states of Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota, and Colorado. The 1860 Nebraska Territory non-population schedules have mixed coverage.

Published transcripts for 35 of the 48 counties in the 1870 census are available.

A street index for the city of Omaha that can help you use the 1910 census is on Family History Library fiche 6331481.

Special Censuses
Mortality schedules for 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1885 are at the Nebraska State Historical Society at http://www.nebraskahistory.org/. The National Archives and the Family History Library have copies on microfilm. The library also has copies of published indexes for the 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1885 schedules.

Mortality Schedules 1850-1888

Territorial and State Censuses
1854, 1855, 1856, 1865, and 1869 Territorial and state censuses exist for parts of Nebraska. The county enumerations of several eastern Nebraska counties, were published in: The Nebraska and Midwest Genealogical Record, vols. 13-22, 1932-44 (Family History Library film 162018). The State Archives at the Nebraska State Historical Society has a card index for the 1865 and 1869 censuses. The existing records are at the Nebraska State Historical Society.

The 1854, 1855, and 1856 Nebraska territorial censuses have been transcribed, indexed, and published in: Cox, Eunice Evelyn. 1854, 1855, 1856 Nebraska Territory Censuses. Ellensburg, Washington: Cox, 1977. (Family History Library book 978.2 X2p 1854-1856; film 1036024 item 2; fiche 6051283.)

1885 The Federal Government took a special census of Nebraska, which is on 56 microfilms at the Family History Library and at the Nebraska State Historical Society. The society also has the state Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1886 and a card index made from the directory that provides a partial index to the census. The Family History Library does not have the directory or the card index.

1913-1914 A detailed census of German immigrants from Russia living in Lincoln was taken for Nebraska. The information is similar to that found in the 1900 census, but the town or colony of birth is also given. It is arranged by street. (Family History Library film 833157.)

Online Population Schedule Indexes and Images
United States Censuses 1850-1920—Free Internet census indexes 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, and 1920 (partial index only) can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search. These indexes are also linked to census images (for 1850, 1870, and 1900) which show every name listed and each person’s residence, age, birthplace, occupation, other family members, and neighbors. Registered FamilySearch users can access 1880 census images by logging in and entering through the "Advanced Search" feature of FamilySearch.

Ancestry ($), a subscription Internet site, has indexes and images to all available federal census population, veterans, slave, and mortality schedules from 1790 to 1930.

HeritageQuest, an Internet service available at selected libraries, has images to all available federal census population and slave schedules from 1790 to 1930, and indexes to some but not all.

Footnote ($), a subscription Internet site has indexes and images to the 1860 and 1930 censuses for some states.

Census Online

Genealogy Today This site offers a selection of both free and fee-based databases. The name indexes of all fee-based databases can be searched without a subscription.

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Mortality Schedules