Washington Census

Online Resources

 * United States Online Census, 1790-1940
 * Washington State Digital Archives, Census, 1847-1910
 * Washington State Digital Archives, Colville Reservation Census
 * Washington, Compiled Census Index, 1850-90, ($), index
 * Washington State and Territorial Censuses, 1857-1892 Index and images ($)
 * Oregon Territory Census, 1850 Index and images ($)
 * U.S., Schedules of Special Census of Indians, 1880 ($)

County Maps for Washington

 * Washington Historical Counties interactive map at Newberry Library site (Free) Enter the census year and Refresh Map


 * 1895 Map at Johns Hopkins University Applied Science site (Free)


 * David A Rumsey Collection (Free) for counties as of: • 1909 • 1874 • 1858


 * Dollarhide and Thorndale's Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Census: 1790-1920 is available in .pdf format through HeritageQuestOnline.com at participating libraries.

Washington State Censuses Online

 * Washington State and Territorial Censuses, 1857-1892 Index and images ($)

Indexes: fiche, film, or book
For a list of microform and book indexes for the population schedules of Washington, click here

Microfilm images
The mortality schedules for 1860 to 1880 are also available at the DAR Library in Washington D.C. and at the Washington State Library.






 * Schedules of Industry and Agriculture

Indexes: fiche, film, or book
For a list of microform and book indexes for the non-population schedules of Washington, click here.

State and territorial censuses

 * Washington State and Territorial Censuses, 1857-1892 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)


 * Washington, Compiled Census Index, 1850-90 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)

Washington took censuses in the years between the federal censuses, the dates are listed below. State census records may have columns that were different or more unusual than those found on federal censuses. The responses and years of coverage may give additional information on the family.

These partial censuses are available at the Washington State Library, the Family History Library (beginning with Family History Library film ) and ancestry.com The years included:

1854, 1856, 1857, 1860, 1861, 1871, 1873, 1875, 1877-1879, 1880, 1881, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1890-1892, 1898, 1907.

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

Why use a census?
A well-indexed census is one of the easiest ways to locate where an ancestor's family lived and when they lived there. You can also use censuses to follow the changes in a family over time, and identify neighbors. These and other clues provided by censuses are important because they help find additional kinds of records about the family.

More about censuses
Click here for additional details about how to use censuses, such as:


 * index searching tips
 * analyzing and using what you find
 * census accuracy
 * historical background
 * contents of various census years and types


 * Washington, Compiled Census Index, 1850-90 (If the link does not work, go to ancestry.com ($), click Search, select Card Catalog, paste Title into search box, click Search)