Maine Census

Federal Censuses
Population Schedules. Many federal census records are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The United States Census article provides detailed information about these records.

Images for each of the federal censuses up to 1930 are available online. To find out more, go to United States Census Online

The Family History Library has microfilms of the U.S. federal censuses of Maine for 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 with the following exceptions:


 * Some of York county for 1800.
 * Half of Oxford county for 1810.
 * Some of Washington county for 1820.

The 1890 census was destroyed, but the 1890 Union veterans schedule and index are available at the National Archives and the Family History Library.

Veterans Schedules.The 1890 census has a veterans schedule, which lists the veterans or their widows who were living when the census was taken. Ancestry subscribers can access these records online. Go to http://www.ancestry.com

For a copy of the veterans schedule, see:

Jackson, Ronald Vern. Maine 1890 Veterans Census Index. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems International, 1990. (FHL book 974.1 X22j 1890.)

United States. Census Office. 11th Census, 1890. Schedules Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Washington, D.C.: The National Archives, 1948. (FHL films for Maine 338165-6.)

State Indexes. The Family History Library has statewide indexes for the 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, and 1850 censuses in book and microfiche format. The library also has a partial index of some counties and some towns for the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses. Soundex (phonetic) indexes are available for part of the 1880 census and all of the 1900 and 1920 censuses. The 1910 Federal census for Maine is not indexed. For indexes to the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses, see the following:

Maine Census Indexes, 1850-1870. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1953. (FHL films 009734-8.) Sorted alphabetically by town, then census year. Lists head of household and page number in census.

Town Indexes. Town indexes can sometimes help you find names overlooked in statewide indexes. A few town indexes are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under MAINE, [COUNTY], [TOWN] - CENSUS.

When indexes are not available or do not include a person's name, you can still look for the person in the census. If the person lived in a large city, first search a city directory of the year the census was taken in order to find the person's address (see the "Directories" section of this outline). Then look for the address on the original census schedules.

The following reference tools can help you determine which microfilm has the census schedule and enumeration district you need to search in order to find a specific address:

Census Descriptions of Geographic Subdivisions and Enumerations Districts.


 * 1880 FHL film 1402861
 * 1900 FHL film 1303022
 * 1910 FHL film 1374004
 * 1920 FHL film 1842708

Buckway, G. Eileen. U.S. 1910 Federal Census: Unindexed States: A Guide to Finding Census Enumeration Districts for Unindexed Cities, Towns, and Villages. Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Library, 1992. (FHL book 973 X2bu 1910; fiche 6101340.) This work lists all Maine towns or wards with their 1910 census enumeration district numbers and FHL film numbers. The section on Portland has special instructions and includes the city directory and the Family History Library book or film numbers you will need.

Mortality Schedules. The 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses have mortality schedules, which are lists of the people who died in the year before the census was taken. The Family History Library, Maine State Archives, and the National Archives have copies of the mortality schedules. The Family History Library film numbers are listed below:


 * 1850 (FHL film 009739)
 * 1860 (FHL film 009740)
 * 1870 (FHL film 009741)
 * 1880 (FHL film 1841575)

Web Sites
http://www.archives.gov/

http://statearchives.us/maine.htm

http://www.mainehistory.org/