Puerto Rico Census

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The Treaty of Paris (1898) ceded Puerto Rico to the United States (from Spain). Only U.S. Military and Naval Forces were included in the 1900 census of Puerto Rico. However, civilians have been included ever since then.

To find ancestors living in Puerto Rico in 1910, 1920, and 1930 search the census online databases as if you were searching in any other state.

Online Puerto Rico census indexes and images
FamilySearch Record Search has a free Internet census indexes and images to the 1900 census for U.S. armed forces in Puerto Rico. The index shows every name listed on the census and is also linked to census images including information about each person’s residence, age, birthplace, occupation, other family members, and neighbors.

HeritageQuest, an Internet service available at selected libraries, has images to all available federal census population schedules from 1900 to 1930, and indexes except for 1930. Heritage Quest is also available at most family history centers.

Ancestry.com ($), a subscription Internet site, has indexes and images to all available federal census population schedules for 1900 U.S. military and naval forces, and civilians and military personnel in 1910, 1920, and 1930. Ancestry.com is free at many public libraries and a limited version is available at all our family history centers.

Available on Microfilm
Federal census records on microfilm are available from the Family History Library and Family History Centers, and Regional Branches of U.S. National Archives.

1899. Report on the Census of Puerto Rico, 1899 (Washington, DC : U.S. G.P.O., 1900) (FHL film 908535).

1900. For a Soundex index on microfilm for Puerto Rico, see the U.S. Military and Naval, 1900 Federal Census: Soundex and Population Schedules. For a microfilm of the U.S. military population schedules, see FHL film 1249702.

1910. For 28 microfilms of the population schedules in Puerto Rico, see Puerto Rico, 1910 Federal Census: Population Schedules.

1920. For a Soundex index and populations schedules on microfilm, see Puerto Rico, 1920 Federal Census: Soundex and Population Schedules.

1930. For 30 microfilms of the population schedules, see Puerto Rico, 1930 Federal Census: Population Schedules; NARA microfilm publication T626.