United States Census, Slave Schedule, 1850 - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of an index and images of slave schedules listing slave owners and only age and gender of the slaves in 1850. This was the first time that slave information was captured as a separate schedule. Census enumerators created slave schedules at the same time as population schedules. The slave schedules were microfilmed along with the population schedules are and part of NARA microfilm publication M432 Seventh Census of the United States, 1850 in Record Group 29 Records of the Bureau of the Census.Slave schedules for 1850 exist for the following:


 * Alabama, rolls 17-24
 * Arkansas, roll 32
 * Delaware, roll 55
 * District of Columbia, roll 57
 * Florida, roll 60
 * Georgia, rolls 88-96
 * Kentucky, rolls 223-228
 * Louisiana, rolls 242-247
 * Maryland, rolls 300-302
 * Mississippi, rolls 383-390
 * Missouri, rolls 422-424
 * North Carolina, rolls 650-656
 * South Carolina, rolls 861-868
 * Tennessee, rolls 902-907
 * Texas, rolls 917--918
 * Utah Territory
 * Virginia, rolls 983-993

Slave schedules are not available for other states.

While nearly one-third of Southern families owned slaves, the number of slave owners named in the slave schedules is 1.7 percent of the total population (in 1860). Depending on the state, slaves numbered less than one to nearly 50 percent of the population (12.5 percent of the total population in 1860).

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Slave schedules
 * Name of slave owner
 * Number of slaves owned
 * Age, gender, and color of slave
 * If slave is a fugitive, from what state
 * Has slave been emancipated
 * Very few schedules list the names of the slaves

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the slave owner
 * The age of the slave
 * The state where the slave may have lived

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 


 * 1) Select State
 * 2) Select County
 * 3) Select Township or other division of county to view the images

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use slave schedules to identify the slave holdings of owners
 * Use the slave schedules with other sources to identify individuals and families who were slaves

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the United States.
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.


 * Collection Citation: "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850 ." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Citing NARA microfilm publication M432. Washington D.C.: National Archives, n.d.