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

United States



Record Description
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. Slave schedules for 1850 exist for the following:


 * Alabama
 * Arkansas
 * Delaware
 * District of Columbia
 * Florida
 * Georgia
 * Kentucky
 * Louisiana
 * Maryland
 * Mississippi
 * Missouri
 * North Carolina
 * South Carolina
 * Tennessee
 * Texas
 * Utah Territory
 * Virginia

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).

Record Content
Slave schedules include the following information:


 * 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 to Use the Records
To begin your search it is helpful to know


 * Name of the slave owner
 * Area of residence

Search the Collection
To search the collection by name: Fill in the slave owner's name in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about those in the list to what you already know about your own ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person.

To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the "State" category ⇒Select the "County" category ⇒Select the "Township or other division of county" category, which takes you to the images

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

With either search keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

Using the Information
Use slave schedules to identify the slave holdings of owners. Since they do not provide the slaves’ names, they can be used only in conjunction with other sources to identify individuals and families who were slaves.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * 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.

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Websites

 * NARA 1850 Federal Census Slave Form
 * NARA Nonpopulation Census Records
 * United States Census Online

Related Wiki Articles

 * United States
 * United States Census Slave Schedules

Citations for This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry): Image Citation: