New York Census

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Microfilm images
1791-1930 The National Archives and its regional centers, the Family History Library, the New York Public Library, and the New York State Library have microfilm copies of the U.S. federal censuses of New York for 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930. The original county copies of the federal censuses, 1850–1880, are normally at the county clerk's offices. These copies are more accurate than the federal copies. The Family History Library has county copies on microfilm.

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

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

State, territorial, and colonial censuses

 * 1969 Native Americans
 * 1845-1950 Native Americans
 * 1875-1921 Almshouses and poorhouses census is online at the New York State Archives . These are not indexed.
 * 1890 Manhattan police census Ancestry.com has 26 of 894 surviving census books indexed online. On 59 films.
 * 1870 New York County 2nd enumeration
 * 1776 Suffolk County
 * 1657-1799 Lists of inhabitants
 * 1663-1772 Colonial censuses About every ten years.


 * Also, to locate existing colonial censuses and lists of petitioners, taxpayers, militia lists, freeholders (those who owned property), and persons taking oaths of allegiance, use: John D. Stemmons, The United States Census Compendium (Logan, Utah: Everton Publishers, 1973).

For a list of the questions asked on each New York state census from 1825 to 1925, click here.

How to Find State Census Records

Microfilm copies of all surviving New York state censuses are at the State Library. Manuscript copies for 1915 and 1925 are at the state archives. The staff will not search these unindexed records for you. All state censuses are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.

Street Indexes The Family History Library has street indexes for the 1905, 1915, and 1925 Manhattan censuses (Family History Library 36 films). The library also has a manuscript street index to the 1915 Brooklyn census, 1915 Queens census, and 1925 Queens census. 1925 census maps showing assembly and election district boundaries are available on microfiche for New York City (fiche 6088624), Buffalo (fiche 6088619), Rochester (fiche 6088627), and some other cities.

More information on New York census records is in:


 * Marilyn Douglas and Melinda Yates, New York State Census Records, 1790–1925, Bibliography Bulletin 88 (Albany, New York: The State Education Department, 1981 Family History Librarybook 974.7 A1 number 72).


 * New York Genealogy Census Records has a listing of links for statewide and countywide census years. The county links are particularly helpful.

For a list of questions asked in each New York state census from 1825 to 1925, click here.

How to Find State Census Records

Microfilm copies of all surviving New York state censuses are at the State Library. Manuscript copies for 1915 and 1925 are at the State Archives. The staff will not search these unindexed records for you. All state censuses are available on microfilm at the Family History Library.

Street indexes The Family History Library has street indexes for the 1905, 1915, and 1925 Manhattan censuses on 36 films. The library also has a manuscript street index to the 1915 Brooklyn census, 1915 Queens census, and 1925 Queens census. 1925 census maps showing assembly and election district boundaries are available on microfiche for New York City (fiche 6088624), Buffalo (fiche 6088619), Rochester (fiche 6088627), and some other cities. More information on New York census records is in:


 * Marilyn Douglas and Melinda Yates, New York State Census Records, 1790–1925, Bibliography Bulletin 88 (Albany, New York: The State Education Department, 1981 Family History Library book 974.7 A1 number 72).

Existing and lost censuses
For a list of available and missing New York 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