Massachusetts Census

United States &gt;  Maryland  &gt;  Census

Microform and book indexes
Click here for a list of microform and book indexes for federal population schedules of Maryland.

Microform and book indexes
Click here for a list of microform and book indexes for federal non-population schedules of Maryland.

Missing federal censuses
Click here for a list of missing and available Maryland federal censuses.

State or other censuses
[Colonial territorial, state or other censuses]

Maryland made in 1778 a list of citizens who had taken an oath of fidelity which list is sometimes called a census.

Maryland took a census in 1776:


 * Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh, Maryland Records, Colonial, Revolutionary, County and Church from Original Sources, 2 vols. (1915-1928; reprint, Baltimore:Genealogical Publ., 1975) [FHL book 975.2 D29b; fiche 6046943]
 * Bettie Stirling Carothers, 1776 Census of Maryland(Lutherville, Md.: B.S. Carothers, 1972) [FHL book 975.2 X2p 1776; film 928227 Item 2]

An online index to both is found in MARYLAND INDEXES (Census Index) 1776-1778 [MSA S1419].

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

External sites
Many censuses and indexes are on free sites, others are at paid sites. Some may have access through library membership, and other are personal paid sites. Some sites have partial censuses and others major fee sites have the whole series, with indexes and links to images. Online indexes are searchable in different ways, see tips if you are having difficulties locating your family.


 * FamilySearch Record Search is free site. There are a few census years available now with more being added. Search the index and view the images. The index is to every name listed on the census. As of June 2009. the years that are indexed and available for Maryland are 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1900.
 * Maryland State Archives has indexes to the 1776 and 1778 colonial "censuses", also the federal 1870 and 1880. 
 * Ancestry is a large Internet company that has all the Maryland censuses indexed from 1790--1930 by every name. The index is linked to the image as well to an extracted household group with source information. Ancestry is available at many libraries, the Family History Library, and certain Family History centers.You can also purchase your own subscription.
 * Heritage Quest Online is a paid site that has indexes for the 1790–1820, 1860–1880, and 1900–1930. Images for all national censuses are available for browsing, printing, and downloading. Many libraries have subscriptions which allow access for their patrons outside of their library with a library card and password.
 * Census Finder has statewide links to online indexes, then countywide links, including indexes, transcriptions, scanned copies. The links on this site are often difficult to use.
 * Two other websites that have links to other sites are Census Online and Access Genealogy. Some of the addresses are not current.

Availability
1800 Suffolk County--Census is mostly lost.

1850 United States Census—A free Internet index and images to the 1850 United States Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. This index includes every name listed on the census and is linked to an image including information about each person’s residence and age in 1850, birthplace, occupation, other family members, and neighbors.

1855 Massachusetts State Census—A free Internet index and images to the 1855 Massachusetts State Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. This index includes every name listed on the census and is linked to an image including information about each person’s residence and age in 1855, birthplace, occupation, other family members, whether married or single, and neighbors. For a description of this collection, see Massachusetts 1855 State Census. 1860 United States Census—A free Internet index and images to the 1860 United States Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. This index includes every name listed on the census and is linked to an image including information about each person’s residence and age in 1860, birthplace, occupation, other family members, whether married or single, and neighbors.

 1870 United States Census---A free internet index and images can be viewed on FamilySearch Record Pilot site. This index includes the full name, age, sex, race, birthplace, occupation, month if born in census year, month if married in census year, birth place of father and mother, if born in a foreign country.

1880 United States Census– A Free Internet Index and Images to the US Census can be viewed on the Family Search Record Pilot – Pilot Site. This index includes an every name index to population schedules listing inhabitants. It includes the full name, race, sex, age, birth month (if born during the previous year), relationship to head of household, whether married, single or divorced, whether married during the previous year, country or state of birth of each person and his parent’s, occupation and street address and house number.

1890 Census--Census was destroyed, except for a list of Civil War Union soldiers, which has a published index.

1900 Federal Census - A free Internet index and images to the 1900 United States Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. Important additions to this census are month and year of birth of each household member, number of years married for each married person, number of children born to each mother and the number of those still living, year of immigration, and number of years in the United States.

Historical Background
1788--Massachusetts came into the Union as the 6th state.

Ancestry
All census records for Massachusetts are indexed on Ancestry.

Statewide indexes to federal censuses
Book Indexes: 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860


 * 1790–1850: microfiche indexes
 * 1870 Hampden County: book index
 * 1880 (partial), 1900, 1920 and 1930: Soundex (phonetic) indexes on microfilm
 * 1910: no index for Massachusetts

Town indexes to federal censuses
Can sometimes help locate names missed in statewide indexes. They are sometimes listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under MASSACHUSETTS, [COUNTY], [TOWN]-CENSUS

City Finding Helps
City Directories: In large cities first find the person's address in the city directory for the same year as the census. Then look for that address in the census.

The following reference tools help determine which census schedule microfilm and enumeration district to search for specific addresses:


 * Kirkham, E. Kay. A Handy Guide to Record- Searching in the Larger Cities of the United States. Logan, Utah: Everton, 1974. (Family History Library book 973 D27kc; fiche 6010059-60.) Includes ward maps and street indexes for Boston for 1850–1855, 1860, and 1877.

United States. Census Office. Census Descriptions of Geographic Subdivisions and Enumeration Districts.


 * 1870 (Family History Library film 1402859) 1880 (Family History Library film 1402861) 1900 (Family History Library film 1303022) 1910 (Family History Library film 1374005) 1920 (Family History Library 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. (Family History Library book 973 X2bu 1910; fiche 6101340.) Lists all Massachusetts towns (or wards) with their 1910 census enumeration district numbers and Family History Library film numbers. Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Fall River, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, New Bedford, Somerville, Springfield, and Worcester each have special instructions. These often includeFamily History Libraryor film numbers for city directories.
 * Malmberg, Emil and Maurine. Street Indexes to Unindexed Cities in the U.S. 1910 Federal Census. Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Library, 1993. (Family History Library book 973 X2str 1910; fiche 6104151.) Lists Boston street addresses with their corresponding page numbers, 1910 census enumeration district numbers, and Family History Library film numbers.
 * Marnier, Mary Lou and Patricia Rougham Bellows. A Research Aid for the Massachusetts 1910 Federal Census. Sudbury, Massachusetts: Computerized Assistance, 1988. (Family History Library book 974 X22m.) This book gives the wards, precincts, enumeration districts, and starting page for each town. Includes maps. Refers to the National Archives microfilm numbers, which can be matched to Family History Library microfilm numbers.

Mortality Schedules
1850-1880--Mortality schedules for 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 list those who died in the year before the census. These are at the Massachusetts State Archives, the National Archives, and the Family History Library:

1850 United States Census Mortality Schedules—A free Internet index and images to the 1850 United States Census Mortality Schedules can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search - Pilot Site. Mortality schedules provided nationwide death statistics for the twelve months prior to the 1850 census. Key genealogical facts found on the 1850 mortality schedule are: Name, age, sex, color, married or widowed, birthplace, month of death, occupation, cause of death.


 * Mortality Schedules 1850-1880

1850 (Family History Library film 1421015–16)                       1860 (Family History Library film 1421017)                        1870 (Family History Library film 1421018–19)                        1880 (Family History Library film 1421020–23)

State Censuses
1855 and 1865 State Censuses--The original censuses are at the Massachusetts State Archives. The Family History Library has copies of:


 * Massachusetts, Secretary of the Commonwealth. State Census, 1855–1865. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1974. These records are arranged by county and town. They list an individual's name, age, state or country of birth, and occupation.

1855 Massachusetts State Census—A free Internet index and images to the 1855 Massachusetts State Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search. This index includes every name listed on the census and is linked to an image including information about each person’s residence and age in 1855, birthplace, occupation, other family members, and neighbors.

1865 Massachusetts State Census—A free Internet index and images to the 1865 Massachusetts State Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. This index includes every name listed on the census and is linked to an image including information about each person’s residence and age in 1865, birthplace, occupation, other family members, and neighbors.

Websites

 * FamilySearch: Record Search Massachusetts 1855 State Census. This free site will let you view and save.
 * Ancestry: http://www.ancestry.com
 * Heritage Quest Online: http://www.heritagequestonline.com
 * Census Online: http://www.census-online.com/links/MA/
 * Genealogy Today: http://dir.genealogytoday.com/usa/ma/census.html
 * Access Genealogy: http://www.accessgenealogy.com/census/massachusetts.htm
 * Census Finder: www.censusfinder.com/massachusetts.htm
 * USGenWeb-Massachusetts: www.us-census.org/states/massachusetts/
 * Mortality Schedules: http://mortalityschedules.com/
 * Massachusetts Genealogy Census Records: http://massachusetts-genealogy.com/Massachusetts-Census-Records.cfm