Illinois Census

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Existing and lost censuses
For a list of available and missing Illinois censuses, click here.

Availability
1800-- Federal census is lost.

1810-- Randolph County is all that remains of the census.

1890--Census was destroyed, except for a few names from Mound Township, McDonough County.

United States Censuses 1850-1920—Free Internet census indexes and images to the 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (index only), 1900, and 1920 (partial index only) can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search. These indexes show every name listed on the census, and except for 1880 and 1920, are also linked to census images including information about each person’s residence, age, birthplace, occupation, other family members, and neighbors.

1820-1930--These census records are on microfilm at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives.

Existing and lost censuses
Click here for a list of available and missing Illinois censuses.

Historical Background
1778--Illinois became a county of Virginia after Americans captured Kaskaskia, the British seat of government. Virginia relinquished its claim in 1784.

1787--Congress made Illinois part of the Northwest Territory. The Northwest territory was divided in 1800 when the area that is now Illinois became a part of Indiana Territory.

1809--The Illinois Territory was formed when the Indiana Territory was created.

1818--Illinois became a state after the Wisconsin region was transferred to the Michigan Territory.

Indexes
United States Census Indexes 1850-1920—Free Internet census indexes to the 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, and 1920 (partial index only) can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search.

1820-1860--Statewide surname indexes have been published.

1870--Indexes Chicago and Cook County are also available in book form.

1880--There is a partial SOUNDEX (phonetic) index on microfilm.

1900-1930--SOUNDEX Index is available.

Multistate indexes containing Illinois records include:


 * Jackson, Ronald Vern. AIS Microfiche Indexes of U.S. Census and Other Records. Bountiful, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems International, 1984. (Not cataloged, but it is available on microfiche at many Family History Centers.) Census indexes for 1790, 1800, and 1810 are combined together on Search 1. There is a composite index for the mortality schedules of 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 on Search 8. Separate Illinois 1830, 1840, and 1850 indexes are on other searches.

When searching for someone in a large city, the following reference tools will help determine which census schedule and enumeration district to search for a specific address:


 * Kirkham, E. Kay. A Handy Guide to Record- searching in the Larger Cities of the United States: Including a Guide to Their Vital Records and Some Maps with Street Indexes with Other Information of Genealogical Value. Logan, Utah: Everton, 1974. (Family History Library book 973 D27kc; fiche 6010059–60.) This includes ward maps and street maps for Chicago, 1850 to 1855 and 1878.
 * United States. Bureau of the Census. Cross Index to Selected City Streets and Enumeration Districts, 1910 Census. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M1283. Washington D.C.: National Archives, 1984. (Family History Library fiche6331481 [set of 51 fiche].)

Commonly referred to as the 39 Cities Index, this is arranged by street addresses and gives the corresponding 1910 census enumeration districts. Chicago is on parts 6–12 of the fiche, and Peoria is on part 37.

Maps are helpful tools to use with censuses because of the many boundary changes over the years. Two publications are especially helpful to use with censuses in Illinois:


 * Long, John H., ed. Illinois, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1997.
 * Thorndale, William, and William Dollarhide. Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790–1920. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1987.

Mortality Schedules
1850-1880--The Illinois State Archives has mortality schedules, which list persons who died during the twelve months before the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 federal censuses were taken.

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.

1870--Only Kendall through Woodford counties exist for the mortality schedules.

In addition to providing the same information about the deceased person that the regular census schedules provided for the living, mortality schedules also state the month and cause of death and the number of days ill prior to death.

The Family History Library has copies of the schedules:


 * Mortality Schedules of Illinois, 1850–1880. Illinois: Record Management Division, Secretary of State Office, 1967. (Family History Library films 1421024–030.)
 * Mortality Schedules 1850-1880

State Censuses
State Censuses were taken in 1810, 1818, 1820, 1825, 1830, 1835, 1840, 1845, 1855, and 1865. The 1810, 1818, and 1820 state censuses have been indexed and published.

Territorial Censuses
1807-- Some earlier Illinois residents were also listed in the 1807 Indiana territorial census:


 * Census of Indiana Territory for 1807. Indianapolis, Indiana: Indiana Historical Society, 1980. (Family History Library book 977.2 X2c 1807; film 1033927, item 4, or 1428705, item 5.)
 * Jackson, Ronald Vern, et al. Indiana 1807 Census Index. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems International, 1986. (Family History Library book 977.2 X22j 1807.)

1810–1855--Territorial, state, and federal censuses have been indexed in one alphabetical sequence along with county election returns and other records. Records for the 1825, 1835, and 1845 state censuses of many counties are missing or incomplete. The Illinois State Archives has the original card index complete through 1855.

A microfilm copy made before the index was completed is:


 * Name Index to Early Illinois Records. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois State Archives, 1975. (On 248 Family History Library microfilms beginning with 1001592.) At the time the index was microfilmed, most of the indexing of the 1855 census had not been completed.

1865--Though not complete, a separate card index to the 1865 state census is at the Illinois State Archives.

The microfilm numbers of most of the Illinois state census records available and listed in the Family History Library Catalog are in:


 * Buckway, G. Eileen, and Fred Adams, comps. U.S. State and Special Census Register: A Listing of Family History Library Microfilm Numbers. Two Volumes. Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Library, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1992. (Family History Library book 973 X2; fiche 6104851–52.)

Colonial Censuses

 * Two French colonial censuses of Illinois (1726 and 1732) are available in The Census Tables for the French Colony of Louisiana from 1699 Through 1732, by Charles R. Maduell, Jr. Genealogical Publishing Company: Baltimore, MD, 1972, p. 50-60.
 * A third French colonial census, taken in 1752 can be found in Kaskaskia Under the French Regime, by Natalia Maree Belting. Polyanthos: New Orleans, 1948, p. 86-98. Belting includes a genealogical commentary on each entry in the census.
 * A 1787 American census of French settlers of Kaskaskia and Prairie du Rocher is available at Kaskaskia Records, 1778-1790, by Clarence Walworth Alvord. Illinois State Historical Library: Springfield, IL, 1909: p. 414-420.

Web Sites
FamilySearch Record Search has free census indexes and images for 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1900; but indexes only for 1880, and 1920.

Ancestry: http://www.ancestry.com

Heritage Quest Online: http://www.heritagequestonline.com

Record Search:http://labs.familysearch.org

Census Online: http://www.census-online.com/links/IL/

Genealogy Today: http://dir.genealogytoday.com/usa/il/census.html

Access Genealogy: http://www.accessgenealogy.com/census/illinois.htm

National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/

Illinois State Archives: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/archives.html

Mortality Schedules: http://mortalityschedules.com/

Cook County Ward and ED Maps 1870-1930: http://alookatcook.com/