Maryland Census

Portal:United States Census &gt;Maryland

Why use census?
Censuses are the basic records for genealogist. The records give the places where your ancestors live, dates and places of birth, family members, and places where the family lived. You can also locate neighbors names. You may learn about immigration information.

Now, many censuses are indexes and images are located on computers. This is the easiest way to locate your ancestors.

What Records Exists
There are two main types of records for Maryland, colonial census and federal census. For other records used for locating individuals at other times you will want to use Directories and Tax Records.

These are the population schedules which lists either the head of the house or the whole family. There are other schedules listed under special census.

Colonial Census
1776--A colonial census was taken for most counties.

1778--Nearly every male 18 years of age and older (except for Friends and others who objected for religious reasons) took an oath of fidelity to the state.

1778--A list of adult males was also made to determine who had not taken the oath of fidelity.

Federal Census
The first federal census was taken in 1790. The census has been taken every ten years and the census has been made public through 1930. The 1890 census was damaged and then destroyed in a fire. The whole population schedul for Maryland was destroyed.

1790–1880, 1900–1930 Available for Maryland.

Missing

1790: Allegany, Calvert, and Somerset counties.

1800:  Baltimore County outside of Baltimore City.

1830: Montgomery, Prince Georges, Queen Annes, St. Marys, and Somerset counties.

What does the Census contain?
You will find the following types of information in the federal population censuses:

1790–1840 — The population schedules for the 1790 to 1840 censuses give the name of the head of each household, and the number of others in the house grouped by ages and sex.

1850 and later — The 1850 and later censuses list the names, ages, occupations, and birthplaces (country or state only) of each member of a household.

1870 — The 1870 census also indicates if the individual's parents were foreign born.

1880 and later — The 1880 and later censuses add the birthplaces (country or state only) of each person's parents. They also identify relationships to the head-of-house.

1900–1910 — The 1900 and 1910 censuses include the age of each individual, how many years he had been married, his year of immigration, and his citizenship status. The 1900 census also gives the month and year of birth. For mothers it lists the number of children born and surviving. The 1910 census identifies Civil War veterans.

1920 — The 1920 census gives ages but not the month and year of birth. Included with place of birth for the person and their parents, is the "mother tongue." It also lists the year of naturalization, the only census to do so.

1930 — The 1930 census has similar information as the1920 census has. It does not have the year of naturalization nor the "mother tongue" of the parents. It does ask for if the person is a veteran and of what war.

How to find and search the census
All the census have indexes and you can find them on the Internet. Some are found at free sites, while major fee sites have the whole series and have indexes and links to images.Many are searchable in different ways, see tips if you are having difficulties.

The census and indexes are also found in books and microfilms. The Family History Library has copies of the films, the National Archives, and the Maryland State Archives.

You will want to use the computer indexes first:

Websites
Combined sites with links to various places is helpful place to begin:

Census Finder has a list with links for the state of Maryland. Then has two pages for each of the counties of Maryland, with a description of what you will find. You will find indexes, transcriptions, scanned copies, There are also other types of records described in wiki articles, such as, Directories and Taxation.

Ancestry: http://www.ancestry.com

Maryland State Archives has indexes to the 1776 and 1778 colonial "censuses", also the federal 1870 and 1880. 

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

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

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

Other Sources
If the person lived in a large city, you can find an address in a city directory for the same year that the census was taken. Then look for that address on the original census schedules.

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


 * Brown, Mary Ross. An Illustrated Genealogy of the Counties of Maryland and the District of Columbia as a Guide to Locating Records . . . Baltimore, Maryland: French-Bray Printing Co., 1967. (Family History Library book 975.2 E7b.) This has maps showing Baltimore City ward boundaries in 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880.

Census Descriptions of Geographic Subdivisions and Enumerations Districts. The United States Census Offices has prepared the following descriptions:

1880--Family History Library film 1402861                         1900--Family History Library film 1303022                          1910--Family History Library film 1374004                          1920--Family History Library film 1842708                          1930--Family History Library film 2261284


 * 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.) This work lists all Maryland towns (or wards), their 1910 census enumeration district numbers, and their Family History Library film numbers. The work contains special instructions and information for Baltimore, including the Family History Library film numbers of city directories.
 * United States. Bureau of the Census. Cross Index to Selected City Streets and Enumeration Districts, 1910 Census. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, [1984]. (On 51 Family History Library fiche beginning with 6331481.) This reference lists street addresses of Baltimore on fiche numbers two through four and lists corresponding census enumeration districts.

Another index that may be helpful in locating individuals is:


 * Jackson, Ronald Vern. AIS Microfiche Indexes of U.S. Census and Other Records. Bountiful, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems International, 1984. (No Family History Library fiche number but available at many Family History Centers.) In this work, the Maryland censuses for 1790, 1800, and 1810 censuses are combined on Search 1. The 1820, 1830, 1840, and 1850 censuses have separate searches.

Mortality Schedules
1850-1880--Mortality schedules exist. The schedules and indexes are available at the Maryland State Archives.

The Family History Library has microfilm copies of and the following published mortality schedules:


 * Dryden, Ruth T. (Ruth Jean Tamm), 1923–. State of Maryland Mortality Schedules, 1850 &amp; 1860. San Diego, California: Dryden, [198-?]. (Family History Library book 975.2 X28d; fiche 6117599)
 * Riley, Janet Wilson.Eastern Shore Mortality Schedule, 1870.Silver Spring, Maryland: Family Line Publications, 1985. (Family History Library book 975.21 X28r.) The Eastern shore area includes nine counties: Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Annes, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester.


 * Riley, Janet Wilson. Mortality Schedule of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, 1880. Silver Spring, Maryland: Family Line Publications, 1986. (Family History Library book 975.2 A1 No. 196) The Eastern Shore area includes nine counties: Caroline, Cecil, Dorcester, Kent, Queen Annes, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester.

Police Census
1868--The Baltimore City Archives has a police census for some city wards of Baltimore on one microfilm.

Slave Schedules
1850-1860-- Slave schedules list the name of the owner, the numbers of slaves owned, whether the slaves were male or female, and the slaves' age ranges. They do not list the slaves by name. The slave schedules are not indexed.

For slave schedules see:

1850--Family History Library film 443531-33                       1860--Family History Library film 803484-85

Veterans Schedules
The Family History Library has the Maryland 1890 Civil War Union veterans schedule and index. The index is:


 * Dilts, Bryan Lee. 1890 Maryland Census Index of Civil War Veterans or Their Widows. Salt Lake City, Utah: Index Publishing, 1985. (Family History Library book 975.2 X22d 1890).

Web Sites
Ancestry: http://www.ancestry.com

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

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

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