Wisconsin Census

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

Availability
The Family History Library has the U.S. federal censuses for the state of Wisconsin from 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930. The National Archives and Family History Library have microfilm copies of the Wisconsin Territorial Census for the years: 1836, 1838, 1842, 1846, and 1847.

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.

1860 United States Census- A free Internet index 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 on Footnote.com (available for a fee, or free at a Family History Center) 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 - Wisconsin census was destroyed, but there is a published index of the Union Army veterans and widows who resided in Wisconsin.

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.

Many census records are found at the Family History Library, the Wisconsin Historical Society, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives.

Two manuscripts exist for the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses. One set of manuscripts exists at the National Archives and another at the Wisconsin Historical Society. The information on each set is supposed to be the same, but it can be beneficial to check both. Transcription errors might exist. The two might differ in the legibility of the handwriting, the condition of the manuscript, and the quality of the microfilm. The Family History Library has microfilms of the set in the possession of the National Archives.

Historical Background
Prior to statehood the area that now makes up Wisconsin belonged to the following jurisdictions:

1787-1800 - Northwest Territory (13 July 1787 to 7 May 1800)

1800-1809 - Indiana Territory (7 May 1800 to 1 March 1809)

1809-1818 - Illinois Territory (1 March 1809 to 18 April 1818)

1818-1836 - Michigan Territory (18 April 1818 to 20 April 1836). The first two counties (Brown and Crawford) in what would become Wisconsin were organized on 26 October 1818.

1836-1848 - Wisconsin Territory (20 April 1836-29 May 1848). The territory included lands west of the Mississippi River to the Missouri River. Much of this western portion was later transferred to Iowa Territory, created 4 July 1838.

1848 - Wisconsin became a state on 29 May 1848.

Indexes

 * Jackson, Ronald Vern. 1890 Wisconsin Veterans Census Index. Salt Lake City, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, Inc., 1988. (Family History Library book 977.5 X22w 1890.) This index was taken from the schedule of Union Army Veterans and Widows, Schedules Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows . . . (Family History Library films 338270–275.)

Statewide indexes are available for the 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (for families with children ten years of age and under), 1900, and 1920 censuses. Card indexes for 1850, 1860, and 1870 are at the Wisconsin Historical Society and on microfilm at the Family History Library. There is a card for each member of the household in the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1905 indexes. The county, village, town, or township is on these cards.

These indexes do not match the page numbers used on the National Archives and Family History Library microfilm copies of the census, but they do give the county and township. For 1850, a published index is available with page numbers that match the microfilmed census:


 * 1840 Index - Family History Library book 977.5 X2j 1840
 * Jackson, Ronald Vern. Wisconsin 1850 Census Index. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1978. (Family History Library book 977.5 x2p 1850j.) This volume indexes only the heads of households.

Soundex (phonetic) indexes are available on microfilm for part of the 1880 and all of the 1900 and 1920 censuses.

Countywide indexes sometimes help you locate names overlooked in statewide indexes.

If you need to find an enumeration district, the following sources may help:


 * 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 a ward map and street index for Milwaukee, 1878.

Mortality Schedules
Mortality Schedules, which recorded deaths during the year preceding the census exist for 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880. The schedules are available at the Wisconsin Historical Society. The Family History Library has an index, in book form, to the 1850 mortality schedule (Family History Library book 977.5 X2jm 1850), and a copy of the 1880 mortality schedule on microfilm (Family History Library films 1032684 item 3–1032686).

Mortality Schedules 1850-1880

Native American
There are helpful censuses of Native Americans in Wisconsin for the time period 1885-1933.

Territorial Census
1827 Michigan Territorial Census


 * No names or statistical data survive for the part of the territory that later became Wisconsin.

1834 Michigan Territorial Census


 * Only statistical data survive for the part of the territory that later became Wisconsin.

1836 Wisconsin Territorial Census


 * Collections of the Historical Society of Wisconsin, Volume XIII. A transcription of the census.
 * Index - Family History Library book 977.5 X2 1836a

1838 Wisconsin Territorial Census


 * Index - Family History Library book 977.5 X22j 1838

1842 Wisconsin Territorial Census


 * Index - Family History Library book 977.5 X22j 1842

1847 Wisconsin Territorial Census

State Census
1855 Wisconsin State Census Free unindexed images can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search Pilot. This census includes name of head of household, number of individuals in the household by sex and race, number of deaf and dumb, blind, insane, and foreign born.

Index - Family History Library book 977.5 X22w 1855

1875 Wisconsin State Census Free indexed images can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search Pilot. This census includes name of head of household, number of individuals in the household by sex and race, number of deaf and dumb, blind, and insane.

1885 Wisconsin State Census    Free indexed images can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search Pilot. This census includes name of head of household, number of individuals in the household by sex and race, number of individuals from each country of origin.

1895 Wisconsin State Census Free indexed images can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search Pilot. This census includes name of head of household, number of individuals in the household by sex and race, number of individuals from each country of origin.

1905 Wisconsin State Census Free indexed images can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search Pilot. This census includes name of each member of the household, sex, race, age, marital status, country of birth, country of parents' birth, occupation, and home ownership. The 1905 census is the only Wisconsin state census that lists every household member by name.

Wisconsin Census of Civil War Veterans

1885 Wisconsin State Census


 * 1885 Enumeration Schedules of Soldiers and Sailors - Family Search Record Search. See the Soldiers and Sailors schedules under each county. For microfilm see Family History Library films 1032695–704.
 * Alphabetical List of the Soldiers and Sailors of the Late War Residing in the State June 20, 1885. A published document based on information from the census schedules.

1895 Wisconsin State Census


 * 1895 Enumeration Schedules of Soldiers and Sailors - Family Search Record Search. See the Soldiers and Sailors schedules under each county. For microfilm see Family History Library films 1032705–716.
 * Wisconsin Census Enumeration 1895: Names of Ex-Soldiers and Sailors Residing in Wisconsin, June 20, 1895. A published document based on information from the census schedules.

1905 Wisconsin State Census


 * Wisconsin Census Enumeration 1905 : Names of Ex-Soldiers and Sailors Residing in Wisconsin, June 1, 1905. A published document based on information from the census schedules.

The existing records of Wisconsin Territorial and state censuses are available at the Wisconsin Historical Society, and microfilm copies of most of them are at the Family History Library.