United States Census 1870

Indexes and Images
For an article about 1870 census population schedules available for free online at FamilySearch Historical Record Collections see the U.S. Census Population Schedules, 1870 Wiki page. Ancestry.com (subscription site) has indexes and images of all 1850 federal censuses. HeritageQuestOnline.com (subscription site) has some indexes and images of all 1850 federal censuses.

A free Internet census index and images to the 1870 census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search. This index shows every name listed on the census and is linked to census images including information about each person’s residence, age, birthplace, occupation, other family members, and neighbors.

For more details, see individual state census Wiki pages. For tips if the first census index search does not work, see the United States Census Searching Wiki page.

Content
The 1870 Census was taken beginning 1 June 1870, for five months. The following information was recorded by the census taker:


 * Name
 * Age—at last birthday
 * Sex
 * Color
 * Profession, occupation, trade
 * Value real estate
 * Value personal property
 * Birthplace
 * Father foreign born
 * Mother foreign born
 * Month born in census year
 * Month married in census year
 * School in census year
 * Can’t read or write
 * Deaf, dumb, blind, insane, idiotic
 * Male eligible to vote
 * Color - white (W), black (B), Chinese (C), Indian (I), mulatto (M)

1790-2000 Information: http://www.census.gov/prod/2000pubs/cff-2.pdf

Value
The 1870 census can be used to:


 * Identify Missing in 1870—may be casualty of Civil War
 * Parents of foreign birth indicate naturalization records
 * Identify Color (Origins) —white (W), black (B), Chinese (C), Indian (I), mulatto (M)

1850-1930 Search Tips: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1850-1930.html

Unique Features and Problems

 * 1) Asked if the father or mother of the individual were foreign born
 * 2) Asked if born within the year and to give month
 * 3) Asked if a male citizen over 21 years of age
 * 4) Asked if a male citizen over 21 years of age, who has had their rights to vote denied other than because of the grounds of rebellion or crime.
 * 5) If a male individual is missing in this Census, it may serve as a clue that he may have been a casualty of the Civil War
 * 6) The census was to list only those abiding in the house as of June 1 (those who died or children born after June 1 may not have been accounted for by the enumerator if they counted the household after that date)
 * 7) It has been said that many people were missed in the South
 * 8) Dwelling houses numbered in order of visitation.
 * 9) Families numbered in order of visitation
 * 10) Name every person living in household
 * 11) Children under 1—months as fractions
 * 12) 1st census to ask if parents of foreign birth

States and Territories Covered
States


 * Alabama
 * Arkansas
 * California
 * Connecticut
 * Delaware
 * District of Columbia
 * Florida
 * Georgia
 * Illinois
 * Indiana
 * Iowa
 * Kansas
 * Kentucky
 * Louisiana
 * Maine
 * Maryland
 * Massachusetts
 * Michigan
 * Minnesota
 * Mississippi
 * Missouri
 * Nebraska
 * Nevada
 * New Hampshire
 * New Jersey
 * New York
 * North Carolina
 * Ohio
 * Oregon
 * Pennsylvania
 * Rhode Island
 * South Carolina
 * Tennessee
 * Texas
 * Vermont
 * Virginia
 * West Virginia
 * Wisconsin

Territories


 * Arizona
 * Colorado
 * Dakota
 * Idaho
 * Montana
 * New Mexico
 * Utah
 * Washington
 * Wyoming

Where to Find the Records
The 1870 Federal Census is available online.

Online


 * 1870 United States Federal Census (Ancestry) ($)
 * (FamilySearch)

Websites
1790-2000 Info: http://www.census.gov/prod/2000pubs/cff-2.pdf

1850-1930 Search Tips: http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1850-1930.html