New Jersey Census

Population Schedules
Starting in 1790, federal population schedules were taken every 10 years in the United States. Click here for more information about federal census records.

New Jersey was the 3rd state to join the Union on December 18, 1787. "New Jersey census records for the first four federal census--1790, 1800 (except for Cumberland County), 1810, and 1820--have not survived. Except for parts of Hudson County, the 1890 (11th census) records were destroyed in a fire at the National Archives in 1921."

Non-Population Schedules for New Jersey
Federal non-population schedules included such things mortality schedules, agriculture schedules, slave schedules, and manufacturing schedules.

Existing and Lost Censuses

 * List of existing and lost federal censuses for New Jersey

Online State and Territorial Censuses
State censuses are census records that were taken at the state-level rather than at the federal. Often, but not always, a state took their census in ten year increments 5 years from when the Federal Census was taken, such as 1885. State censuses can even serve as substitutes for missing federal censuses. For more information on state censuses, visit United States Census Bureau. Territorial censuses were taken by the federal government to count the population in federal territories. The government needed to count the population in the territory to see if it could qualify for statehood. For more information on territorial censuses, visit the US Territorial Census page.

Why Use the Census?
State census records can be one of the easiest ways to locate where an ancestor's family lived and when they lived there. Information varies based on year and location, but information that may be included in a census can include:
 * Name of each person in the family at the time the census was taken
 * Street or Avenue, or number Rural Free Delivery
 * Sex
 * Age
 * Color
 * Nativity
 * Place of birth of this person
 * Place of birth of Father of this person
 * Place of birth of Mother of this person
 * Period of Residence
 * How long a resident of this State (years and months)
 * How long a resident of this enumeration district (years and months)
 * Regular occupation
 * Military service