Argentina, National Census, 1895 - FamilySearch Historical Records

This wiki article describes a collection of records that is available for free online at FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. To access the collection, see 1895 Argentina Census

Foreign Language Title
Segundo Censo Nacional de la República Argentina, 1895

Collection Time Period
The second national census of the Argentine Republic was carry out in one day on Sunday, May 10, 1895 and was published in 1898.

Collection History
The second census of Argentina, performed in May 1895, was conducted in the entire country simultaneously by the Census Commission, under the supervision of the Ministerio del Interior. For the purposes of the census, the country was divided into large provinces or territories, which were further divided into departments or partitions (partidos), and finally into districts (distritos). In the city of Buenos Aires, the partitions were divided into wards (barrios), and each ward into a police section. These police sections include the number of the census subdivision and its corresponding block numbers and street names. The census covers most of the 5 million inhabitants of Argentina that existed at the time of the census.

Why Was This Collection Created?
The Argentina 1895 Census was done to obtain demographic and statistical data related to the country's development. Valuable data was gathered that gave insight into population growth, economic growth, immigration and internal migrations, occupations, health, literacy levels, property, and more.

Collection Reliability
The census is a good source of genealogical information that may not be obtainable elsewhere, particularly if civil or parish records are not available. The census is the second best source for genealogical information in Argentina, with civil and church records being the number one source. The census was taken by regular citizens assigned to areas. The person being questioned did not have to show legal evidence of the information given, so the information may contain some errors. A patron may gather the information available from census records, and then continue to search using civil or parish records. The census is generally in good condition.

Collection Description
The census is divided into sections. Each section is a volume. A volume contains legal-sized paper in landscape format. The second census of Argentina, performed in May 1895, was conducted in the entire country simultaneously by the Census Commission, under the supervision of the Ministerio del Interior. For the purposes of the census, the country was divided into large provinces or territories, which were further divided into departments or partitions (partidos), and finally into districts (distritos). In the city of Buenos Aires, the partitions were divided into wards (barrios), and each ward into a police section. These police sections include the number of the census subdivision and its corresponding block numbers and street names.

Record Content
The 1895 census contains the following information: Surname and name of everyone living in the household at the time of the census. Place of birth. Age at the time of the census (infants are shown in number of months old).

Gender: males are identified with the letter “V” for varón (male) and females with the letter “M” for mujer (woman)

Social status Nationality, religion, occupation, if literate, if a student, if a real property owner, how many children, and how many years of marriage (for women only), physical or mental health, if disabled (by war or accident), and if orphaned. The address is not listed, only the section or the street name; however, with the street name given on the first page of the census subdivision, it is possible to get the location of the property within the city.

General
A patron must first know at least the approximate area or locality where his or her ancestors lived in 1895. He or she must be able to read Spanish.

To find an entry in the Argentina 1895 Census, a person may search the microfilms in the collection at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. These microfilms can be ordered from any family history center throughout the world. A patron could also visit the national archives in Buenos Aires (Archivo General de la Nación), where the original records are housed. In the near future, these records will be available on the Internet at www.familysearch.org

Find the proper register for the locality of the research at the Archivo General de la Nación in Buenos Aires or on a microfilm from the Family History Library’s collection. This collection can be accessed from any family history center. After finding the book with the correct locality (departamento or partido), find the section with the smaller locality (pueblito, barrio, villa, colonia, and so on) within the book. Each smaller locality is separated by a title page. Once the section with the smaller locality is found, analyze each page of the section in detail. The registers are not in alphabetical order but were recorded by address. Patrons need to be familiar with older Spanish writing styles to be able to read the names on the register.

Patrons may need to know some older writing styles to be able to read the information on the record. If the exact location of the property is not known, a patron may need to search the whole register if the book belongs to the region where the ancestors lived.

Extracting the Census Information

Steps to extract all the genealogical information from the census ledger: Transcribe the complete locality name, including province (provincia), department (departamento) or partition (partido), and district (distrito).

Transcribe the genealogical information of columns A through H for each family in the census.The first name listed for a family is usually the head of the household. The rest of the family then follows. Any other people living in the house at the time would also be listed. Family members are listed by age in column C, which makes it possible to identify the parents and their children.

Patrons could create a database of people who have the same family name as the individual they are looking for. These people could be related. People who lived on the same street or in the same section appear together in the census book.

The Census on the FamilySearch Index

Information from the census records have been indexed on the FamilySearch Web site.

This index will be available to the public shortly at www.familysearch.org Steps to find this index:

On the home page, click the Search tab.

On the new page on the left column, click the word Census. On the Census Records screen, choose the census you want to search. Fill in the blanks with the information requested, and click Search.

The system will search for the information entered and will give you a list of names. Find the name of your ancestor, and click on that name to view the information extracted from the original census.

The Census on Microfilm
The second census of Argentina was microfilmed on 35-mm films by the Genealogical Society of Utah between the years of 1968 and 1970. The microfilming took place at the Archivo General de la Nación in Buenos Aires. The microfilms are divided into items, and each item into exposures. Each exposure captures one page of the original record. The records for less populated areas were microfilmed on one or two rolls of film, while more populated areas have several rolls of film.

To search the microfilm collection of Argentina’s 1895 Census in the Family History Library Catalog, follow these steps:

On FamilySearch Internet, click the Library tab. Click Family History Library Catalog Click Place Search

Under Place-Name, enter the name of the partido for the federal district or the department for other provinces. In the Place Search Results, click which locality you are searching for.

Under Place Detail, click the one called census.

Under Topic Details, click the title 2º Censo Nacional or the one listed for the 1895 census.

Under Title Details, review the description information, and then click the tab named View Film Notes.

Under Film Notes, review the information listed for each microfilm.

Then choose the one that pertains to your ancestor. Write down the corresponding microfilm number on a Record Log form or on a piece of paper. Order the microfilm from a Family History Center. All microfilms from the Family History Library’s collection can be requested for a minimal fee from any family history center in the world. To find the center closest to you, go to www.familysearch.org

For ordering microfilms at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, patrons should go to the Library Attendant Window on the International Floor. Microfilms may take up to three days to arrive at the library.

For ordering microfilms from the Internet by electronic correspondence, go to www.familysearch.org. Click on Library, in the left column click the link called Contact us or Send us an e-mail. In the Subject field of the form, enter Microfilm Request. In the Questions field write your request, and then send it.

The Census at the Archivo General de la Nación in Buenos Aires

Find Archivo General de la Nación on the Internet at http://www.mininterior.gov.ar/agn/ Or e-mail: [mailto:archivo@mininterior.gov.ar archivo@mininterior.gov.ar]

Call (011-54-11) 4331-5531/33 Fax (011-54-11) 4334-0065

Located at Avenida Leandro N. Alem No. 246, C1003AAP Buenos Aires, Distrito Federal, Argentina. Open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call for holiday schedules.

The Archivo General de la Nación in Buenos Aires is organized into five departments: 1) Biblioteca y Difusión, 2) Documentos Escritos, 3) Fotografía, 4) Cine, Audio y Video, and 5) Archivo Intermedio. The census registers of 1869 and 1895 total 1,386 volumes. These records are divided into provinces, towns, and urban and rural populations. They are located on the fourth floor of the archive’s department, called Fondos Documentales, which is a section of Documentación de Soporte Papel.

Argentina’s Archivo General de la Nación can provide reference assistance to researchers and the general public. The archive’s personnel can assist patrons only in relation to the search of information or materials for their investigation.

Patrons may research the census books in person at the Archivo General de la Nación in Buenos Aires. The records are located in the Fondos Documentales department, which is on the fourth floor. If microfilms are available, the archive will not allow patrons to use the original census books. Patrons will need to leave their personal items in designated areas before entering the reading rooms. They may take with them only white sheets of paper, pencils, an eraser, and a portable PC. Upon entering the Archivo General de la Nación, patrons will need to fill out a registration form and show some identification, such as a passport for foreigners or an LE, LC, CI, or DNI for locals. The following are available at the Archivo General de la Nación for a fee: 1) photocopies, 2) microfilms and negatives of originals, 3) paper copies of originals, 4) slides, 5) copies on videocassette, 6) scans of photographs. To obtain any of these services, patrons will need to fill out a request form on site.

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