South Carolina Census

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

Availability
1790-1880, 1900-1930

Copies of these censuses can be found in the following repositories: the National Archives, the Family History Library, and the South Carolina Department of Archives and History.

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 and images 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 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.

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.

The United States Census article provided detailed information about these records.

Historical Background
1713-1719-- South Carolina region was separated from North Carolina and became a royal colony. Records were kept in Charleston. 1788-- South Carolina became a state. 1860--South Carolina was the first state to suceed from the Union. 1868--South Carolina was readmitted to the Union. Districts were now called counties.

Indexes
1790-1930 Online Index--All federal census records for Maine are indexed online at www.ancestry.com.

The Family History Library has:

1790-1870 Indexes--Indexes are available for the 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses in book format.

1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 Indexes--Microfilm soundex (phonetic) indexes are available for part of the 1880 and all of the 1900, 1910, and 1920 censuses.

Colonial Censuses
No colonial censuses have been preserved. See the “Taxation” section of the Research Outline for South Carolina for similar lists of names for this time period.

Slave Holder Schedules
1850 United States Census Slave Schedules—A free Internet index and images to the 1850 United States Census Slave Schedules can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site listing each slave owner's name and residence. It also shows the age, gender, and color of the slaves. Slave names are not normally listed.

Mortality Schedules
1850-1880--Mortality schedules (lists of deaths in the year preceding the census) exist for 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880. Indexes have been published for 1850 and 1860. The originals are at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History. The Family History Library film numbers are listed below:


 * 1850-1860 (Family History Library film 1294287)
 * 1870 (Family History Library film 1294288)
 * 1880 (Family History Library film 1294289)

&lt;1850 United States Census Mortality Schedules—A free Internet index and images to the 1850 United States Census Mortality Schedules can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search - Pilot Site. Mortality schedules provided nationwide death statistics for the twelve months prior to the 1850 census. Key genealogical facts found on the 1850 mortality schedule are: Name, age, sex, color, married or widowed, birthplace, month of death, occupation, cause of death.

Mortality Schedules 1850-1880

Veteran's Censuses
The 1890 schedules were destroyed, except those for Civil War veterans and widows, which are at the South Carolina Department of Archives and History, the National Archives, and the Family History Library.

State Censuses
An 1848 census for the city of Charleston is available at the Family History Library (Family History Library film 823835 item 2).

Although not available at the Family History Library, the South Carolina Department of Archives and History has the following state censuses:


 * 1829 state census (Fairfield and Laurens Districts)
 * 1839 state census (Kershaw District)
 * 1869 population returns 1875 agricultural and population returns

Territorial Censuses
South Carolina does not have a Territorial Census.

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

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

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

Genealogy Today: http://dir.genealogytoday.com/usa/sc/census.html

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

South Carolina Department of Archives and History: http://archives.sc.gov/genealogy/federalcensus.htm

Mortality Schedules: http://mortalityschedules.com/