The United States was the first country to regularly conduct a scheduled
census. The Constitution, ratified in 1788, required that a census of all
"Persons . . . excluding Indians not taxed," be conducted in order to determine
the collection of taxes and the appropriation of seats in the House of
Representatives. The first nine censuses, from 1790 to 1870, were administered
by the U. S. Federal Courts, every district being assigned a U.S. Marshal who
hired others to administer the census. Governors were responsible for
enumeration within their territorial boundaries.
There was certainly no concept that the greatest usage of census records
would become family research. The Census Bureau releases only general
demographic information. By law, population schedules are not released for 72
years following the census enumeration. The 1940 Decennial Population Census
data is scheduled for release in 2012. Click on the Census Year below for
information pertaining to that census; date enumerated, questions asked and
other important information.
Order census index searches and census records below. Where you already have
the census record details (year, state, county, enumeration district, roll, page
number) the record is $17.95, shipping and handling is already included. Where a
census is not indexed, we can still search the census for you. Ask us for
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Census Date - April 1, 1930
There was no separate Indian Population Schedule, rather residents of
reservations were enumerated in the general population schedules with some minor
differences in reporting: in place of country of birth for the father, the
degree of Indian blood was listed and for the country of birth for the mother
the tribe was listed.
Enumerators were instructed not to report servicemen in the family enumerations
but to treat them as residents of their duty posts. The 1930 Population Census
includes schedules for overseas military and naval forces.
Download a blank census form
1930 Population Census Questions:
Address
Name
Relationship to head of household
Home owned or rented
Value or monthly rental
Radio set
Whether on a farm
Sex
Race (W - White, Neg - Negro, Mex - Mexican, In - Indian, Ch - Chinese, Jp -
Japanese; Fil - Filipino, Hin - Hindu, Kor - Korean, Other races are spelled out
in full, For Indian: whether of full or mixed blood, and tribal affiliation
Age
Marital status, age at first marriage
School attendance
Literacy
Birthplace of person and parents
If foreign born, language spoken in home before coming to the U.S.
Year of immigration
Whether naturalized (Na - Naturalized, Pa - First Papers, Al - Alien)
Whether speaks English
Occupation, industry, and class of worker
Whether at work previous day (or last regular working day)
Veteran status (WW - World War, Sp - Spanish-America War, Civ - Civil War, Phil
- Philippine Insurrection, Box - Boxer Rebellion, Mex - Mexican Punitive
Expedition)
Census Date - January 1, 1920
Unlike the 1910 Population Census, the 1920 Population Census did not have
questions regarding unemployment, Union or Confederate military service, number
of children, or duration of marriage. It did, however, include four new question
columns: one asked the year of naturalization and three inquired about mother
tongue. It also asked the year of arrival and status of every foreign-born
person and inquired about the year of naturalization for those individuals who
had become U.S. citizens.
In 1920 the census included, for the first time, Guam, American Samoa, and the
Panama Canal Zone. Due to boundary modifications in Europe resulting from World
War I, enumerators were instructed to spell out the name of the city, state,
province, or region of respondents who declared that they or their parents had
been born in Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, or Turkey.
There was no separate Indian Population Schedule. Residents of reservations were
enumerated in the general population schedules. Enumerators were instructed not
to report servicemen in the family enumerations but to treat them as residents
of their duty posts. The 1920 Population Census includes schedules for overseas
military and naval forces.
Download a blank census form
1920 Population Census Questions:
Address
Name
Relation to head of household
Whether home owned or rented; if owned, whether free or mortgaged
Sex
Color or race
Age at last birthday
Marital status
Year of immigration
Whether naturalized or alien (A or AL - Alien; NA - Naturalized; NR - Not
Reported; PA - First Papers Filed)
If naturalized, year of naturalization
Whether attended school
Whether able to read Whether able to write
Birthplace and mother tongue
Birthplaces and mother tongues of parents
Whether able to speak English
Trade, profession or type of work done
Employed in what industry
Whether employer, salary or wage worker, or working on own account
Number of farm schedule
Address
Name
Relation to head of household
Sex
Color or race
Age at last birthday
Marital status
Number of years of present marriage
Number of children born (to the wife, widow or divorcee)
Number of those children living
Birthplace, if foreign born, mother tongue
Birthplaces of parents
Year of immigration
Whether naturalized or alien for foreign born males 21 years old or older (A or
AL - Alien; NA - Naturalized; NR - Not Reported; PA - First Papers Filed)
Whether able to speak English
Occupation Employed in what industry
Whether out of work on 15 April 1910
Number of weeks out of work during 1909
Whether able to read and write
Whether able to attend school at any time since 1 September 1909
Whether house is owned or rented; a farm or house; whether it is mortgage free
Whether a survivor of Union or Confederate Army or Navy
Whether blind, deaf or dumb (mute)
Address
Name
Relation to head of household
Color
Sex
Month and year of birth, and age at last birthday
Marital status
Number of years married
For married women, number of children born and number of those children living
Birthplace
Father's birthplace
Mother's birthplace
For an alien or naturalized citizen: year of immigration to the US; number of
years in the US, whether still an alien, having applied for citizenship, or
naturalized (A or AL - Alien; NA - Naturalized; NR - Not Reported; PA - First
Papers Filed)
Occupation of 10 and older, or number of months not employed
Information about school attendance, literacy and ability to speak English
Whether residence was a farm
Whether occupant was a homeowner
The 1890 Population Census was destroyed in a fire in Washington in 1921. Less
than one per cent of the records survived; a total of 6,160 names, available on
3 rolls of microfilm. The only surviving fragments are as follows:
Alabama - Perry County
District of Columbia - Q, S, 13th, 14th, RQ, Corcoran, 15th, SE, and Roggs
streets, and Johnson Avenue
Georgia - Muscogee County (Columbus)
Illinois - McDonough County: Mound Township
Minnesota - Wright County: Rockford
New Jersey - Hudson County: Jersey City
New York - Westchester County: Eastchester; Suffok County: Brookhaven Township
North Carolina - Gaston County: South Point Township, Ricer Bend Township;
Cleveland County: Township No. 2
Ohio - Hamilton County (Cincinnati); Clinton County: Wayne Township
South Dakota - Union County: Jefferson Township
Texas - Ellis County: S.P. no. 6, Mountain Peak, Ovila Precinct; Hood County:
Precinct no. 5; Rusk County: Precinct no. 6 and J.P. no. 7; Trinity County:
Trinity Town and Precinct no. 2; Kaufman County: Kaufman.
Some substitute data is available and includes fragments of the original 1890
Population Census that survived the fire, special veterans schedules, several
Native American tribe censuses for years surrounding 1890, state censuses (1885
or 1895), city and county directories, alumni directories, and voter
registration documents.
1890 Special Census of Civil War Veteran's and Widows
The 1890 special census of Civil War Union Veterans and their Widows is
available on 118 rolls of microfilm (M123) at the National Archives. Although
this schedule was supposed to enumerate Union veterans, in some locales,
Confederate veterans were also listed.
These schedules can be used to verify military service and to identify specific
military units in which they served. The information can assist you in locating
service and pension records at the National Archives and can often trace these
veterans to their place of origin.
These schedules are often used as a mainstay of the recreated 1890 census
records. While certainly not a complete listing of the burned census, it is a
partial list of heads of households who were old enough to have served during
the Civil War.
Download a blank census form
The 1890 Veterans Schedule asked for the following information:
Names of Surviving Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines, or their
Widows
Rank
Name of Regiment or Vessel
Date of Enlistment
Date of Discharge
Length of Service
Post Office Address
Disability Incurred
Remarks
Address
Name
Whether white, black, mulatto, Indian or Chinese
Sex
Age
Month of birth if born within the year
Relation to head of household
Occupation and months employed
Name of state, Territory or country of birth
Father's birthplace
Mother's birthplace
School attendance
Ability to read if aged 10 or older
Ability to write if aged 10 or older
Whether sick or temporarily disabled on the day of enumeration and the reason
Census Date - June 1, 1870
If a child was under one year of age, months of age were to be stated as
fractions, such as 1/12); No relationships were shown between members of a
household.
Download a blank census form
1870 Population Census Questions:
Name
Age at last birthday
Sex
Race - (W - White, B - Black, M - Mulatto, C - Chinese, I - Indian)
Profession, occupation or trade
Value of real estate and personal property
Place of birth (state, Territory or country)
Whether father is of foreign birth
Whether mother is of foreign birth
Month of birth if born within the year
Month of marriage if married within the year
Whether attended school within the year
Whether can read and write
Whether deaf, dumb (mute), blind, insane or idiot
Whether male citizen of the US aged 21 years and up
Whether male citizen of the US aged 21 years and up whose right to vote was
denied or abridged on other grounds than rebellion or other crime
Name
Age
Sex
Color (white, black or mulatto)
Occupation of persons over 15
Value of real estate; value of personal estate
Place of birth (state, Territory or country)
Whether person was married during the year
Whether deaf-mute, blind, insane, an idiot, a pauper or a convict
Whether able to read or speak English
Whether the person attended school within the previous year
Slave schedules show:
Name of slave owner
Number of slaves owned
Number of slaves manumitted (freed)
Under the slave owner's name a line for each slave shows age, color, sex,
whether deaf-mute, blind, insane, idiotic or a fugitive from the state
Download a blank census form
Names of slaves were not entered
Census Date - June 1, 1850
For the first time enumerators were instructed to record the names of every
person in the household. Enumerators were presented with printed instructions,
which account for a greater degree of accuracy compared with earlier censuses.
No relationships were shown between members of a household.
Download a blank census form
1850 Population Census Questions:
Name of each free person in a household
Age
Sex
Color (white, black or mulatto)
Occupation of males over 15
Value of real estate owned
Whether person attended school or was married within the year
Whether the person could read or write if over 20
Whether deaf-mute, blind, insane, an idiot, a pauper or a convict
Slave schedules show:
Name of slave owner
Number of slaves owned
Number of slaves manumitted (freed)
Under the slave owner's name a line for each slave shows: age, color, sex,
whether deaf-mute, blind, insane, idiotic or a fugitive from the state
Census Date - June 1, 1840
Age categories: 0 to 5, 5 to 10, 10 to 15, 15 to 20, 20 to 30, 30 to 40, 40 to
50, 50 to 60, 60 to 70, 70 to 80, 80 to 90, 90 to 100, over 100.
The 1840 census asked, for the first time, the ages of revolutionary war
pensioners, as well as the number of persons attending school. There were a
total of twenty-six states in the Union, with Arkansas and Michigan being the
latest editions. The two new territories of Wisconsin and Iowa were also
enumerated.
Download a blank census form
1840 Population Census Questions:
Name of the head of household
Number of free white males and females categorized by age group
Number of free colored males and females by age group
Number of male and female slaves by age group
Number of persons in each family engaged in various occupations
Names and ages of military pensioners
Number of both white and colored deaf, mute and blind persons
Number of students
Number of scholars at public charge
Number of free white persons older than 20 who could not read and write
Census Date - June 1, 1830
Age categories: 0 to 5, 5 to 10, 10 to 15, 15 to 20, 20 to 30, 30 to 40, 40 to
50, 50 to 60, 60 to 70, 70 to 80, 80 to 90, 90 to 100, over 100.
There were twenty-four states in the Union, with Missouri being the latest
edition. The new Territory of Florida also had its first census in 1830. There
are no state or district-wide losses, however, there were some countywide losses
in Massachusetts, Maryland and Mississippi.
Download a blank census form
1830 Population Census Questions:
Head of household
Number of free white males and females categorized by age group
Number of foreigners not naturalized
Number of free colored males and females by age group
Number of male and female slaves by age group
Number of white blind persons and Number of blind slaves and colored persons
Number of white deaf-mutes and Number of deaf-mute slaves and colored persons
Number of white aliens
Census Date - August 7, 1820
Age categories: 0 to 10, 10 to 16, 16 to 26, 26 to 45, 45 and older.
There were twenty-three states in the Union. The six new states were Louisiana,
Indiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama and Maine. There was, however, a
district-wide loss of data for Arkansas Territory, Missouri Territory and New
Jersey. Partial losses included half the counties in Alabama, and roughly 20
eastern Tennessee counties supervised by the Federal Court District out of
Knoxville. Some of the schedules for these states have been re-created using tax
lists and other records.
Download a blank census form
1820 Population Census Questions:
Head of household
Number of free white males and females categorized by age group
Number of foreigners not naturalized
Number of free colored males and females by age group
Number of male and female slaves by age group
Number of all other persons except Indians not taxed
Town or district and county of residence
Number engaged in agriculture, commercial, or manufacture
Census Date - August 6, 1810
Age categories: 0 to 10, 10 to 16, 16 to 26, 26 to 45, 45 and older.
Schedules exist for 17 states and District of Columbia, Georgia Territory,
Mississippi Territory, Louisiana Territory, Orleans, Michigan Territory, and
Illinois Territory. There was, however, a district-wide loss for District of
Columbia, Georgia, Indiana Territory, Mississippi Territory, Louisiana Territory
(Missouri), New Jersey and Tennessee. Partial losses included Illinois
Territory, which had only two counties (Randolph is extant, St. Clair is lost.),
and Ohio, all lost except Washington County. Some of the schedules for these
states have been re-created using tax lists and other records.
Download a blank census form
1810 Population Census Questions:
Head of household
Number of free white males and free white females categorized by age group
Number of all other free persons except Indians not taxed
Number of slaves
Town or district and county of residence
Census Date - August 6, 1800
Schedules survive for only 13 states. Lost schedules include those of Georgia,
Indiana Territory, Kentucky, Mississippi Territory, New Jersey, Northwest
Territory, Virginia, Tennessee, and Alexandria County, District of Columbia.
Some of the schedules for these states have been re-created using tax lists and
other records.
Download a blank census form
1800 Population Census Questions:
Head of household
Number of free white males and free white females categorized by age group
Number of all other free persons except Indians not taxed
Number of slaves
You may download a complete copy of the original pages of the 1790 Census
from the U.S. Census
Bureau.
Census Date - August 2, 1790
The original thirteen states covered the area of what would now be the first
seventeen states. Schedules survive for eleven of the thirteen original states:
Connecticut, Maine (which was a part of Massachusetts), Maryland, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Carolina, and Vermont, which became the fourteenth state early in 1791 and was
included in the census.
Enumerators were required to file a copy of the census schedule with the Clerk
of the District Court. In 1830, Congress required the returns of all decennial
censuses from 1790-1830, and it was discovered that many of the 1790 schedules
had been destroyed or lost. Only about two-thirds of the original census from
the time period were recovered. The 1790 census suffered district losses in
Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Virginia. However, some of the
schedules for these states have been re-created using tax lists and other
records. Virginia was eventually reconstructed from tax lists as well as some
counties from North Carolina and Maryland.
Download a blank census form
1790 Population Census Questions:
Head of household
Number of free white males ages 16 and older
Number of free white males under the age of 16
Number of free white females
Number of all other free persons
Number of slaves
Part of the U.S. Federal Censuses from 1850-1880 included a mortality
schedule enumerating the individuals who had died in the previous year. Because
each of the censuses from 1850-1880 began on June 1, "previous year" refers to
the 12 months preceding June 1, or June 1 (of the previous year) to May 31 (of
the census year). This database contains an index to all individuals enumerated
in these mortality schedules. In addition, each individual is linked to the
census image on which they appear. Not all information that is recorded on the
actual census is included in the index. Therefore, it is important that you view
the image on which your ancestor is recorded to obtain all possible information
about him/her.
Questions asked on the Mortality Schedules:
Deceased's name
Sex
Age
Color (White, black, mulatto)
Whether widowed
Place of birth (state, territory, or country)
Month in which the death occurred
Profession, occupation, or trade
Disease or cause of death
Number of days ill
Parents' birthplaces (added in 1870)
Place where disease was contracted and how long the deceased was a resident of
the area (added in 1880)
Why the mortality schedules are useful in your research:
Mortality schedules are essentially nationwide death registers, indexed by
state, predating vital statistics in most states. While all deaths are not
reported, these schedules remain an invaluable source of information.
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