| United States 1890 Federal Census Population Schedule |
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Getting Started
What You Are Looking For
Step 1. See if your ancestor was living in one of the 11 states for which 1890 census fragments exist.
Step 2. Find your ancestor's name in an 1890 census index.
Step 3. Copy the information from the index.
Step 4. Obtain the census film.
Step 5. Find your ancestor's name in the census.
Step 6. Copy the information from the census.
Step 7. Analyze the information you have found.
Step 8. Search all other censuses taken during your ancestor's probable lifetime.
Getting Started
Much of the 1890 population census was destroyed by fire in 1921. A few fragments remain for Alabama, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, and Texas. For a historical account of this census, First in the Path of the Firemen: The Fate of the 1890 Population Census There are every-name indexes The 1890 population schedules For more information about the 1890 population schedules, see Background.
You are looking in the 1890 census population schedules for:
These 8 steps will help you find your ancestor in the 1890 census:
You need to know:
Fragments of the 1890 census exist for the following states:
If your ancestor's state is not listed above, see Tip 1.
The 1890 census has been indexed for all persons listed. It is available in book form and on microfilm through the Family History Library and the National Archives.
For the Family History Library film numbers for the every-name indexes, see Tip 2.
For organizations such as the Family History Library and the National Archives, which have copies of the 1890 census indexes, see Where to Find It.
If you do not find your ancestor's name in the index
The best method is to use the index from the Family History Library because it includes the state, county, township, and page number in the original census. Write down:
Obtain the census film which has the county and township where your ancestor lived. Census films are available from the Family History Library. For a list of Family History Library films, see Tip 3. The same records are also available on National Archives Microfilm Publications: Microcopy 407.
For organizations, such as the Family History Library and the National Archives where you can obtain the census films, see Where to Find It.
On the census microfilm, find the page number which you obtained from the census index. Page numbers are stamped at the top of each page.
Make a photocopy of the census page(s) containing the information about your ancestor. Be sure to include the name of the county, town, township, or ward, which are found at the top of the page.
Click here for a blank copy of page 1 and page 2 of the 1890 census form.
Document You may request photocopies of United States federal censuses from many libraries, archives, and the Family History Library.
For more information about copying the census page, see Tip 5.
Ask yourself these questions:
For suggestions of records to search which may contain information about the family relationships of persons in the household or those living nearby, see Tip 4.
For a summary of the information contained in the 1890 census, see Tip 6.
By comparing all the censuses that were taken during your ancestor's lifetime, you may find important additional information about your ancestor and his or her family. For more information about comparing censuses, see Tip 7.
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to all 6,160 persons whose names were on the records that survived.
list the residents of a state, recording the names of the heads of households and other persons living in the household. The records are arranged by state, county, and then town, township, or ward.
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What You Are Looking For
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Steps
Step 1. See if your ancestor was living in one of the 11 states for which 1890 census fragments exist.
Return to top of page
Step 2. Find your ancestor's name in an 1890 census index.
, see Tip 1.
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Step 3. Copy the information from the index.
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Step 4. Obtain the census film.
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Step 5. Find your ancestor's name in the census.
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Step 6. Copy the information from the census.
where the information came from by writing the title, film number, and page number on the photocopy.
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Step 7. Analyze the information you have found.
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Step 8. Search all other censuses taken during your ancestor's probable lifetime.
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[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/8/2001]