[Research Guidance: United States 1820 Federal Census Population Schedule]

United States 1820 Federal Census Population Schedule

Guide
Tips
Background
Where to Find It

Getting Started
What You Are Looking For
Step 1. Obtain the following information to enable you to find your ancestor's name in the 1820 census.
Step 2. Find your ancestor's name in an 1820 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 lifetime.

Getting Started

The 1820 census population schedules Look this term up in the glossary. list the names of the heads of households and the number of people in each household. The records are arranged by county, town, or township. The names of heads of households have been indexed for every state included in the 1820 census.

For more information about the 1820 population schedules, see Background.

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What You Are Looking For

An ancestor who was the head of a household in 1820.

Where the ancestor was living.

Numbers in columns, indicating members of the household whose ages match those of your ancestors.

Relatives who lived nearby.

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Steps

These 8 steps will help you find your ancestor in the 1820 census.

Step 1. Obtain the following information to enable you to find your ancestor's name in the 1820 census.

You need to know:

The name of an ancestor who was the head of a household.

The state or territory where your ancestor lived in 1820.

If you don't know which state or territory, see Tip 1.

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Step 2. Find your ancestor's name in an 1820 census index.

Search a census index for your ancestor's last and first name. The 1820 census has been indexed for all states for which the census has been preserved.

For organizations that have 1820 census indexes or to find the indexes on the Internet, see Where To Find It.

If you do not find your ancestor's name in the census index, see Tip 2.

For ways the census can help you find your ancestor's parents, see Tip 3 and Tip 4.

If your ancestor's name appears to be listed in the wrong county, see Tip 5.

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Step 3. Copy the information from the index.

The best method of copying information is to:

Make a photocopy of the index page(s) with your ancestor's last name.

Highlight the names of persons with the same last name living in the same county, since they might be related.

Document

the source of the information by writing the state, census year, title, call number Look this term up in the glossary.

, and page number of the index on the photocopy.

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Step 4. Obtain the census film.

Obtain the census film that has the county and town or township where your ancestor lived.

For organizations from which you can obtain census films, see Where To Find It.

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Step 5. Find your ancestor's name in the census.

Using the information you found in the index, find your ancestor's name in the census.

If you can't find your ancestor's name and the right combination of his or her family's ages in the number columns in the census, see Tip 6.

If you are not sure the person in the census is your ancestor, see Tip 7.

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Step 6. Copy the information from the census.

Make a photocopy of the census page(s) with the information about your ancestor. Be sure to include the name of the county and town or township, found at the top of the page or along the left side.

If you cannot make a photocopy, you may print and use a blank 1820 census form to record census information.

Document the source of where the information came from by writing the title, film number, and page number on the photocopy or printout.

You may request photocopies of United States Federal Censuses from many libraries and archives, and from the Family History Library.

For more information about what to copy, see Tip 8.

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Step 7. Analyze the information you have found.

Ask yourself these questions:

How many males and females were in the household?

How many males were in each age group?

How many females were in each age group?

Does this inforamtion match what you know about the family?

Where was the family living in 1820, in which town, township, county, and state?

Could families lliving near them be relatives or in-laws?

For a summary of the information contained in the 1820 census, see Tip 9.

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Step 8. Search all other censuses taken during your ancestor's lifetime.

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 10.

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Version of Data: 6/8/2001]