R E S E A R C H   G U I D A N C E

Maine
Research Outline
   

Table of Contents
Records Of The Family History Library
Family History Library Catalog
Archives And Libraries
Bible Records
Biography
Cemeteries
Census
Church Records
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
Gazetteers
Genealogy
History
Land And Property
Maps
Military Records
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers
Periodicals
Probate Records
Societies
Taxation
Town Records
Vital Records
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions

CENSUSLook this term up in the glossary.


Federal CensusesLook this term up in the glossary.

Population SchedulesLook this term up in the glossary.. Many federal census records are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The United States Research Outline (30972) provides detailed information about these records.

The Family History Library has microfilms of the U.S. federal censuses of Maine for 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920 with the following exceptions:

  • Some of York county for 1800.

  • Half of Oxford county for 1810.

  • Some of Washington county for 1820.

The 1890 census was destroyed, but the 1890 Union veterans schedule and index are available at the National Archives and the Family History Library. (See "Veterans Schedules" section in this outline.)

State IndexesLook this term up in the glossary.. The Family History Library has statewide indexes for the 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, and 1850 censuses in book and microfiche format. The library also has a partial index of some counties and some towns for the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses. SoundexLook this term up in the glossary. (phonetic) indexes are available for part of the 1880 census and all of the 1900 and 1920 censuses. The 1910 Federal census for Maine is not indexed. For indexes to the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses, see the following:

Maine Census Indexes, 1850-1870. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1953. (FHL films 009734-8; computer number 122877.) Sorted alphabetically by town, then census year. Lists head of household and page number in census.

Town Indexes. Town indexes can sometimes help you find names overlooked in statewide indexes. A few town indexes are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under MAINE, [COUNTY], [TOWN] - CENSUS.

When indexes are not available or do not include a person's name, you can still look for the person in the census. If the person lived in a large city, first search a city directoryLook this term up in the glossary. of the year the census was taken in order to find the person's address (see the “Directories” section of this outline). Then look for the address on the original census schedules.

The following reference tools can help you determine which microfilm has the census schedule and enumeration districtLook this term up in the glossary. you need to search in order to find a specific address:

Census Descriptions of Geographic Subdivisions and Enumerations DistrictsLook this term up in the glossary..

•1880

FHL film 1402861; computer number 299426

•1900

FHL film 1303022; computer number 117685

•1910

FHL film 1374004; computer number 176643

•1920

FHL film 1842708; computer number 687949

Buckway, G. Eileen. U.S. 1910 Federal Census: Unindexed States: A Guide to Finding Census Enumeration Districts for Unindexed Cities, Towns, and Villages. Salt Lake City: Family History Library, 1992. (FHL book 973 X2bu 1910; fiche 6101340; computer number 678265.) This work lists all Maine towns or wards with their 1910 census enumeration district numbers and FHL film numbers. The section on Portland has special instructions and includes the city directory and the Family History Library book or film numbers you will need.

Mortality SchedulesLook this term up in the glossary.. The 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses have mortality schedules, which are lists of the people who died in the year before the census was taken. The Family History Library, Maine State Archives, and the National Archives have copies of the mortality schedules. The Family History Library film numbers are listed below:

•1850

(FHL film 009739; computer number 175470)

•1860

(FHL film 009740; computer number 175472)

•1870

(FHL film 009741; computer number 175473)

•1880

(FHL film 1841575; computer number 309702)

Veterans SchedulesLook this term up in the glossary.. The 1890 census has a veterans schedule, which lists the veterans or their widows who were living when the census was taken. For a copy of the veterans schedule, see:

Jackson, Ronald Vern. Maine 1890 Veterans Census Index. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems International, 1990. (FHL book 974.1 X22j 1890; computer number 364891.)

United States. Census Office. 11th Census, 1890. Schedules Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War. Washington, D.C.: The National Archives, 1948. (FHL films for Maine 338165-6; computer number 59376.)

Master Indexes.Look this term up in the glossary. Some of the indexes mentioned above are combined into composite master indexes of several census years and census types:

FamilyFinder™ Index: Version 4.0 [Novato, Calif.]: Brøderbund Software, 1997. (FHL compact disc no. 9 1997 index; computer number 775509; not available at Family History Centers. FamilyFinder is a trademark of Brøderbund Software, Inc.) This is a single composite index to scattered Maine petitioners 1652 to 1791, residents lists 1640 to 1801, voter list of 1787, militia muster rolls 1740 to 1795, tax lists 1779 to 1817, church membership lists 1702 to 1756, and 1790 to 1860 federal censuses.

The FamilyFinder Index is also available on the Family Tree Maker™ Internet web site. You can search the FamilyFinder Index free. It displays the census year and state for each name matching the search. Once you know the year and state, you can use the original index on compact disc, microfiche, or book to obtain enough data to easily find the name of the original census schedules. The FamilyFinder Index includes the following indexes:

Jackson, Ronald Vern. AIS Microfiche Indexes of U.S. Census and Other Records. Bountiful, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems International, 1984. (No FHL fiche number but available at many Family History Centers.) Search 1 contains Maine petitioners 1652 to 1791, residents lists 1640 to 1801, voter lists 1779 to 1817, church membership lists 1702 to 1756, and 1790 to 1810 federal censuses. Separate Maine 1820, 1830, 1840, and 1850 indexes are on other searches.


State CensusesLook this term up in the glossary.

A state census was taken in 1837, but only the schedules for Portland, Bangor, Eliot, and unincorporated areas still exist. The census names the head of each household and lists the ages of other persons in the household. This census is not at the Family History Library. The schedules for Portland, Bangor, and unincorporated areas are at the Maine State Archives. The Maine Historical Society has the Eliot section.

Return to top of page

Previous Document   Next Document

©1998, 2001 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. No part of this document may be reprinted, posted on-line, or reproduced in any form for any purpose without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. FamilySearch is a trademark of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/9/2001]