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New Hampshire Research Outline |
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Table of Contents
Accessing Records Of The Family History Library
Familysearch™
Family History Library Catalog
Archives And Libraries
Computer Networks And Bulletin Boards
Bible Records
Biography
Major Biographical Collections
Biographical Encyclopedias
Cemeteries
Internet Tombstone Transcripts And Index
Census
Federal Censuses
Colonial Censuses
Church Records
Baptist
Congregational
Episcopal
Methodist
Presbyterian
Roman Catholic
Society Of Friends (quakers)
Court Records
Colonial Court Records
Directories
Divorce Records
Emigration And Immigration
People
Records
Gazetteers
Genealogy
Nationwide Indexes
Web Sites About Your Family
Statewide And Regional Collections
History
State Histories
Local Histories
Land And Property
Land Jurisdictional Periods
Registration Of Deeds
Maps
Military Records
Colonial Military Records (1600s–1775)
Revolutionary War (1775–1783)
War Of 1812 (1812–1815)
Civil War (1861–1865)
Naturalization And Citizenship
Newspapers
Inventory On The Internet
Published Indexes
Periodicals
Probate Records
Societies
Piscataqua Pioneers
Taxation
Town Records
Warnings Out
Town Historians
Vital Records
Records Of Births And Deaths
Marriage Records
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions
A census is a count and description of the population of a country, territory, state, county or city. A well-indexed census is one of the easiest ways to locate the specific places where your ancestors lived and to identify the dates when they lived there. You also can find family information, particularly in more recent censuses. Use the information with caution. The facts may have been given to a census taker by any member of the family or by a neighbor.
Population Schedules (1790–1920). Federal censuses have been taken every ten years, beginning with 1790. At present, these records are available through 1920. Many federal census records are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other repositories. The United States Research Outline (30972) provides more detailed information about these records.
The Family History Library has microfilms of the New Hampshire federal censuses, for 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920. The New Hampshire State Library has copies of these same censuses.
The 1800 census is missing for the towns of Alton, Barnstead, Brookfield, Effingham, Gilmantown, Middleton, New Durham, Ossipee, Tuftonborough, Wakefield, and Wolfeborough in Strafford County. Fortunately, the 1798 Direct Tax for many of these towns exists and serves as a census substitute. See the “Taxation” section of this outline. The 1800 census is also missing the towns of Aktinson, Greenland, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Londonderry, Northampton, Pelham, Plaistow, Salem, Seabrook, Stratham, and Windham in Rockingham County.
The 1820 census is missing for Grafton County and the Rockingham County towns of Gosport, Greenland, New Castle, Newington, Portsmouth, and Rye. Most of the census for Strafford County is missing except for the towns of Centre Harbor, Gilford, Moultonborough, New Hampton, and Sanbornton.
Before the boundary dispute was settled in 1842, many residents of northern Coos County considered themselves within Canadian jurisdiction, so the Coos County census may be incomplete before 1850.
Statewide indexes represent almost every household in the New Hampshire censuses. For most families, they index only the first person listed in each household, who was usually the father or head of the household. Many families, however, had relatives or friends with a different surname living with them when the census was taken. In those cases, the first person of each surname in the household is included in the index.
Statewide indexes are available for the 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, and 1860 federal censuses in book, microfiche, and compact disc formats. Soundex (phonetic) indexes are available for part of the 1880 census (those indexed are households with children born between 1870 and 1880). There is a Soundex index for all households in the 1900 and 1920 censuses. The 1910 census does not have a Soundex index.
Countywide indexes to federal censuses often contain the names of every person in the household and may also include heads of households that were overlooked or whose names were misspelled in statewide indexes. Countywide indexes are listed in the Family History Library Catalog Locality Search under:
FamilyFinder™ Index and Viewer. Version 4.0. Family Tree Maker Archives, index. [Novato, Calif.]: Brøderbund Software, 1997. (FHL compact disc no. 9 1997 index; computer number 808500.) This does not circulate to Family History Centers. It is a single composite index to early tax lists, 1790-1860 federal censuses, and the 1890 veterans census. An Internet edition of this index is also available:
The following reference tools help determine which census schedule microfilm and enumeration district to search for specific addresses:
Census Descriptions of Geographic Subdivisions and Enumerations Districts, (1880-1920). National Archives Microfilm Publications, T1224 and T1210. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service, 1977–1978. These descriptions were prepared by the United States Bureau of the Census. The Family History Library film numbers are:
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 [set of 8]; computer number 678265.) This lists all New Hampshire towns (or wards) with their 1910 census enumeration district numbers and FHL film numbers. Manchester has special instructions including, city directory FHL book or film numbers.
Veterans Schedules (1840 and 1890). In the 1840 federal census a listing was made of the Revolutionary War veterans, giving their age, residence, and the name of the head of the household. The following index lists these veterans for all states:
A General Index to a Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Service, 1840. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1965. (FHL book 973 X2pc 1965 index; fiche 6046771; computer number 270948; film 899835; computer number 271067.) The book with the actual 1840 census information is:
A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Service: With Their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington D.C.: Blair and Rives, 1841. (FHL book 973 X2pc 1840; film 1064759 item 3; computer number 270766.)
The 1890 census was destroyed, but the 1890 Union veterans and veterans’ widows schedule and index are at the Family History Library and the National Archives on film. See the “Census” section of the United States Research Outline (30972) for more detailed information on this special census schedule.
Jackson, Ronald Vern. 1890 New Hampshire Census Index: Special Schedule of the Eleventh Census (1890) Enumerating Union Veterans and of Union Veterans of the Civil War. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1985. (FHL book 974.2 X22j 1890; computer number 437498.)
Mortality Schedules (1850–1880). The Division of Records Management and Archives has mortality schedules that list people who died during the 12 months before the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 censuses were taken. In addition to providing the same information about the deceased person that the regular census schedules provided for the living, mortality schedules also state the month, cause of death, and the number of days ill. The New Hampshire mortality schedules exist for all four of these censuses. Microfilm copies of the schedules are available at the Family History Library:
United States. Census Office. Seventh Census. Census Mortality Schedule, New Hampshire. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1952.
Enumerations of colonial residents were made in New Hampshire for various years prior to the federal census. Lists of early residents from 1732 to 1742 that can be used as substitutes for census records are found in the tax records of the towns. These are described in the “Taxation” section of this outline. A list of male residents in 1776 is:
Holbrook, Jay Mack. New Hampshire 1776 Census. Oxford, Mass.: Holbrook Research Institute, 1976. (FHL book 974.2 X2h 1776; computer number 153258.) This book lists the name, town and county of residence, whether they were for or against the Revolutionary War, and the page number from volume 30 of the New Hampshire State Papers.
New Hampshire census records can be found in the Family History Library Catalog Locality Search under:
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CENSUS
Federal Censuses
NEW HAMPSHIRE,[COUNTY]- CENSUS- [YEAR]
Multi-State Indexes. Some of the statewide indexes mentioned previously are combined into composite master indexes of several census years, states, and census types:
“Internet FamilyFinder.” In FamilyTreeMaker.com. [Novato, Calif.]: Brøderbund Software, 21 July 1999 [cited 4 January 2000]. Available at www.familytreemaker.com/allsearch.html. You can search the “Internet FamilyFinder” index for free. It displays the census year and state for each name matching the search. It may also list many vital records and genealogical collection citations. Once you know the census year and state, you must use the original index on compact disc, microfiche, or book to obtain enough data to easily find the name in the original census schedules. Similar index information is also available at the www.Ancestry.com/census/ Internet site for a subscription fee. The FamilyFinder Index includes the following Jackson 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.) Census indexes for 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, and 1840 are on Searches1- 4. The 1850 census index is on Search 6. A composite mortality schedule index is on Search 8. For further instructions see the Accelerated Indexing Systems, U.S. Census Indexes (on Microfiche) Resource Guide (30970).
When indexes are not available or omit a name, you can still look for the name in the census. For large cities it helps to first learn the person’s address by searching the city directory for the same year as the census (see the “Directories” section of this outline). Then look for that address on the original census schedules.
Colonial Censuses
NEW HAMPSHIRE- CENSUSNEW HAMPSHIRE,[COUNTY]- CENSUSNEW HAMPSHIRE- CENSUS- [YEAR]- INDEXES
[FamilySearchTM: Research Guidance
Version of Data: 6/9/2001]