Nebraska Census

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Availability
The first federal census was taken in 1790. The census has been taken every ten years and the census has been made public through 1930. The 1890 census was damaged and then destroyed in a fire.

In 1860, Nebraska Territory encompassed most of present-day Nebraska and parts of the present-day states of Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota, and Colorado. The 1860 Nebraska Territory non-population schedules have mixed coverage.

1860-1930--The Family History Library has the U.S. Federal censuses of Nebraska.

1860 United States Census—A free Internet index and images to the 1860 United States Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. This index includes every name listed on the census and is linked to an image including information about each person’s residence and age in 1860, birthplace, occupation, other family members, whether married or single, and neighbors.

1870--Published transcripts for 35 of the 48 counties in the 1870 census are available.

 1870 United States Census---A free internet index and images can be viewed on FamilySearch Record Pilot site. This index includes the full name, age, sex, race, birthplace, occupation, month if born in census year, month if married in census year, birth place of father and mother, if born in a foreign country.

1880 United States Census– A Free Internet Index and Images to the US Census can be viewed on the Family Search Record Pilot – Pilot Site. This index includes an every name index to population schedules listing inhabitants. It includes the full name, race, sex, age, birth month (if born during the previous year), relationship to head of household, whether married, single or divorced, whether married during the previous year, country or state of birth of each person and his parent’s, occupation and street address and house number.

1890-- The census was destroyed, but the schedule of Union veterans is on microfilm at the Family History Library. The library also has a published index.

1900 Federal Census - A free Internet index and images to the 1900 United States Census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. Important additions to this census are month and year of birth of each household member, number of years married for each married person, number of children born to each mother and the number of those still living, year of immigration, and number of years in the United States.

Historical Background
1803--Nebraska was part of the Louisiana Territory when it was purchased by the United States from France.

1813-1827--Trading posts and forts were established near present-day Omaha.

1830-1854--Nebraska was part of an area designated as Indian Territory. Between 1833 and 1876, Indian tribes ceded all Nebraska claims to the United States government.

1854--The Kansas-Nebraska Act established the Nebraska Territory. The creation of Colorado and Dakota territories in 1861 and the Idaho Territory in 1863 reduced Nebraska to nearly its present size.

1867--Nebraska becames a state.

Book Indexes
1860, 1870, 1910--Published indexes are available for the censuses.

Soundex
1880, 1900, 1920--Soundex (phonetic) indexes are on microfilm for the censuses. The Nebraska State Historical Society also has a complete head-of-household index for the 1880 census.

1910--A street index for Omaha that can help you use the census is on Family History Library fiche 6331481.

Special Censuses
Mortality schedules for 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1885 are at the Nebraska State Historical Society at http://www.nebraskahistory.org/. The National Archives and the Family History Library have copies on microfilm. The library also has copies of published indexes for the 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1885 schedules.

Mortality Schedules 1850-1888

State Censuses
1885--The Federal Government took a special census of Nebraska, which is on 56 microfilms at the Family History Library and at the Nebraska State Historical Society. The society also has the State Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1886 and a card index made from the directory that provides a partial index to the census. The Family History Library does not have the directory or the card index.

Territorial Censuses
1854, 1855, 1856, 1860, 1865, and 1869--Territorial and state censuses exist for parts of Nebraska.

1854, 1855, 1856, 1865, and 1869--The county enumerations of several eastern Nebraska counties, were published in:


 * The Nebraska and Midwest Genealogical Record, vols. 13-22, 1932-44 (Family History Library film 162018). The existing records are at the Nebraska State Historical Society.

1854, 1856--The Nebraska territorial censuses have been transcribed, indexed, and published in:


 * Eunice Evelyn Cox, 1854, 1855, 1856 Nebraska Territory Censuses (Ellensburg, Washington: Cox, 1977; Family History Library book 978.2 X2p 1854-1856; film 1036024 item 2; fiche 6051283). The State Archives at the Nebraska State Historical Society has a card index for the 1865 and 1869 censuses.

1913-1914--A detailed census of German immigrants from Russia living in Lincoln was taken for Nebraska. The information is similar to that found in the 1900 census, but the town or colony of birth is also given. It is arranged by street. (Family History Library film 833157)

Online Population Schedule Indexes and Images
United States Censuses 1850-1920—Free Internet census indexes 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, and 1920 (partial index only) can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search. These indexes are also linked to census images (for 1850, 1870, and 1900) which show every name listed and each person’s residence, age, birthplace, occupation, other family members, and neighbors. Registered FamilySearch users can access 1880 census images by logging in and entering through the "Advanced Search" feature of FamilySearch.

Ancestry ($), a subscription Internet site, has indexes and images to all available federal census population, veterans, slave, and mortality schedules from 1790 to 1930.

HeritageQuest, an Internet service available at selected libraries, has images to all available federal census population and slave schedules from 1790 to 1930, and indexes to some but not all.

Footnote ($), a subscription Internet site has indexes and images to the 1860 and 1930 censuses for some states.

Census Online

Genealogy Today This site offers a selection of both free and fee-based databases. The name indexes of all fee-based databases can be searched without a subscription.

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Mortality Schedules