South Dakota Census

Additional Information may be found on the United States Census Portal page.

Availability
The Family History Library has the U.S. federal censuses for South Dakota for 1900, 1910, and 1920. The 1890 census has been destroyed. The 1890 veterans schedule and index are available at the Family History Library and at the National Archives.

Many of the federal census records are found at the Family History Library and the National Archives and other federal and state archives.

For more information on each of the Federal Censuses, you can consult the following article: http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/census.html

1860 Census: Dakota Territory (Interactive Search)

1860 Federal Census Images: South Dakota

1860 Census: SD (Dakota Territory, then) : (This file contains the 1860 census for those enumeration districts which would become South Dakota eventually. They are part of Minnesota Territory in 1860. This index was created by Judy Huber, huberj@btigate.com, from the original census on microfilm.) 

1880 Federal Census (Search on FamilySearch.org)

1880 Federal Census (Search and View the Images for Free on Ancestry.com)

Historical Background
1861--Congress created Dakota Territory, which included all of present-day North and South Dakota, Montana, and northern Wyoming. The first counties were established in southeastern Dakota in 1862. The creation of Montana Territory in 1864 and Wyoming Territory in 1868 reduced Dakota Territory to the area included in the two Dakotas of today.

1889--South Dakota was separated from North Dakota and became a state.

Indexes
A statewide soundex (phonetic) index is available on microfilm for the 1900 and 1920 censuses. The schedules and indexes are also available at the South Dakota State Historical Society. Indexes to the federal censuses of the Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, and Dakota territories have been published in book and fiche format for 1836, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880. A partial soundex (phonetic) index is also available on microfilm for the 1880 census of Dakota Territory.

Pensioners Census
South Dakota Pensioners: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~usgenweb/sd/military/1883pens.htm?cj=1&o_xid=0001231185&o_lid=0001231185&o_xt=1231185

Native American Census
See Indians of South Dakota for information on tribal census reports.

State Censuses
State Censuses exist for the following years:

1885-Dakota Territory. Indexed at: http://www.lib.ndsu.nodak.edu/ndirs/databases/census.php

1895--Partial Census. Most of the census was destroyed.

1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, and 1945--Unique information includes:


 * Ethnic Background
 * Education
 * Maiden Name
 * Church Affiliation
 * Military Service

The 1885 and 1895 censuses are also available at the Family History Library.

Territorial Censuses
South Dakota was included in the 1836 Wisconsin, the 1840 Iowa, the 1850 Minnesota (Pembina District), and the 1860, 1870, and 1880 Dakota territorial censuses.

The territorial and state censuses are at the South Dakota State Historical Society.

Web Sites
Ancestry: http://www.ancestry.com

Heritage Quest Online: http://www.heritagequestonline.com

Census Online: http://www.census-online.com/links/SD/

Genealogy Today: http://dir.genealogytoday.com/usa/sd/census.html

Access Genealogy: http://www.accessgenealogy.com/census/southdakota.htm

Census Finder: |http://www.censusfinder.com/south_dakota.htm http://www.censusfinder.com/south_dakota.htm

National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/nonpopulation/south-dakota.html

Bibliographic Citations
South Dakota Research Outline. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1998, 2001.