United States Census

United States   U.S. Census

For details about federal censuses see United States Federal Census.

Value of Censuses
A census is a count and description of the population of a country, state, county, or city. Census lists are also called “schedules." In the United States a nationwide census has been taken every ten years since 1790. A well-indexed census is one of the easiest ways to locate where an ancestor lived and when they lived there. You can also use censuses to:


 * Follow the family over time.
 * Determine family relationships.
 * Show clues for finding other records.
 * U.S. Presidents appearing in census schedules.

Contents of Federal Censuses
Federal Censuses after 1930 Historical Census Browser 1790-1960 (University of Virginia Library)

Blank forms for each U.S. census year

United States Census Population Schedules, 1850 (FamilySearch Historical Records)

United States Census Population Schedules, 1860 (FamilySearch Historical Records)

United States Census Population Schedules, 1870 (FamilySearch Historical Records)

United States Census Population Schedules, 1880 (FamilySearch Historical Records)

United States Census Population Schedules, 1900 (FamilySearch Historical Records)

United States Census Population Schedules, 1910 (FamilySearch Historical Records)

United States Census Population Schedules, 1920 (FamilySearch Historical Records)

United States Census Population Schedules, 1930 (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Key Reference Sources

 * William Thorndale, and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to U.S. Federal Censuses 1790-1920 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publ., 1987) []. Shows county boundary changes in each state from 1790 to 1920, and which census areas were lost or still exist.
 * William Dollarhide, The Census Book: a Genealogist's Guide to Federal Census Facts, Schedules and Indexes: with Master Extraction Forms for Federal Census Schedules, 1790-1930. (Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 1999)[]. An online edition is at HeritageQuestOnline. Discusses indexes, regular, and non-population schedules.
 * G. David Dilts, "Censuses and Tax Lists" in Kory L. Meyerink, ed., Printed Sources: a Guide to Published Genealogical Records (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1998), 300-52. [] Strategies for finding elusive ancestors, and history of indexing.
 * Tiffany Perkins, Tiff's Census Class (27 minute online video) FamilySearch Research Classes Online, and Mid-Continent Public Library, Midwest Genealogy Center, 2010.
 * Gary Toms, State and Special Census Records (36 minute online video) FamilySearch Research Classes Online, and Mid-Continent Public Library, Midwest Genealogy Center, 2010.
 * Angela McComas, Heads of Household Only: Analysis of Pre-1850 Federal Census (19 minute online video) FamilySearch Research Classes Online, and Mid-Continent Public Library, Midwest Genealogy Center, 2010.

Things you can do
In order to make this wiki a better research tool, we need your help! Many tasks need to be done. You can help by: