North Carolina Census

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

Availability
1790-1930 Federal Census Records--All federal census records 1790 to 1930 are available for Maine with the following exceptions:

1790: Caswell, Granville, and Orange (reconstructed from tax lists: Caswell 1780, 1784;

Granville, 1786–1791; Orange, 1784–1793)

1810: Craven, Greene, New Hanover, and Wake

1820: Currituck, Franklin, Martin, Montgomery, Randolph, and Wake

1890: destroyed for all areas except for parts of Gaston County

(South Point and River Bend townships) and Cleveland County

(Brookhaven township number 2).

Many federal census records are found at the Family History Library, the National Archives, and other federal and state archives. The United States Census article provides detailed information about these records.

Historical Background
In 1789 North Carolina became a state and ceded what is now Tennessee to the United States government.

Indexes
If possible, use online indexes first. Use other indexes if the ancestor was not found.

1790-1930 Online Index--All federal census records for Maine are indexed online at www.ancestry.com

The following indexes are available at the Family History library:

1790-1850 Indexes--The Family History Library has statewide indexes for the 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, and 1850 censuses in book and microfiche format.

1850-1870 Indexes--The library also has a partial index of some counties and some towns for the 1850, 1860, and 1870 censuses.

1880, 1900-1930 Indexes--Soundex (phonetic) indexes are available for part of the 1880 census and all of the 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 censuses.

1890 Index--For an index of individuals in the 99 North Carolina families recorded in the surviving fragments of the 1890 population schedule, see:


 * Nelson, Ken. 1890 U.S. Census Index to Surviving Population Schedules and Register of Film Numbers to the Special Census of Union Veterans. Rev. ed. Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Library, 1991. (FHL book 973 X2na 1890; 1984 ed. on film 1421673 item113.)
 * Index to the Eleventh Census of the United States, 1890, is on FHL films 543341–42. The existing original 1890 census records for North Carolina are on FHL film 926499.

County-wide indexes--County indexes often contain the names of every person in the household and may also include heads of households who were overlooked or whose names were misspelled in statewide indexes. County-wide indexes are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:  NORTH CAROLINA, [COUNTY]- CENSUS- [YEAR].

Multi-state indexes-- usually contain the same information gathered in preparing statewide indexes. They often index censuses (federal, state, and territorial), tax lists, and other records that identified where people lived in an area. Multi-state indexes containing North Carolina include:

1870 Index--The index for African Americans in the 1870 Census is cited fully in the "Minorities" section.

Colonial Censuses
Colonial Census Substitutes--For the colonial period, there are many indexes that you can use as census substitutes such as indexes to taxation records and probate records. Many tax lists and lists of residence for the 1680s–1831 are published in:


 * Jackson, Ronald Vern. Early North Carolina.7 vols. Bountiful, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1980–. (FHL book 973 D2jeno.) Each volume is alphabetized. The names of these volumes are also listed in the Accelerated Indexing Systems fiche searches 1, 2, and 3.  

Mortality Schedules
1850-1880--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 and the North Carolina State Archives have copies of these mortality schedules. For information from these schedules, see:


 * Almasy, Sandra Lee. North Carolina Mortality Census, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880. 13 vols. Joliet, Illinois: Kensington Glen Publishing, 1994. (FHL book 975.6 X2a.)


 * Mortality Schedules 1850-1880

Slave Schedules
1850–1860-- Slave schedules for 1850 and 1860 list the names of slave owners, but do not normally list the names of the slaves. The number of slaves, whether male or female, and the age ranges of the slaves are given. North Carolina slave schedules at the Family History Library are cataloged with the population schedules.

Veteran's Censuses
1840 Federal Census--Included a list of Revolutionary War veterans. The list gives their age, the place where they were living, and the name of the head of the household. The following index is available, listing these veterans for all states:


 * A General Index to a Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Service, 1840. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1965. (FHL book 973 X2pc 1965 index; fiche 6046771; film 899835 items 1–2.) 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 Marshalls of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. Washington D.C.: Printed by Blair and Rives, 1841. (FHL book 973 X2pc 1840; film 1064759 item3).

Veterans Schedules 1890. For the 1890 census of North Carolina Union Army veterans of the Civil War, see:


 * United States. Census Office. 11th Census, 1890. Schedules Enumerating Union Veterans and Widows of Union Veterans of the Civil War. National Archives Microfilm Publications, M0123. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1948. (On 118 reels, beginning with FHL film 338160.

Indexes to the veterans schedules are:


 * Almasy, Sandra L. North Carolina, 1890, Civil War Veterans Census. Joliet, Illinois: Kensington Glen Publishing, 1990. (FHL book 975.6 M2a.)
 * Jackson, Ronald Vern. 1890 North Carolina Census Index. North Salt Lake, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1985. (FHL book 975.6 X28j 1890.) 

Nonpopulation Schedules:
The North Carolina State Archives has these nonpopulation censuses for North Carolina: Agriculture: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes: 1880 Industry/Manufacturing: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 Social Statistics: 1850, 1860, 1870

State Census
1784-1787 State Census--In 1784 the U.S. Continental Congress requested a list of the number of inhabitants in each state. North Carolina took three years (1784–1787) to complete the count. The records for 24 of the 50 counties then existing are available in:


 * Register, Alvaretta K. State Census of North Carolina, 1784–1787, 2nd rev. ed. 1971. Reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1973. (FHL book 975.6 X2r.) The lists include white and African American heads of families. This census shows heads of households, their residence, and the age categories of their household members. It is indexed.

Websites
Ancestry ($$): http://www.ancestry.com Ancestry has the Federal Census Schedules and images for 1790-1930, Mortality Schedules for 1850-1880, and Slave Schedules for 1850-1860.

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

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

GenealogyToday: http://dir.genealogytoday.com/usa/nc/census.html

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

National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/

 

See Also:

North Carolina Research Outline