South Dakota Census

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

Availability
Many of the federal census records you'll want to use are found at the Family History Library and the National Archives and other federal and state archives. The United States Research Outline provides more detailed information about these records. 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.

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)

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.

Special Censuses
1883 Pensioners Census

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

State Censuses
Territorial and State

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. The 1885 and 1895 censuses are also available at the Family History Library. The 1885 census has been indexed.

In addition to the federal censuses, territorial and state censuses exist for 1885 (Dakota territory), 1895, 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, and 1945. Most of the 1895 census was destroyed. Unique information found in the 1905 to 1945 censuses includes ethnic background, education, maiden name, church affiliation, and military service. 1885 Dakota Territory Census

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: South Dakota (This website is awesome in that it lists a lot of censuses for many of the counties that many have not heard of before. There are also many other records available that are linked through this website. Many of these can also be helpful in your research.)

National Archives: Non-Population Censuses for South Dakota

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