West Virginia Census

Online Resources

 * United States Online Census, 1790-1940
 * West Virginia, Compiled Census Index, 1860-1890

Microfilm images
West Virginia became a state in 1863. Census records prior to 1863 can be found in Virginia, click here

West Virginia became a state in 1863. National Archives film numbers for census records prior to 1863 can be found under Virginia, click here

Indexes: fiche, film, or book
For a list of microform and book indexes for the population schedules of West Virginia, click here

Indexes: fiche, film, or book
For a list of microform and book indexes for the non-population schedules of West Virginia, click here.

State and colonial censuses
No record of a state or colonial census has been found.

Existing and lost censuses
For a list of available and missing West Virginia censuses, click here.

Why use a census?
A well-indexed census is one of the easiest ways to locate where an ancestor's family lived and when they lived there. You can also use censuses to follow the changes in a family over time, and identify neighbors. These and other clues provided by censuses are important because they help find additional kinds of records about the family.

More about censuses
Click here for additional details about how to use censuses, such as:


 * index searching tips
 * analyzing and using what you find
 * census accuracy
 * historical background
 * contents of various census years and types

Population Schedules
Starting in 1790, federal population schedules were taken every 10 years in the United States. Click here for more information about federal census records. West Virginia was admitted to the union as the 35th state on 20 June 1863. It was created from the state of Virginia. Therefore, residents of West Virginia will appear as living in Virginia before then.

Non-Population Schedules for West Virginia
Federal non-population schedules included such things mortality schedules, agriculture schedules, slave schedules, and manufacturing schedules.

Existing and Lost Censuses

 * List of existing and lost federal censuses for West Virginia

Online State and Territorial Censuses
State censuses are census records that were taken at the state-level rather than at the federal. Often, but not always, a state took their census in ten year increments 5 years from when the Federal Census was taken, such as 1885. State censuses can even serve as substitutes for missing federal censuses. For more information on state censuses, visit United States Census Bureau. Territorial censuses were taken by the federal government to count the population in federal territories. The government needed to count the population in the territory to see if it could qualify for statehood. For more information on territorial censuses, visit the US Territorial Census page.

No state census records are known to exist for West Virginia.

Why Use the Census?
State census records can be one of the easiest ways to locate where an ancestor's family lived and when they lived there. Information varies based on year and location, but information that may be included in a census can include:
 * Name of each person in the family at the time the census was taken
 * Street or Avenue, or number Rural Free Delivery
 * Sex
 * Age
 * Color
 * Nativity
 * Place of birth of this person
 * Place of birth of Father of this person
 * Place of birth of Mother of this person
 * Period of Residence
 * How long a resident of this State (years and months)
 * How long a resident of this enumeration district (years and months)
 * Regular occupation
 * Military service