United States Census Mortality Schedules

Portal:United States Census

Availability
1850 United States Mortality Schedules index and images: In the absence of vital registrations in many states, mortality schedules provided nationwide death statistics for one year of each decade 1850-1880. Census enumerators requested information from the head of households about deaths that had occured in the year prior to the census. Key genealogical facts found on all census are: Name, age, sex, color, married or widowed, birthplace, month of death, occupation, cause of death.

You can find mortality schedules at the Family History Library, in state archives, the DAR Library,

the National Archives, Ancestry and Mortality Schedules 1850-1880.

1850-- 

1860-- 

1870-- 

1880-- 

1885--Mortality schedules exist in 1885 for Colorado, Florida, Nebraska, New Mexico, and North and South Dakota.

Historical Background
1850-1885 Mortality Schedules--Mortality schedules were taken along with population schedules in the 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, and a few in 1885. These schedules include persons who died between June 1st through May 31st in the year prior to the federal census. Though part of the federal censuses, they are separate from the population schedules.

Content
For the deceased it provides:


 * Name
 * Sex
 * Color (white, black, mulatto)
 * Widowed
 * Place of birth (state, territory, or country)
 * Month death occurred
 * Profession/occupation/trade
 * Disease or cause of death and number of days ill

Value
Mortality schedules can be used to:


 * Trace and document genetic symptoms and diseases
 * Verify and document African American, Chines, and Native American ancestry
 * Focus searches in obituaries, mortuary records, cemeteries, and probate records by documenting death dates and family

members.


 * Provide migration point clues
 * Supplement population schedules

Indexes
Ancestry--Ancestry has images and every name indexes for the mortality schedules, however it is important to check the source of the database to determine if the state and year you are searching for has been included.

Family History Library Indexes--The Family History Library has copies of most of the available mortality schedules and indexes. These are listed in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog under [STATE] - CENSUS or [STATE] - VITAL RECORDS.

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

Mortality Schedules: http://www.mortalityschedules.com/