United States Census 1880

Indexes and Images
For an article about 1880 census population schedules available for free online at FamilySearch Historical Record Collections see the U.S. Census Population Schedules, 1880 Wiki page. Ancestry.com (subscription site) has indexes and images of all 1880 federal censuses. HeritageQuestOnline.com (subscription site) has indexes and images of all 1880 federal censuses. A Soundex for each state indexing families with children age ten or less is also available on microfilm.

A free Internet census index to the 1880 census can be viewed on the FamilySearch Record Search. This index shows every name listed on the census including information about each person’s residence, age, and birthplace. Census images are not included.

For more details, see individual state census Wiki pages. For tips if the first census index search does not work, see the United States Census Searching Wiki page.

Content
The 1880 Census was taken beginning 1 June 1880, for thirty days or two weeks for communities with 10,000+ populations. The following information was recorded by the census taker:


 * Name
 * Race: (white (W), black (B), Chinese (C), Indian (I), mulatto (M)
 * Month of birth if born within year
 * Relationship to head of household
 * Single, married, widowed, divorced
 * Married within year
 * Occupation/months unemployed
 * Birthplace
 * Parents’ birthplace
 * School attendance within year
 * Whether unable to read if age 10+
 * Sick or temporarily disabled when enumerated and reason
 * Blind, deaf-mute, idiotic, insane or permanently disabled

1790-2000 Information

Value
The 1880 census can be used to:


 * Identify birthplace of parents-immigrant information
 * Supplement birth/marriage info. Due to relationship info.
 * Identify relationships—surnamesof married daughter, mother-in-law, cousins, other relatives
 * Indicate that wife may not be mother of kids
 * Give clues to genetic symptoms or diseases

1850-1930 Search Tips

Unique Features and Problems

 * 1) Asked the relationship to the head of household
 * 2) Asked marital status
 * 3) Lists the name of the streets and house numbers of some of the urban homes
 * 4) Lists an illness or disability on the day of visitation
 * 5) Lists number of months unemployed.
 * 6) Lists birthplace of parents
 * 7) People born/died after 1 Jun 1880 were not to be included.
 * 8) Soundex: Lists only families with children under the age of 10 years

States and Territories Covered
States


 * Alabama
 * Arizona
 * Arkansas
 * California
 * Colorado
 * Connecticut
 * Delaware
 * District of Columbia
 * Florida
 * Georgia
 * Idaho
 * Illinois


 * Indiana
 * Iowa
 * Kansas
 * Kentucky
 * Louisiana
 * Maine
 * Maine
 * Massachusetts
 * Michigan
 * Minnesota
 * Mississippi
 * Missouri


 * Montana
 * Nebraska
 * Nevada
 * New Hampshire
 * New Jersey
 * New Mexico
 * New York
 * North Carolina
 * North Dakota
 * Ohio
 * Oregon
 * Pennsylvania


 * Rhode Island
 * South Carolina
 * South Dakota
 * Tennessee
 * Texas
 * Utah
 * Vermont
 * Virginia
 * West Virginia
 * Wisconsin
 * Wyoming

Territories


 * Arizona
 * Idaho
 * Montana
 * New Mexico
 * North Dakota
 * South Dakota
 * Utah
 * Wyoming

Missing Records

 * No States Missing

A few localities in the 1880 U.S. census are either missing or were absorbed into other counties. When missing localities were reported, they were checked against their original census data. It was confirmed that the localities were missing in the original census returns. The following localities are missing data. Details can be found on the state census page and individual county page.


 * Kentucky = Crittenden County
 * Michigan = Oscoda and Sanilac Counties
 * Missouri = St. Louis
 * New York = Bronx and Madison and Tioga Counties, New York City (includes all 5 boroughs, Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Kings)
 * North Carolina = Guilford County
 * Ohio = Allen County
 * Oklahoma
 * Utah = Rich County
 * Virginia= Henrico and York Counties

Where to Find the Records
The 1880 Federal Census is available online.

Online


 * 1880 United States Federal Census (Ancestry) ($)
 * (FamilySearch) - free

Websites
1790-2000 Info

1850-1930 Search Tips