A Guide to Reading the U.S. Federal Census 1790-1870
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1790 Federal Population Schedule
1. Location
2. Name of head of family
3. Free white males over 16 including heads of families
4. Free white males under 16
5. Free white females including heads of families
6. All other free persons
7. Slaves
8. Total
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1790 Federal Census
The first census of the United States was taken in 1790, but almost half of that census has been lost.
The census schedules for these states have survived:
Connecticut
Maine (part of Massachusetts)
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New York
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Vermont
When part or all of a census enumeration has been lost or destroyed or a family of interest to you doesn't appear in an early census, use town or county tax lists as a substitute.
Census substitutes exist for the following states:
Delaware
Georgia
Kentucky
New Jersey
Tennessee
Virginia
The 1790 census schedules that have survived were published originally by the Bureau of the Census, Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790, 12 vols. (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1908). Many of those volumes have been reprinted by private publishers.
All of the surviving schedules have been microfilmed and can be used at the National Archives and its Regional Centers, the LDS Family History Library and its centers, and many state, local, and institutional libraries throughout the nation.
When using a census that names only the head of a household, search other records to corroborate what appears to be a family in the census. Households could include grandparents, uncles, aunts, more distant relatives, boarders, hired hands, friends, or any combination of people.
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1800 Federal Population Schedule
1. Location
2. Name of head of family
3. Information on free white males
4. Information on free white females
5. Totals
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1800 Federal Census
The 1800 census, in addition to the name of the head of each household, shows the other members of a household grouped into five age groups, rather than the three groups listed in 1790.
Free white males and free white females are totaled within these age groups:
under 10
of 10 and under 16
of 16 and under 26, including heads of families
of 26 and under 45, including heads of families
of 45 and upwards, including heads of families
The 1800 federal census schedules exist for these states:
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New York
North Carolina
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Vermont
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1810 Federal Population Schedule
1. Name of head of family
2. Information on free white males
3. Information on free white females
4. Page
5. Totals
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Column Headings
Name of head of family
Free white males
Under 10 years of age
Of 10 and under 16
Of 16 and under 26, including heads of families
Of 26 and under 45, including heads of families
Of 45 and upwards, including heads of families
Free white females
Under 10 years of age
Of 10 and under 16
Of 16 and under 26, including heads of families
Of 26 and under 45, including heads of families
Of 45 and upwards, including heads of families
1810 Census
The 1810 census, in addition to the name of the head of each household, shows the other members of a household grouped into five age groups, rather than the three groups listed in 1790.
The 1810 federal census is available for these states:
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia (including present-day West Virginia)
There is a published index for each of these states.
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1820 Federal Population Schedule
1. Location
2. Name of head of family
3. Information on free white males
4. Information on free white females
5. Foreigners not naturalized
6. Page number
7. Totals
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1820 Census
The 1820 census, in addition to the name of the head of each household, shows the other members of a household grouped into eleven age groups, rather than the three groups listed in 1790.
Those free white male age groups are:
under 10
of 10 and under 16
of 16 and under 18
of 16 and under 26, including heads of families
of 26 and under 45, including heads of families
of 45 and upwards, including heads of families
Those free white female age groups are:
under 10
of 10 and under 16
of 16 and under 26, including heads of families
of 26 and under 45, including heads of families
of 45 and upwards, including heads of families
The 1820 federal census exists for these states:
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Georgia
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Mississippi
New Hampshire
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia (including present-day West Virginia)
There is a published index for each of these states.
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1830 Federal Population Schedule
1. Location
2. Name of head of family
3. Information on free white males
4. Information on free white females
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Column Headings
Name of county, city, ward, town, township, parish, precinct
Name of head of family
Free white males under 5
Age 5 and under 10
Age 10 and under 15
Age 15 and under 20
Age 20 and under 30
Age 30 and under 40
Age 40 and under 50
Age 50 and under 60
Age 60 and under 70
Age 70 and under 80
Age 80 and under 90
Age 90 and under 100
Age 100 and over
Free white females under 5
Age 5 and under 10
Age 10 and under 15
Age 15 and under 20
Age 20 and under 30
Age 30 and under 40
Age 40 and under 50
Age 50 and under 60
Age 60 and under 70
Age 70 and under 80
Age 80 and under 90
Age 90 and under 100
Age 100 and over
1830 Census
The fifth census of the United States took place on June 1, 1830.
The 1830 census records for these counties have been lost or destroyed:
Indiana: Wabash
Maryland: Montgomery, Prince George's, St. Mary's, Queen Anne's, and Somerset counties
South Carolina: Clarendon District
Published indexes exist for these states:
Alabama
Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia
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1840 Federal Population Schedule
1. Location
2. Name of head of family
3. Information on free white males
4. Information on free white females
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Column Headings
Name of county, city, ward, town, township, parish, precinct
Name of head of family
Free white males under 5
Age 5 and under 10
Age 10 and under 15
Age 15 and under 20
Age 20 and under 30
Age 30 and under 40
Age 40 and under 50
Age 50 and under 60
Age 60 and under 70
Age 70 and under 80
Age 80 and under 90
Age 90 and under 100
Age 100 and over
Free white females under 5
Age 5 and under 10
Age 10 and under 15
Age 15 and under 20
Age 20 and under 30
Age 30 and under 40
Age 40 and under 50
Age 50 and under 60
Age 60 and under 70
Age 70 and under 80
Age 80 and under 90
Age 90 and under 100
Age 100 and over
1840 Census
The sixth census of the United States took place on June 1, 1840.
The 1840 census records for these counties have been lost or destroyed:
Mississippi: Pike County
South Carolina: Clarendon District
Published indexes exist for these states:
Alabama
Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin
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1850 Federal Population Schedule
A-D. Location, date
1. Dwelling or house number and family number
2. Person's name
3-8. Personal information
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Column headings
A. Village, town, city, township, district, ward, etc.
B. County
C. State
D. Date
1. Dwelling or house number
2. Family number
3. Name of every person whose place of abode on the 6/1/1850 was in this family
4. Age
5. Sex
6. Color
7. Profession, occupation, or trade of each male person over 15 years of age
8. Value of real estate
9. Place of birth
10. Married within the year
11. Attended school within the year
12. Persons over 20 years of age who cannot read and write
13. Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict
1850 Federal Census
The seventh census of the United States took place on June 1, 1850.
These 1850 census records have been destroyed or lost:
California: the counties of Contra Costa, San Francisco, and Santa Clara.
South Carolina: the county of Clarendon District.
There are published indexes for these states:
Alabama
Arizona (with New Mexico)
Arkansas
California
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Mexico
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin
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1860 Federal Population Schedule
A-E. Location, date
1. Dwelling or house number and family number
2. Person's name
3-9. Personal information
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Column Headings
A. Page number
B. Village, town, city, township, district, ward, etc.
C. County
D. State
E. Date
1. Dwelling or house number
2. Family number
3. Name of every person whose place of abode on the 6/1/1860 was in this family
4. Age
5. Sex
6. Color
7. Profession, occupation, or trade of each person over 15 years of age
8. Value of real estate
9. Value of personal estate
10. Place of birth
11. Married within the year
12. Attended school within the year
13. Persons over 20 years of age who cannot read and write;
14. Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict.
1860 Federal Census
The eighth census of the United States took place on June 1, 1860.
These 1860 census records for these counties have been lost or destroyed:
Arkansas: Indian Lands, Little River
Florida: Hernando
Louisiana: Bienville Parish
Mississippi: Hancock, Sunflower, Washington
Texas: Blanco, Coleman, Concho, Duval, Edwards, Hardeman, Kimble, Knox, LaSalle, McCullock, McMullen, Tarrant, Taylor, Wichita, Wilbarger, and Wilson
Washington: Benton, Columbia, San Juan, Snonomish, Stevens
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1870 Federal Population Schedule
A-E. Location, date
1. Dwelling or house number and family number
2. Person's name
3-11. Personal information
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Column Headings
A. Page number
B. Village, town, city, township, district, ward, etc.
C. County
D. State
E. Date
1. Dwelling or house number
2. Family number
3. Name of every person whose place of abode on the 6/1/1870 was in this family
4. Age at last birthday
5. Sex
6. Color
7. Profession, occupation, trade of each person
8. Value of real estate
9. Value of personal estate
10. Place of birth
11. Father of foreign birth
12. Mother of foreign birth
13. If born within the year, give month
14. If married within the year, give month
15. Attended school within the year
16. Cannot read
17. Cannot write
18. Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic
19. Male citizens of U.S. of 21 years of age and upwards
20. Male citizens of U.S. of 21 years of age and upwards denied the vote.
1870 Federal Census
The ninth census of the United States took place on June 1, 1870.
The 1870 census records for these counties have been lost or destroyed:
Idaho: Kootenai
Kansas: Arapahoe
Texas: Archer, Baylor, Concho, Edwards, Hardeman, Knox, Taylor, Wichita, Wilbarger
Washington: Benton, Columbia, San Juan
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