Abrams Collection Genealogy Highlights
March/April 1999
Volume 1, Number 2

Federal Census Research at the Library of Michigan

Every 10 years the US government conducts a census of its population. The first federal census was taken in 1790; the most recent one for which individual records have been released is the 1930 census. (An additional subject guide is available for the 1930 census.) Census records may prove helpful to the family history researcher.

Census materials available at the Library of Michigan

The Library of Michigan has a large collection of census records. Geographically, the Library has complete census holdings for states east of the Mississippi River, as well as some holdings for states west of the Mississippi. To determine whether the Library has census materials for a particular state, search ANSWER, the Library's catalog. Clicking on the links in this publication will take you to the ANSWER catalog search results or the catalog record for a particular item. Subject searches following this general format are helpful:

• michigan census
• new york state census
• pennsylvania census

The results will contain a list of the Library's census holdings in chronological order, looking much like this:

• Pennsylvania Census 1810
• Pennsylvania Census 1810 Indexes

For more details about the Library's holdings, click on the specific item you wish to see.

The Process of Federal Census Research

When trying to locate census records for individuals, begin with the most recent year for which you know his or her state of residence and then work your way backward in years. This may be helpful because more recent records contain more detailed information. In general, early census records provide only brief information about individuals.

There are two main steps:

1. Check the index. Census indexes cover an entire state and will direct you to a specific county and page of the census itself. Indexes for the years through 1870 are in books shelved near the Genealogy Desk. Beginning in 1880, the census is indexed by the Soundex, which is on microfilm rather than in book form. The Soundex system is based on how a name sounds rather than how it is spelled, so a code must be determined for each name you want to look up. Forms are available to assist you with the Soundex coding. 
2. Check the census itself. The microfilm reels are labeled with the state, census year and county covered. The Library of Michigan has guide sheets that list the type of information covered for each census year.

Please ask at the Genealogy Desk if you need assistance with any part of this process.

Federal Census Sources

Basic Information

Alterman, Hyman. Counting People: The Census in History. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, 1969.
Dewey 312 A46c

Anderson, Margo J. The American Census: A Social History. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1988.
Main HA 37 .U55 A53 1988

Bohme, Fredrick G. Twenty Censuses: Population and Housing Questions, 1790-1980. Washington, D.C.: Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1979.
U.S. Documents Reference C 3.2:C 33/33
Includes instructions to enumerators for the 1900 and 1910 censuses.

Bremer, Ronald A. Compendium of Historical Sources: The How and Where of American Genealogy. Rev. ed. Bountiful, UT: AGLL Inc., 1997.
Genealogy CS 49 .B74 1997

A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth 1790-1900. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967.
Genealogy HA 155 .A432 1967

Greenwood, Val D. The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy. 3rd ed. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2000. 181-182.
Genealogy CS47 .G73 2000

Halacy, Dan. Census: 190 Years of Counting America. New York: Elsevier/Nelson Books, 1980.
Main HA 37 .U55 H27 1980

Kirkham, E. Kay. A Survey of American Census Schedules; an Explanation and Description of Our Federal Census Enumerations 1790 to 1950. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1959.
Genealogy CS 42.7 .K573 1959

Szucs, Dennis and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, eds. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1997.
Genealogy CS 49 .S65 1997

United States. National Archives and Records Administration. Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives. Rev ed. Washington, D.C.: The Administration, 1985.
Genealogy Z 5313 .U5 U54 1985

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Federal Census Microfilm Catalogs

United States. National Archives and Records Service. The 1790-1890 Federal Population Census: Catalog of National Archives Microfilm. Revised ed. Washington, D.C.: National Archives Trust Fund, 2001.
Genealogy CS 42.7 .U5 2001

---. ---. 1900 Federal Population of Census: A Catalog of Microfilm Copies of the Schedules. Washington, D.C.: The Service, 1978.
Genealogy HA 217 .N55 1978
Housed at the Genealogy Desk.

---. National Archives and Records Administration. The 1920 Federal Population Census: A Catalog of National Archives Microfilm. 3rd ed. Washington, D.C.: National Archives Trust Fund Board, 1998.
Genealogy HA 201 1920 .N5 1998

---. National Archives Trust Fund Board. The 1910 Federal Population Census: A Catalog of Microfilm Copies of the Schedules. Washington, D.C.: The Board, 1996.
Genealogy HA 201 1910 .N38 1996

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Resource Guides

Brown, Mary Georgia Sister. Order of Townships, Cities and Villages in the 1880 Federal Census for Michigan. Battle Creek: Willard Library, ca. 1990.
Genealogy F 565 .B7 1990
See series for 1900, 1910, 1920 censuses.

Cross Index to Selected City Streets and Enumeration Districts, 1910 Census. Washington, D.C.: National Archives, 1980.
Genealogy Microfiche HA 201 1910 Index

A Key to the 1880 United States Federal Census Identifying Enumeration District Numbers and Microfilm Numbers of the National Archives and the Genealogical Library. 2nd ed., rev and corr. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1986.
Genealogy CS 49 .A153 K49 1986

Parker, J. Carlyle, comp. and ed. City, County, Town and Township Index to the 1850 Federal Census Schedules. Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1979.
Genealogy CS 65 .P37

Saldaña, Richard H., ed. A Practical Guide to the "Misteaks" Made in Census Indexes. Salt Lake City: R.H. Saldaña, 1987.
Genealogy CS 47 .P73 1987

Smith, Leonard H., Jr., comp. United States Census Key 1850, 1860, 1870. Bountiful, UT: American Genealogical Lending Library, 1986.
Genealogy CS 49 .S63 1987

Stemmons, John D., comp. The United States Census Compendium. Logan, UT: Everton Publishers Inc., 1973.
Genealogy CS 42.7 S754 1973

Steuart, Bradley W., ed. The Soundex Daitch-Mokotoff Reference Guide. Bountiful, UT: Precision Indexing, 1994.
Genealogy CS 68 .S66 1994

Thorndale, William and William Dollarhide. Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1987.
Genealogy HA 37 .U55 T453 1987

United States. Bureau of the Census. Census Descriptions of Geographic Subdivisions and Enumeration Districts, 1830-1950. Washington, D.C.: National Archives of the United States, 1978-.
Genealogy Microfilm HA 218.5 1830-1950

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State Censuses

Dubester, Henry J. State Censuses: An Annotated Bibliography of Censuses of Population Taken After The Year 1790 By States and Territories of the United States. New York: B. Franklin, 1969.
Reference Z 7554 .U5 U63 1969

Lainhart, Ann S. State Census Records. Baltimore: Genealogy Publishing Co., 1992.
Genealogy CS 68 .L37

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Updated 05/08/2009