Where to find census records    Links for online records     More links to online records

U.S. and International Census Information

Census records can help locate families and earn the names of family members you have not previously found.  Use genealogy  census indexes, census images, and transcribed census records online to help find your ancestors and surnames. 

Census records provide a valuable resource in genealogy research.  It is possible to use the census records, to help you find a great deal of information about your ancestors.  It is important to note that census records from different census years provide different genealogy information. 

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) site has some excellent articles that show exactly what you can learn from census records. The federal censuses from 1790 through 1840 contain less data than those taken later.  Generally censuses from this period contain only the name of the Head of Household.  They do, however, contain useful clues that can be extremely helpful..  Later census records,  1850-1920, contain more detail about all members of the household.   The 1930 Census has recently been released.   The 1890 census records were destroyed by fire, and only a few fragments remain.'

If you know where your ancestors lived, there are many census index books in most libraries that can tell you exactly which county, and page to look up to find your ancestors or surnames.  Conversely, you can also use these indexes to find out how many times your surname was found in a particular area.  There are now many census indexes available on the internet thanks to many genealogists who have transcribed census microfilm and posted those transcriptions on the internet.  You will find links to many of these sites at the bottom of this page.  Indexes do not replace the valuable genealogy information you can glean from the actual census records.

Where to Find Census Records 

Public and private genealogy libraries, have microfilmed census records and microfilm readers available.  Normally, these are free to use.  You can also find microfilm of the census records at LDS genealogy centers across the country.  Due to the high demands for microfilm readers, the amount of time you can spend using a reader is often limited.  It is a good idea to check with the library before you travel there.

Census forms are available to download and print from your computer.  These forms are in the format of the census for a particular year, and make transcribing information from the census much easier.  It is recommended that you use these download and use these forms.

Many libraries and LDS centers do not have the complete census on microfilm available.  It is also a good idea to check about the availability.  If they do not have a particular microfilm available, they can often help find it and borrow or rent it.  Usually there is a minimal charge for this.

With the advent of the home computer, there are now several services putting census indexes and the original census records on CD Rom.  The advantage of using these census CD's in your genealogy research is the convenience they afford.  You can use them at your convenience in your own home whenever you want.  The savings of travel costs, microfilm rental, and the value of your time make the CD's affordable and comparable in cost.   Ancestry and Genealogy.com both currently offer CD's.
  

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