Census Finder - Free census records online.

   HOME > Census Findings > 1890 Census

FIRST NAME

LAST NAME

1890 Census Findings

Free Download:  Blank 1890 Census Form needed to record your ancestors in the 1890 census.

What information can be found in the 11th Federal Census of the United States?

Questions Asked on the 1890 Census

  • In a city, house number and street name.

  • Name, age, sex and ethnicity of every person in the household.

  • If a person was born within the year, the month of birth was given.

  • Relationship of each person to the Head of Household.

  • Is the person single, married, widowed or divorced.

  • Was the person married within the year.

  • Occupation of each male.

  • Occupation of each female.

  • How many months was the person unemployed during the census year.

  • Whether or not a person was sick or temporarily disabled, and if so, the nature of the illness.

  • Whether a person was blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, maimed, crippled, bedridden or permanently disabled.

  • Did the person attend school within the year.

  • Can the person read and write.

  • Place of birth of each person.

  • Place of birth of each person's mother.

  • Place of birth of each person's father.

NOTE: The 1890 census was mostly destroyed in a 1921 warehouse fire.  Small fragments of the 1890 census survived and comprises less than 1% of the original schedules.  Keep in mind that even the remaining census fragments do not contain complete counties, townships or districts.  The loss of these census records has put a real kink in genealogy research during this time period, particularly when people seem to have begun moving around a lot more.  It is much harder to pick up the trail of our ancestors when there is a 20 year gap between records.  This would have been the first enumeration for Oklahoma so people with ancestry in OK will experience particular difficulty with this loss.

Good Sense Census Tips:  The 1890 census schedules enumerating Union Veterans and widows of Union veterans of the Civil War did survive and is often used as a census substitute.  Although, it is most likely not helpful if your ancestor was on the Confederate side, sometimes even they are listed by accident in these schedules, so it does bear checking. 

The Veterans & Widows schedules for some states were lost. 

Surviving schedules are extant for the following states:  Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma and Indian Territories, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Washington DC and United States Vessels and Navy Yards.

1890 Census Records Online at Ancestry - Learn about the 1890 census & how to access the census index and images.

Free Download:  1890 Census Form to record your 1890 census data.

Free Download:  1890 Veterans and Widows Census Form to record your 1890 census data.

Which 1890 Census Fragments Survived the Fire?

  • Alabama: Perry County - Perryville Beat #11 and Severe Beat #8.
  • District of Columbia: Q. Thirteenth, Fourteenth, R.Q. Corcoran, Fifteenth, S.R. and Riggs Streets, Johnson Avenue, and S. Street.
  • Georgia: Muscogee County - Columbus.
  • Illinois: McDonough County - Mound Township.
  • Minnesota: Wright County - Rockford.
  • New Jersey: Hudson County - Jersey City.
  • New York: Westchester County - Eastchester.  Suffolk County - Brookhaven Twp.
  • North Carolina: Gaston County: South Point Township and River Bend Township.  Cleveland County - Township #2.
  • Ohio: Hamilton County - Cincinnati.  Clinton County - Wayne Township.
  • South Dakota: Union County - Jefferson Township.
  • Texas: Ellis County - J.P. #6, Mountain Peak and Ovila Precinct.  Hood County - Precinct #5.  Rusk County - Precinct #6 and J.P. #7.  Trinity County - Trinity Town, and Precinct #2.  Kaufman County - Kaufman.

Which States Were Originally Included in 1890 Census Records? (49 states)

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Where Can 1890 US Census Data be found?

1. Census Finder Census Directory - This is our own directory of free census records which can be found online.  Our directory is categorized by state and county and we have attempted to list every census index, census transcription, and even census images which can be found online. 

To access the directory, choose a state: Alabama Census, Alaska Census, Arizona Census, Arkansas Census, California Census, Colorado Census, Connecticut Census, Delaware Census, District of Columbia Census, Florida Census, Georgia Census, Hawaii Census, Idaho Census, Illinois Census, Indiana Census, Iowa Census, Kansas Census, Kentucky Census, Louisiana Census, Maine Census, Maryland Census, Massachusetts Census, Michigan Census, Minnesota Census, Mississippi Census, Missouri Census, Montana Census, Nebraska Census, Nevada Census, New Hampshire Census, New Jersey Census, New Mexico Census, New York Census, North Carolina Census, North Dakota Census, Ohio Census, Oklahoma Census, Oregon Census, Pennsylvania Census, Rhode Island Census, South Carolina Census, South Dakota Census, Tennessee Census, Texas Census, Utah Census, Vermont Census, Virginia Census, Washington Census, West Virginia Census, Wisconsin Census, Wyoming Census

 

2. Ancestry.com Census Records   Ancestry.com has completed the database of all US census records 1790-1930.  This is the greatest tool for genealogy research in the United States to be found online and it does include the surviving 1890 census fragments.

 

3. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)  The archives maintained by the Federal Government contains all census records on microfilm, however they do not have census records available online.  What they do have online is the catalog of microfilm and a lot of useful information about what is available for census research.  See Clues in Census Records 1850-1930.

 

4. The LDS (Latter Day Saints) Library in Salt Lake City also maintains the entire set of census microfilm and these can also be found or ordered for a fee at Family History Libraries located throughout the United States.  You can search for a Family History Library near you using this search.  The 1880 census along with some other LDS records are available online at FamilySearch.org

 

5. Local libraries will often have history and genealogy departments with a (usually incomplete) collection of microfilm available for research and sometimes they will offer their patrons online subscriptions which can be accessed while at the library.

What questions were asked on the US Census?

Choose a year: 1790 Census Questions, 1800 Census Questions, 1810 Census Questions, 1820 Census Questions, 1830 Census Questions, 1840 Census Questions, 1850 Census Questions, 1860 Census Questions, 1870 Census Questions, 1880 Census Questions, 1890 Census Questions, 1900 Census Questions, 1910 Census Questions, 1920 Census Questions, 1930 Census Questions

CENSUS HOME    Census Findings  County Maps  Genealogy Societies  Historical Museums  Spotlite  Links  Link to us!

Genealogy Sources:   Ancestry.com   Genealogy Search   CensusDiggins.com   Ancestor Hunt   Surname Search