Searching the Census

Searching here sends you through U.S. Census records from 1790-1930. Some census records are incomplete because records were destroyed, or no census was taken for that state or territory in that year.

Search for a Specific Name

 You can search the census by a specific person's name:

The search boxes allow you to type in a person's last and first names. You can select a year and a state if you know them. Then, click on the box that says, "Search." Clicking on the light green "Advanced Search" tab allows you to refine your search to include county, age, sex, race, and birthplace. If you know the series, roll, and page number of the census record you need, enter it by clicking on the "Find by Page Number" tab.

If HeritageQuest finds the name you were looking for, it will list which census records it appears in. Click on one of the results to be taken to an image of the actual census record.

Saving your Results

If you would like a copy of the information you have just found, you can select "Print," "Download," or "Add to Notebook." The "Add to Notebook" feature allows you to save items you have been looking at to a list so that you can download or print them all at one time. Be careful, though! The notebook disappears after your session. See our "Printing Tips" and "Notebook" pages for further information on these options.

Browse the Census Records

Click on "Browse" and you will be taken to the page above. You can look at census data by year. If you are not finding the results you expected, click on the left side of the screen for more details about how the census was conducted that year. When you select a year, the map on the left shows you which states were included in that year's census:

Clicking on "What you should know about the 1790 Census" will give you further details.

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