Allen County, Indiana Census Records

Indiana became a state on December 11, 1816 so first appears in the 1820 US Census

Allen County was recognized April 1, 1824 so first appears in the 1830 US Census.

Individual Census Records from 1790 to 1950 are maintained by the National Archives and Records Administration, not the U.S. Census Bureau.

Allen County, Indiana profile data US Census Profile

Allen County, Indiana data profile at the United States Census Bureau

Allen County, Indiana has 657.1 square miles of land area and is the 1st largest county in Indiana by total area. Allen County, Indiana is bordered by DeKalb County, IndianaWells County, IndianaVan Wert County, OhioNoble County, IndianaWhitley County, IndianaPaulding County, OhioHuntington County, IndianaAdams County, Indiana, and Defiance County, Ohio.

Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana profile data US Census Profile

Fort Wayne city, Indiana is a city, town, place equivalent, and township located in Indiana.

2020/2022 statistics: 263,886 people, 62.3% employment, 109,974 families, $58,439 income, 115,860 housing, 27,896 Hispanic/Latino, 27.7% Bachelor's Degree or higher, 7.3% without Health Care Coverage

November 25, 2016 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook:

The U.S. population is predicted to hit 325 million on 11/26 at 1:47 a.m. EST, according to our vintage 2015 population estimates. Visit our pop clock here:

www.census.gov/popclock/

September 17, 2014 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook:.

Happy Constitution Day from the Census Bureau. Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution mandates a Census of the population every 10 years.

Image shows President James Madison Summary of Debate on the 1790 Census Bill January 25, 1790 stating it was to tell Congress the number of military-age men in the country.

🔍 Searching for elusive ancestors in census records? 📜 Don't get discouraged! Check out these tips to help you track...

Posted by Genealogy Center on Monday, April 22, 2024

Monday, April 22, 2024 post by the Genealogy Center on Facebook:

🔍 Searching for elusive ancestors in census records? 📜 Don't get discouraged! Check out these tips to help you track down those hard-to-find relatives. 🌟 Unlock the secrets of census research and discover new branches of your family tree! 🌳💡 #Genealogy #CensusRecords #FamilyHistory #ResearchTips

[ One family researcher discovered a Fort Wayne census taker reversed the order of last and first names so they were indexed by the father's first name! Mystery was solved by consulting the city directories to find their street, then finding their street in the census, then going page by page to eventually find them! ]

July 11 is #WorldPopulationDay! Our International Database indicates the #WorldPopulation will reach 9 billion by 2037....

Posted by U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday, July 11, 2024

Thursday, July 11, 2024 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook:

July 11 is #WorldPopulationDay! Our International Database indicates the #WorldPopulation will reach 9 billion by 2037. 🌎

Check out our #StatsForStories page to learn more about our International Database, our #PopulationClock, and other #CensusData resources: World Population Day: July 11, 2024

  1. QuickFacts Allen County, Indiana; Fort Wayne city, Indiana; United States at the United States Census Bureau shows July 1, 2023 population estimates of 394,545 for Allen County and 269,994 for Fort Wayne.

    1980-2024 Allen County, Indiana population numbers
    1830-1980 Allen County, Indiana population numbers

    Allen County, Indiana Population 2024 at WorldPopulationReview.com has population numbers back to the 1830 census after the county was established April 1, 1824. Some recent estimates are slightly different than some posted US Census numbers.

  2. Fort Wayne Population Numbers

    1870-2021 Fort Wayne Population Numbers

    Fort Wayne, Indiana Population History 1870 - 2021 at BiggestUSCities.com

    1950 Newcomers Population Numbers

    1950 Population Numbers from the 48-page 1950 Newcomers key to Fort Wayne ISL_IND_Pam_AllenCo08_01. This pamphlet gives a description of Fort Wayne and its various organizations, industry, businesses, schools, and recreation. It also includes a brief history of Fort Wayne. Is in the Indiana Historical Print Collection in the Indiana State Library Digital Collection.

    Population numbers for Fort Wayne 1870-2020 from Indiana City/Town Census Counts, 1900 to 2020 at StatsIndiana and Fort Wayne, Indiana Population History 1870 - 2021 at BiggestUSCities which includes city rankings and percentage growth increase/decrease showing Fort Wayne has ranked #83 four times beginning in 1870, 1900, 1920, and again in 2020.

    1870 - 17,718
    1880 - 26,880
    1890 - 35,393
    1900 - 45,115
    1910 - 63,933
    1920 - 86,549
    1930 - 114,946
    1940 - 118,410
    1950 - 133,607
    1960 - 161,776
    1970 - 178,269
    1980 - 172,391
    1990 - 173,072
    2000 - 205,727
    2010 - 253,691
    2020 - 263,886

  3. 1904 Fort Wayne Census numbers

    Some Facts About the Fort Wayne of Today - - Growth of Fort Wayne As Shown in the Census The Fort Wayne Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Saturday, October 15, 1904, Page 4 on Newspapers.com. See 1904 Progress of Fort Wayne.

    Some Facts About the Fort Wayne of Today

    GROWTH OF FORT WAYNE AS SHOWN IN THE CENSUS.

    YEAR 1825 (Estimated) - 200
    1830 (Estimated) - 300
    1840 - 2,080
    1850 - 4,882
    1860 - 10,388
    1870 - 17,718
    1880 - 26,880
    1890 - 33,393
    1900 - 45,115
    1904 (Estimated) - 58,000

    The city of Fort Wayne is situated near the center of Allen county, Indiana, in the northeastern part of the state, 102 miles from Indianapolis, the capital, and 147 miles from Chicago, the supreme metropolis of the west. Its population today is estimated as closely approximating 60,000.

  4. October 5, 1978 began The 72-Year Rule at the United States Census Bureau the law which restricts public access to 72 years after each decennial census.
  5. Census Records: The 72-Year Rule by Jessie Kratz, posted January 20, 2022 in Census, National Archives History at the The National Archives.
  6. October 5, 2022 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook.

    #OnThisDayOctober 5, 1978, the “72-Year Rule" became law.

    This law restricts access to decennial census records to everyone except the individual named on the record or their legal heir for 72 years from the date of the census.

    The US National Archives released the 1950 Census records on April 1, 2022, and the 1960 Census will become available in 2032.

    Learn more about this law: The "72-Year Rule"

    #CensusHistory #OTD #OnThisDay #OnThisDayInHistory

    Similar October 5, 2023 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook.
  7. Famous and Infamous Census Records also at the United States Census Bureau.
  8. In the 21st century, we hear the reason for the census is to decide which states gain or lose representatives in the House of Representatives, especially as the population moves around from state to state. Congress Counts: History of the US Census on The National Archives Prologue: Pieces of History blog.
  9. Thanks to our Congress by Judy G. Russell March 12, 2015 on The Legal Genealogist blog blog.

August 2, 2022 post by the U.S. Census Bureau Facebook:

#DYK U.S. marshals and their assistants began the count for our nation’s first census #OnThisDay in 1790?

In fact, the United States Marshals Service conducted our nation’s population, economic, and agriculture censuses through the 1870 Census. This changed in 1880 when Congress authorized the hiring of specially trained supervisors and enumerators.

Learn more about our nation’s first U.S. marshals and census takers: U.S. Marshalls and U.S. Marshals Service Website.

#CensusHistory #1790Census #OTD

October 24, 2023 post by the U.S. Census Bureau Facebook:

On October 24th, 1791, the results of the 1790 Census were released showing the population of the United States was 3,929,214. The nation’s largest cities were:

#NewYorkCity (33,131)

#Philadelphia (28,522)

#Boston (18,320)

#Charleston (16,359)

#Baltimore (13,503)

Learn more about the #1790Census: https://www.census.gov/.../fast_facts/1790_fast_facts.html

#CensusHistory #OTD #OnThisDay #OnThisDayInHistory

[As their map shows Indiana was NOT a state in 1790, celebrating statehood December 11, 1816]

August 15, 2023 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook:

#DYK, the 1790 through 1820 censuses were conducted in August?

Surviving census schedules are publicly available from the US National Archives and include the records of presidents John Adams, James Madison, and Andrew Jackson.

Learn more about the availability of census records: https://www.census.gov/history/www/genealogy/

#CensusHistory

April 15, 2023 post by the U.S. Census Bureau Facebook:

#CensusHistory Fun Fact: In 1910, Census Day, the day that determines who is counted and where they are counted, was April 15.

#CensusDay moved to January 1 in 1920 but then back to April in 1930. Every 10 years since then, we have continued to conduct the decennial census as of April 1.

Learn more about the history of the census: https://www.census.gov/.../homepage.../2020/april_2020.html

#CensusHistory #OTD #OnThisDay #OnThisDayInHistory

October 17, 2023 post by the U.S. Census Bureau Facebook:

On October 17, 2006, Census Bureau Director Charles Louis Kincannon announced that the U.S. population had reached 300 million.

Previous population milestones were 200 million in 1967, 100 million in 1920, and 50 million in 1880. 

Learn more about our population clock and population estimates: Population Clock. [The U.S. and World Population Clock]

#PopClock #PopulationEstimates #CensusHistory #OTD #OnThisDay #OnThisDayInHistory

November 20, 2023 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook:

#FunFact: On November 20th, 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced that the U.S. population reached 200 million.

Learn more about other significant milestones and events from the 1960s and other decades since 1790: https://www.census.gov/.../fast_facts/1960_fast_facts.html

#CensusHistory #CensusData #OTD #OnThisDay #OnThisDayInHistory

John Gorman Keane born in Fort Wayne was nominated to be Director of the Bureau of the Census on November 16, 1983 by Ronald Reagan 40th President of the United States: 1981 ‐ 1989, serving from 1984-1989.

March 6, 2023 post by the U.S. Census Bureau  on Facebook:

It’s our 121st birthday!

#OnThisDay in 1902, we became a permanent agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Learn more about #CensusHistory:

U.S. Census Bureau History: Establishment of a Permanent U.S. Census Bureau at the United States Census Bureau.

Filming of U.S. Cuts Storage Space to One-Seventeenth, Washington Evening Star, 4/17/1938. (Records of the National Archives) image is copied from this article stating: The 1900–1970 censuses exist only on microfilm—after the Census Bureau made microfilm copies, they often destroyed the originals. Because of the massive volume of material, microfilm was seen as a way of preserving information while at the same time saving storage space, and making the records easier to transport. Copied from Census Records Come to the National Archives by Jessie Kratz, posted February 17, 2022 on Pieces of History The National Archives blog.

As a result of what is stated above, if the original census microfilm was not properly focused or otherwise aligned correctly when copied and resulted in a blurry illegible copy there is nowhere to find a better legible census copy when researchers find those blurry illegible images which have been reported on social media and elsewhere.

February 7, 2013 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook:

During the last 50 years, the foreign-born population of the United States has undergone dramatic changes in size, origins, and geographic distribution. The Decennial Census and the annual American Community Survey allow us to trace the changes in the foreign-born population over time.

Piecing the Census Puzzle Together posted Feb 22, 2021 by Allen County Public Library on YouTube
Census records are easily accessible to genealogists, yet many struggle to locate their ancestors in these documents or to understand all the information that can be gleaned from these records. Discover the factors that contribute to misinformation on the census and learn the key details that will help when piecing the census puzzle together. Presented by: Melissa Tennant

Digging into the Agricultural Schedules posted Jun 21, 2021 by Allen County Public Library on YouTube
Most farmers work from dawn to dusk. Make agricultural schedules work for you. Such schedules list how many acres were improved and not improved as well as information on working animals, livestock, grain and crops grown, and homemade products. Presented by: Cynthia Theusch

Census 2020

Census 2020 formerly at https://2020census.gov/ had a Response Rates page formerly at https://2020census.gov/en/response-rates.html with maps, show above, and a video that showed how this page works.

Indiana 2020 Census the Hoosier state population was 6,785,528 in 2020, up 4.7% since 2010, posted August 25, 2021 from State-by-State Visualizations of Key Demographic Trends From the 2020 Census

See What day was the census taken each decade? at the United States Census Bureau.

Indiana Bicentennial: Total Population Through the Years

Census Bureau Commemorates Indiana Bicentennial December 09, 2016 Press Release Number CB16-TPS.152 United States Census Bureau

Indiana Territory

Indiana Territory was established from the Old Northwest Territory in 1800. Michigan Territory was separated in 1805 and Illinois Territory in 1809. Indiana Counties: Knox County formed in 1790, Clark County in 1801 and Dearborn County in 1803. In 1806 the General Assembly of the Indiana Territory passed a resolution to enable the Governor of this territory, for equal representation to the general assembly. The sheriffs of the counties of Dearborn, Clark, Knox and Randolph (Illinois). Take a list of all the free males 21 years and older, and return the list to the secretary of the state on or before the June 1st 1807. There are no known copies of the Clark County census taken in 1806; there are copies of the voters list for this county for the same year. Dearborn County included an area from Fort Recovery, Ohio southwest to Madison,Indiana, including all or part of current Wayne, Franklin, Union, Fayette, Dearborn, Ohio, Rush and Switzerland Counties. There is a 57 page book: Census of Indiana Territory for 1807 at the Allen County Public Library. See 1807 Indiana Territory Census list of names by Karen Creamer, Census Schedule 1807 by John Minneman, 1807 Dearborn Co, Indiana Territory Census Schedule at INGenWeb and 1807 Knox County Census of Indiana Territory at GenealogyTrails.com.

On August 29, 1814, the Indiana Territorial Legislature adopted a resolution requiring a census of the "free inhabitants" of the territory, which excluded Native Americans and enslaved African Americans. In 1812, the U.S. Congress recommended that the territory's population be at least 35,000 as a qualification for statehood. The census, completed in 1815, enumerated the population of Indiana at 63,897. Learn more about Indiana's road to Indiana Statehoodon IN.govcopied August 29, 2017 with census image from Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook.

December 11, 1816, James Madison the 4th President of the United States admitted Indiana as the 19th state of the union, so the earliest federal census will be the 1807 Territorial Census currently found on Ancestry.com by subscription. The Indiana Bicentennial and Indiana Bicentennial - Allen County on Facebook were formed for the bicentennial. More bicentennial information can be found on our Indiana Bicentennial page.

Allen County, Indiana was organized December 17, 1823 from Delaware and Randolph counties; and officially formed as a county April 1, 1824, so there are no Federal Census records for Allen County, Indiana before 1830. Allen County residents might be found in either Delaware or Randolph County in the 1820 Federal Census.

Census Records

Most census records are available locally on microfilm at the Genealogy Center in the Allen County Public Library shown on their Census Records on Microtext page. Many census records are now online, but not all, as digitized images of the NARA microfilm formerly found only in libraries and research facilities. Many indexes are also online. In some instances, transcriptions are online. Our pages link to several different online sources as we find them. If you find something missing, please Contact Allen INGenWeb.

  1. Famous and Infamous Census Records for various census records at Census.gov
  2. Internet Archive has the United States Census 1790-1930 "as is" meaning it can be dark or light and sometimes hard to read digitized from the original The National Archives microfilm rolls without any digital "cleanup" found on commercial pay to use websites. They are some of the 100,000+ items digitized at our local The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They are listed by year further down this page.
  3. Internet Archive also has Indian Census of the United States - 1885-1940
  4. Internet Archive has over 23,000 items filed under United States. Bureau of the Census
  5. Indiana Census Records are listed on IN.gov stating whether they are in book format or microfilm. It doesn't say, but I "assume" copies are at the Indiana Archives and Records Administration at IN.gov or Indiana State Library in Indianapolis. If you know, let me know: Contact Allen INGenWeb.

Indiana State Census

  1. State Censuses are listed for Indiana for the years: 1807, 1853, 1857, 1871, 1877, 1883, 1889, 1901, 1913, 1919, 1931 at the United States Census Bureau.
  2. The United States Census Bureau has current census QuickFacts for Indiana
  3. Census in Indiana Detailed demographic data for redistricting for current census data is maintained by the Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business
  4. Indiana Census information is explained on FamilySearch.org
  5. Indiana State Census Records Online is maintained by New Horizons Genealogy "Specializing in New England and New York Colonial American Ancestry". They have lists like Revolutionary War veteran or Military Service Pension Lists: 1813 Indiana Territory, 1820 Indiana Territory, and 1840 Indiana Census of Pensioners and Indiana Pensioners Of Revolutionary War Struck Off The Roll February 25, 1836.
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ACGSI Census Records

  1. 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 Manufacturing Schedules on ACGSI.org
  2. 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 Mortality Schedules on ACGSI.org
  3. 1910 Population Schedule Index - Allen County on ACGSI.org
  4. Allen County African-American Census 1840-1900 every-name abstracts of the 1840 through 1900 federal censuses of Allen County, Indiana (population schedules). These censuses were abstracted by Margery Graham, a Genealogy Center volunteer and member of the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana, Inc. at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
  5. Enumeration District maps for 1900-1940 at FamilySearch.org pages 691 - 715 of 742 pages - appears to be recorded backwards. Page 715 is overview map of all ED's.

Census Mortality Schedules for Indiana

  1. 1850 Indiana Mortality Schedule Index or browse 19 Allen County page images on film #004206511 at FamilySearch.org
  2. 1860 Indiana Mortality Schedule - browse film #007833999 at FamilySearch.org
  3. 1870 Indiana Mortality Schedule - browse film #007834000 at FamilySearch.org
  4. 1880 Indiana Mortality Schedule - browse film #007834002 at FamilySearch.org
  5. Search U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 at Ancestry.com.

Census Information

  1. The first census? Population count from 1780's discovered in an old ledger by Frederick Wertz published June 5, 2016 on FindMyPast.com.
  2. Over 670 rolls of microfilm of Indian Census of the United States - 1885-1940 from The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indianaare at the Internet Archive.
  3. Census Academy webinars at Census.gov.
  4. Census Instructions for each census since 1790 at the United States Census Bureau
  5. The Census: Tips for using in historic research posted November 9, 2019 on the Archives of Hoosier History Live podcast on Saturdays, noon to 1 p.m. ET on WICR 88.7 FM introduction starts with: As the nation readies itself for the 2020 U.S. Census, Hoosier History Live will take a close look at how records of the previous national headcounts - there have been 23 of them in all, beginning with the first in 1790 - can be used to unearth factual information and illuminate social history, as well as inform us about other aspects of our heritage. Our exploration will highlight various challenges faced by the once-a-decade tallying of the population - most of the 1890 Census records were destroyed in a massive fire, for example - as well as the widely disparate questions that have been asked by census takers."The first five enumerations listed the number of slaves in each household, and the 1930 enumeration listed whether or not there was a radio in the household," says our guest, Indianapolis-based history researcher Sharon Butsch Freeland. Sharon regularly uses census information to delve into the history of families and old houses, as well as to investigate historical figures such as the Indianapolis-born wife of Treasure Island author Robert Louis Stevenson.
  6. List of Occupations on Census.gov
  7. Indiana Census 1807 - 1940 on FamilySearch Wiki - adopted by Indiana Genealogical Society has links, organized by year, to various online census records
  8. 1807 Knox County Census of Indiana Territory on GenealogyTrails.com
  9. Allen County, Indiana Federal Census Index - on us-census.org, shows NARA microfilm roll numbers. 1830 and 1840 are transcribed, 1850 and 1900 assigned, the rest waits for volunteers for indexing. Robert E. Lane Coordinator.
  10. 137 years of Popular Science magazine is online - you can search their archive with over 225 pages mentioning census.
  11. Search guide: US Census by Frederick Wertz published June 5, 2016 on FindMyPast.com.
  12. US Census Information Year-by-Year for Genealogists by David A. Fryxell on FamilyTreeMagazine. Your forebears answered a surprising number of questions every 10 years. And buried in those census columns may be the key to an ancestral mystery. Copied from their Family Tree Magazine post October 7, 2022 on Facebook.
  13. USGenWeb Census Project - Indiana Links - Territory in 1800, State in 1816 - Michelle Pesola Coordinator.

Genealogy Introduction—Census Records at the National Archives Dec 12, 2011 by U.S. National Archives on YouTube
Know Your Records PROGRAM: Know Your Records Program - Introduction to Genealogy (5 of 5 videos) LECTURE TITLE: Census Records by Constance Potter LECTURE DESCRIPTION: Archivist Constance Potter discusses U.S. Federal Census records from 1790 to 1930 and how they can be used for genealogical research. Census records are available in digital or microfilm form. LECTURER'S BIOGRAPHY: Constance Potter, an archivist at the National Archives in Washington, DC, specializes in federal records of interest to genealogists. She worked on the release of the 1920 and 1930 censuses. She is the editor for "Genealogy Notes" in Prologue, the Journal of the National Archives and has written about the history of the National Archives for the Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly and various topics for Prologue. Potter is a regular speaker at the Federation of Genealogical Societies, the National Genealogical Society, the National Institute on Genealogical Research as well as local genealogical groups in Virginia and Maryland. Learn more about the Know Your Records program at http://www.archives.gov/calendar/know....

Lots of good census information for each decade on Overview of the U.S. Census on Ancestry.com This article originally appeared in "Census Records" by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Matthew Wright in The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy.

From 1890 to 1940 southern Indiana was the center of the United States population from the U.S. Census Bureau Center of Population and Territorial Expansion, 1790-2010on census.gov.

Allen County has shown a population increase every decade from 6,500 to 48,000 per decade from 1910 to 2010 from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Change by Decade, 1910-2010.

The U.S. Census Bureau shows changes in Top Languages Other than English Spoken in 1980 and Changes in Relative Rank, 1990-2010 and their U.S. and World Population Clock shows the most recent national population estimates.

Population Census of the United States at Internet Archive

  1. 1st Population Census of the United States - 1790
  2. 2nd Population Census of the United States - 1800
  3. 3rd Population Census of the United States - 1810
  4. 4th Population Census of the United States - 1820
  5. 5th Population Census of the United States - 1830
  6. 6th Population Census of the United States - 1840
  7. 7th Population Census of the United States - 1850
  8. 8th Population Census of the United States - 1860
  9. 9th Population Census of the United States - 1870
  10. 10th Population Census of the United States - 1880
  11. 12th Population Census of the United States - 1900
  12. 13th Population Census of the United States - 1910
  13. 14th Population Census of the United States - 1920
  14. 15th Population Census of the United States - 1930

Using Pre-1850 Census to Find Family Relationships (broadcast 2015 Apr. 1) from The National Archives

Non-Population Censuses

Agricultural schedule provides details about farms, number of animals and amount of crops produced. Manufacturing schedules provide details of how many people involved and what kind of machines and raw materials used. The National Archives has an intro page Nonpopulation Census Records  . The Census Bureau PDF explains what's on the agricultural schedules. Non-population schedules were not microfilmed by the National Archives, instead were kept on the state level, such as the Indiana State Archives in charge of the originals and microfilm copies given to the Indiana State Library in Indianapolis and the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne. A majority of these schedules are available on microfilm in the Genealogy Center. To locate these schedules, one can search their Microtext Catalog under the Census Records category https://www.genealogycenter.info/search_microtext.php. The Genealogy Center has most of Indiana’s schedules on microfilm, but they are not accessible online.

The Indiana State Archives has these nonpopulation censuses for Indiana:

  • Agriculture: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880
  • Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes: 1880
  • Industry/Manufacturing: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880
  • Social Statistics: 1850, 1860, 1870
Indiana Special Census on Microfilm 7 page list at the Indiana State Library.

Genealogy Gems: News from the Allen County Public Library at Fort Wayne, No. 226, December 31, 2022 at Friends of Allen County Public Library.

U.S. Census Non-Population Schedules
by Cynthia Theusch
***************************************
When doing genealogical research, one should look for ways to add more historical context for one’s ancestors. A useful and often overlooked resource is the 1850-1880 Non-Population Census Schedules, which provide detailed information about farms, factories, and other types of statistical information. These supplementary schedules include Agricultural; Manufacturing/Industrial; Social Statistics (1850-1870); Mortality; Slave (1850-1860); Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes (1880); and Business (1935).

The Genealogy Center has the Non-Population Census schedules for some states on microfilm. To access this list, go to our homepage www.genealogycenter.org, select the “Our Resources” tab and choose Free Databases, and then click on the Microtext Catalog. At this screen, click on Census Records. A box will pop-up with a display showing what schedules and years we have for specific states. Those of some, but not all, states can also be found on Ancestry by selecting “Census and Voter Lists” and then choosing the “U.S. Federal Census Collection.”

The Agricultural Schedules provide detailed information about specific farms with the number of acres of developed and undeveloped land. Other collected data include the number and type of livestock; types and amount of grain and potatoes; butchered meat; wool; milk; butter; eggs; and honey. To be included in these schedules, a farm had to be valued at $100 or more. If you are lucky enough to find an ancestor’s farm, it will provide you with a detailed statistical record of its operation.

The Manufacturing/Industrial Schedules contain the business name or the name of the proprietor, the type of business, the amount of capital investment, raw materials used (including fuel); type of power or machinery; the average number of employees; wages paid; and annual products (quantity, kinds, and value).

The Mortality Schedules cover deaths that happened during the year before the population census was taken (June 1 through May 31). They record the name of the deceased, sex, age, color, whether widowed, place of birth, month of death, profession, cause of death, number of days he/she was ill, parents’ birthplaces (added in 1870), and the place where disease was contracted and how long the deceased lived in the area (added in 1880). The 1870 and 1880 schedules also include the family dwelling number from the population schedule (this connection presents possible new family members that were unknown from the population schedule).

Because Indiana’s Agricultural and Manufacturing schedules are not available on Ancestry or FamilySearch, researchers may wish to use those on microfilm here in the Genealogy Center. In addition, the Center has three book indexes for Indiana’s mortality schedules. Two sets cover the 1850 schedule. The 1850 Indiana Mortality Schedule (9772.2 V88E, v1-v3) is a county-by-county transcript, while the other 1850 is an alphabetical index (977.2 J13im). There is also a 3-volume name index for 1850 to 1880 (977.2 In2683i).

The 1850-1870 Social Statistics contain three different schedules, but researchers have access only to one. This schedule covers data and information about county and city taxes, schools, libraries, newspapers and magazines, churches and hourly wages, with or without board.

In 1880, these schedules focus on Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes. The set contains seven schedules that cover Insane, Idiots, Deaf-Mutes, Blind, Homeless Children, Pauper and Indigent, and Prisoners. The first six tells whether the individual was living at home, living with someone else in a private home, or in a specialized home or institution.

As previously stated, Ancestry and FamilySearch have images of non-population schedules for a select number of states. Linda L. Green has compiled abstracts in book form of the Agricultural and Manufacturing schedules for additional states: Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. These volumes can be found in the Genealogy Center collection and at other research libraries. Blank forms of these schedules are available on the National Archives (NARA) website: https://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/charts-forms. NARA also provides a list of original extant schedules by state, 1820-1930, at https://www.archives.gov/research/census/nonpopulation.  For example, Indiana’s schedules include the original Agricultural, Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes (1880), Industry/Manufacturing, and the Social Statistics, all of which are located at the Indiana State Archives. The Mortality Schedules, 1850–1880, are kept at the Indiana State Library.

If you haven’t used these non-population schedules in your family research, they are worth the effort to find and review them. They offer a way of discovering new information beyond the population schedules that will help make your ancestors come alive.

Census of Agriculture

Allen County, Indiana has three names listed on page 181 of the original, page 558 of 572 pages in the pdf for the 1840 Census shown above in the document titled: Compendium of the Enumeration of the Inhabitants of the United States. 97 year old Michael Crance was in Wayne Township, 79 year old Charles Weeks, senior in Perry Township, and 76 year old William Berry in Cedar Creek Township. Their names are found in the section starting on page 379 of 572 pages titled: Pensioner for Revolutionary and Military Services as Returned Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census, in 1840.
The 1850 Census has lots of statistics, but does not appear to have individual names. Other census years will have to be searched to see if names or only statistics are listed.

The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Even small plots of land - whether rural or urban - growing fruit, vegetables or some food animals count if $1,000 or more of such products were raised and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the Census year. The Census of Agriculture, taken only once every five years, looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures. For America’s farmers and ranchers, the Census of Agriculture is their voice, their future, and their opportunity. Copied from Census of Agriculture at United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service.

The Historical Census of Ag Publications has a dropdown menu with pdf's back to 1840 on the Census of Agriculture page or a seperate page: USDA Census of Agriculture Historical Archive at Cornell University which is a collaborative project between Albert R. Mann Library at Cornell University and USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The site serves as the public archive of all historical agricultural census publications. The Census of Agriculture, taken every five years, is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. The Census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures, and many other areas. The first agriculture Census was taken in 1840 as part of the Sixth Decennial Census of Population. For 156 years (1840 – 1996) the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census was responsible for collecting data for the Census of Agriculture.

This information came from a November 7, 2022 post by Indiana State Data Centeron Facebook stating: From the Indiana Department of Agriculture: The Census of Agriculture is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Even small plots of land - whether rural or urban - growing fruit, vegetables or some food animals count if $1,000 or more of such products were raised and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the Census year. The Census of Agriculture, taken only once every five years, looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures. For America’s farmers and ranchers, the Census of Agriculture is their voice, their future and their opportunity.

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Census and Race

  1. Why We Ask Questions About... Race at the United States Census Bureau.
  2. See One-drop Rule on our African American page.
  3. From 1790 to 1950, census takers determined the race of the Americans they counted, sometimes taking into account how individuals were perceived in their community or using rules based on their share of “black blood.” Americans who were of multiracial ancestry were either counted in a single race or classified into categories that mainly consisted of gradations of black and white, such as mulattoes, who were tabulated with the non-white population. Beginning in 1960, Americans could choose their own race. Since 2000, they have had the option to identify with more than one.

    Copied from Chapter 1: Race and Multiracial Americans in the U.S. Census at the Pew Research Center.

  4. The varying ways in which the U.S. government has counted Americans over time offer a glimpse into the country’s past, from the days of slavery to recent waves of immigration. Racial categories, which have been included on every U.S. census since the first one in 1790, have changed from decade to decade, reflecting the politics and science of the times.

    It was not until 1960 that people could select their own race. Prior to that, an individual’s race was determined by census takers, known as enumerators. And it was not until 2000 that Americans could choose more than one race to describe themselves, allowing for an estimate of the nation’s multiracial population. In 2020, for the first time, the form asks respondents who choose white or black for their race to give more information about their origins – for example, German, Lebanese, African American or Somali.

    Copied from The changing categories the U.S. census has used to measure race at the Pew Research Center.

  5. Before 1960, census-takers filled out the enumeration forms and chose the category for each American they counted. They used a detailed set of instructions from the government, key points of which are listed below. The 1960 Census was a transitional year in which census-takers chose the race for some Americans, and others self-identified from a list of categories. From 1970 to 1990, most Americans filled out their own forms and checked off a race category for themselves. Starting in 2000, they could choose more than one.

    Race and the Census: The “Negro” Controversyat the Pew Research Center.

  6. A (short) history of the race question on the decennial census at The Center For Community Solutions.
  7. The Pocahontas Exception

    The Pocahontas Exception Existing laws had allowed any person with one sixteenth or less of American Indian blood and no other non-caucasian blood to identify as white. This was because many prominent white Virginian families had long espoused themselves to be descendants of Pocahontas and John Rolfe. This became known as the “Pocahontas Exception,” and allowed many white families to maintain their ancestral connection to Pocahontas without nullifying their white racial identity.

    Copied from The Racial Integrity Act, 1924: An Attack on Indigenous Identity at the National Park Service

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More Census Information

Democracy's Data: The Hidden Stories in the U.S. Census and How to Read Them posted September 8, 2022 by the US National Archives on YouTube
Streamed live 19 hours ago In Democracy’s Data, data historian Dan Bouk examines the U.S. Census to uncover the meaning behind the numbers. He introduces us to the men and women employed to go door to door as census takers and takes us into the halls of the Census Bureau, where hundreds of civil servants worked to divide and conquer the nation’s data. Democracy’s Data not only teaches us how to read between the lines but offers a new perspective on the relationship between representation, identity, and governance today. Joining the author in conversation will be author Maud Newton.

  1. 5 Hidden Clues in the US Census by Amy Johnson Crow posted April 6, 2018 on her blog. Read about: 1. 1940 Census: The X in the Circle, 2. 1910 Census: Civil War Service, 3. 1840 Census: Military Pensioners, 4. 1880 Census: Disabilities 5. 1850-1870 Census: Agriculture and Manufacturers.
  2. 1790 - 1930 Federal Census FREE online at Internet Archive scanned from our local Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. They don't have an index, but they are scrollable from beginning to end of the original microfilm so is much easier to survey neighbors and neighborhoods. Try using with the Steve Morse search tool below, FamilySearch or Ancestry.com census indexes.
  3. Indiana Census, 1790-1890 Ancestry.com1790 (Northwest Territory) Federal Census Index; 1807 State Census Index; 1810 Wayne County Census Index; 1812 Census Index; 1820 Federal Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedule.
  4. 1790-1940 blank Census forms - on Ancestry.com easily read what was requested on the original forms, print and fill in as needed free
  5. 1790 - 1940 Federal Census Searchusing the tool Searching the US Census by Name in One Step by Steve Morse searches by name, age, parents, geographic region, etc. - subscription is needed, but will show name is in the census. See his Unified Census ED Finder for 1880 to 1950 and One-Step Webpages for searching data on other websites.
  6. 1790-1890 Federal Population Censuses Catalog of NARA (National Archives Records Administration) Microfilm
  7. Census History - Measuring America: The Decennial Censuses From 1790 to 2000 at United States Census Bureau
  8. 2010 Federal Census numbers hover over results on a Google map
  9. 10 Census Questions That Lead to More Answers - Ancestry.com
  10. Charts and Forms for census and more from Rootsweb
  11. Enumeration District Maps for the Twelfth through the Sixteenth US Censuses, 1900-1940 at FamilySearch.org.
  12. French immigrants in Allen County, Indiana, 1850-1870 compiled from the population schedules for the 7th, 8th, and 9th, censuses of the U.S. for Allen County, Indiana (1850-1870) : names edited and indexed, call number: 977.201 AL5BA at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana
  13. How to Find Enumeration District Maps by Lisa Louise Cookes published April 2, 2014 on Genealogy Gems blog.
  14. History of Enumeration Procedures, 1790-1940 - Minnesota Population Center
  15. How to Use NARA's Census Microfilm Catalogs from the The National Archives.
  16. Indian Census of the United States - 1885-1940 on Internet Archive.
  17. Indiana Census Records at IN.gov lists years available and format available - including the first 1807 Territorial Census in book format
  18. Languages - 14 Maps That Show What Languages People Speak In The U.S. The Census Bureau maps show the areas of the United States where large concentrations of people speak a language at home other than English. August 6, 2013 on BuzzFeed.
  19. Maps for U.S. Federal Census Schedules on USGenWeb
  20. Names: How to Tell Someone’s Age When All You Know Is Her Name by Nate Silver and Allison McCann published May 29, 2014 on FiveEightThirty.com.
  21. Names: Top 10 Baby Names by year on Social Security.com.
  22. National Archives Census Resources and Links - information on every census since 1790 to the present
  23. Northwest Territory at USGenWeb says no Federal census in 1790.
  24. Special Census schedules are available on microfilm in the reading room at the Indiana State Archives Census Records The State Archives does not have copies of the regular Federal Census.
  25. Understanding Geographic Relationships: Counties, Places, Tracts and More by Katy Rossiter posted July 31, 2014 on the United States Census Bureau blog. Geography is the basis for taking a census and tabulating census data. 
  26. United States Census records at Internet Archive.
  27. United States Federal Census Pathfinder - 2012 pdf lists many census resources by Michael Hiat CG
  28. When the Census Taker Gets it Wrong from the FamilySearch blog published December 19, 2012.
  29. March 25, 2023 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook:

    #ICYMI: More than a quarter of the U.S. population in 2021 (26.4%) had lost both parents. Among those who had ever lost a parent, 50.7% had lost their mother and 69.2% their father by age 50, according to #CensusData.

    Learn more and examine the data with our new #DataVisualization on parent mortality. ▶️

    New 2021 Data Visualization Shows Parent Mortality: 44.2% Had Lost at Least One Parent

    #AmericaCounts #family #population #COVID19

  30. April 20, 2023 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook:

    New #blog: Learn about the technological advances that have made it possible to link #CensusData from 1850 to the present.

    Linking data sheds light on where and why people move, and generational changes in social class and family structure.

    https://www.census.gov/.../technology-largest-dataset-in...

  31. April 27, 2023 post by US National Archives on Facebook:

    Check out our YouTube channel as National Archives Chief Operating Officer William J. Bosanko invites you to join us for the 2023 Genealogy Series starting May 3. In this video, he speaks about our 18th annual Genealogy Series and how top experts from our research facilities will discuss how to use military and civilian records in your #genealogy research! Bosako also details the billions of records the National Archives holds that can assist in genealogy research. View this series online or watch it at a later date.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAGFCdM71wM

    #GenieSeries2023

  32. On March 31, 1951, we signed a contract to purchase the UNIVAC I from the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation. 📄 ...

    Posted by U.S. Census Bureau on Sunday, March 31, 2024

    Sunday, March 31, 2024 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook:

    On March 31, 1951, we signed a contract to purchase the UNIVAC I from the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation. 📄

    Following testing and a dedication ceremony, we used UNIVAC I to tabulate #data until 1963, including the 1950 Census and 1954 Economic Census. Today, it resides in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution.

    Learn more about the UNIVAC I: https://www.census.gov/.../innov.../technology/univac_i.html

    #CensusHistory #OTD #OnThisDay #OnThisDayInHistory

  33. How is the population shifting in cities or towns in your state? Check out our #DataVisualization to find out. Explore the percent change in population for the 15 largest cities or towns in each state with new #CensusData from our Vintage 2023 #PopulationEstimates. 🔍 https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/population-shifting-in-cities-or-towns-2023.html #PopEstimates #DataViz

    Posted by U.S. Census Bureau on Thursday, May 16, 2024

    Thursday, May 16, 2024 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook:

    How is the population shifting in cities or towns in your state? Check out our #DataVisualization to find out.

    Explore the percent change in population for the 15 largest cities or towns in each state with new #CensusData from our Vintage 2023 #PopulationEstimates.

    🔍 How Is Population Shifting in Your State?

    #DataViz

  34. Census History: Genealogy Age Search

    Census records are confidential for 72 years. However, #DYK you can still request your own records through our Age Search Service? Learn more: https://www.census.gov/.../census.../proof-of-age.html... #CensusHistory #CensusData

    Posted by U.S. Census Bureau on Friday, October 11, 2024

    Friday, October 11, 2024 post by the U.S. Census Bureau on Facebook:

    Census records are confidential for 72 years. However, #DYK you can still request your own records through our Age Search Service?

    Learn more: Your Personal Census Record

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Page updated: October 11, 2024