Census and additional resources
Census Holdings
Locating your ancestors in every available census during their lifetime is an excellent way to begin your genealogical research. You should start with the most recent census and work backwards in time. The U.S. federal census has been taken every ten years since 1790. The Federal censuses are released to the public 72 years after they are taken. This wait is to ensure the privacy of the individuals listed on the census. The 1930 census is the latest to be released.
Clayton Library has the following census records on microfilm:
- Population Schedules, 1790-1930 - All US states and territories
- Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 - Most US states and territories
- Slave Schedules, 1850-1860 - Most southern US states
- Agricultural, Social, Manufacturing Schedules, 1850-1880 - Selected states and years
- State census schedules - Selected states and years
Indexes
Indexes are used to locate a person or family in census records. Clayton Library has the phonetic Soundex/Miracode microfilm index to the census for all available states and territories for 1880 through 1920 and some states for 1930. Indexes in book form and CD-ROM are available for some census years also. A list of these book and CD-ROM indexes available at Clayton Library can be found by clicking here. Online indexes are available for all years using the library's subscription databases.
Census substitutes and Additional Resources
Clayton Library actively collects additional resources to assist researchers working in periods where census records are not available or are not fully indexed. These resources include:
Enumeration District Descriptions - all available US states and census years
Guide to City Streets and Enumeration Districts for 1910 and 1930 - large cities throughout the US
City Directories, 1850-1930 - large and mid-sized cities throughout the US
Special Census of Union Veterans and Widows, 1890 - all available US states
WWI Selective Service Draft Registration Cards - Texas and Louisiana
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Clayton Holdings