United States Census: State and Territorial Census records

Many states in the USA conduct their own censuses, during years that would not conflict with the US Federal Census. Most states enumerate their residents on years ending with 5, some have censuses on years ending with 2, and some states never conducted their own census.

The first state censuses started in 1825 and by 1925 most states realized the financial burden of conducting a separate census. State census records can usually be found at state archives, state historical societies, state libraries, and online at the major genealogy websites as well as other specialized sites.

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List of State Censuses conducted in each US State

The United States Census bureau maintains a complete list of states that conducted their own census and the years in which the census took place:

Alabama - 1818, 1820, 1821, 1823, 1850, 1855, 1866, 1907.
Alaska - 1870, 1878, 1879, 1881, 1885, 1887, 1890-95, 1904-07, 1914, 1917.
Arizona - 1866, 1867, 1869, 1872, 1874, 1876, 1880, 1882.
Arkansas - 1823, 1829, 1865, 1911.
California - 1788, 1790, 1796, 1797-98, 1816, 1836, 1844, 1852.
Colorado - 1861, 1866, 1885.
Connecticut - No state census records are known to exist.
Delaware - 1782.
District of Columbia - 1803, 1867, 1878
Florida - 1825, 1855, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1935, 1945.
Georgia - 1798, 1800, 1810, 1827, 1834, 1838, 1845, 1852, 1853, 1859, 1865, 1879.
Hawaii - 1878, 1890, 1896.
Idaho - No state census records are known to exist.
Illinois - 1810, 1818, 1820, 1825, 1830, 1835, 1840, 1845, 1855, 1865.
Indiana - 1807, 1853, 1857, 1871, 1877, 1883, 1889, 1901, 1913, 1919, 1931.
Iowa - 1836, 1838, 1844, 1846, 1847, 1849, 1851, 1852, 1854, 1856, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1925.
Kansas - 1855, 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1925.
Kentucky - No state census records are known to exist.
Louisiana - 1853, 1858.
Maine - 1837.
Maryland - 1776, 1778.
Massachusetts - 1855, 1865.
Michigan - 1837, 1845, 1854, 1864, 1874, 1884, 1888, 1894, 1904.
Minnesota - 1849, 1853, 1855, 1857, 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905.
Mississippi - 1801, 1805, 1808, 1810, 1816, 1818, 1820, 1822, 1823, 1824, 1825, 1830, 1833, 1837, 1840, 1841, 1845, 1850, 1853, 1860, 1866.
Missouri - 1797, 1803, 1817, 1819, 1840, 1844, 1852, 1856, 1860, 1864, 1876, 1880.
Montana - No state census records are known to exist.
Nebraska - 1854, 1855, 1856, 1865, 1869, 1885.
Nevada - 1862, 1863, 1875
New Hampshire - No state census records are known to exist.
New Jersey - 1855, 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915.
New Mexico - 1790, 1823, 1845, 1885.
New York - 1790, 1825, 1835, 1845, 1855, 1865, 1875, 1892, 1905, 1915, 1925.
North Carolina - 1786.
North Dakota - 1885, 1915, 1925.
Ohio - No state census records are known to exist.
Oklahoma - 1890, 1907.
Oregon - 1842, 1843, 1845, 1849, 1850, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1865, 1870, 1875, 1885, 1895 1905.
Pennsylvania - No state census records are known to exist.
Rhode Island - 1774, 1777, 1782, 1865, 1875, 1885, 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935.
South Carolina - 1825, 1839, 1869, 1875.
South Dakota - 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1945.
Tennessee - 1891.
Texas - 1829-1836.
Utah - 1856.
Vermont - No state census records are known to exist.
Virginia - 1782, 1783, 1784, 1785, 1786.
Washington - 1856, 1857, 1858, 1860, 1871, 1874, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1883, 1885, 1887, 1889, 1891, 1892, 1898.
West Virginia - No state census records are known to exist.
Wisconsin - 1836, 1838, 1842, 1846, 1847, 1855, 1865, 1875, 1885, 1895, 1905.
Wyoming - 1875, 1878.

For most state censuses you will encounter more detailed information (such as birthplace including city and count) than found on the United States federal census.

The 1885 Federally-Mandated State Census

In addition, the Congressional act regulating the 1880 Census also specified a “semi-decennial” census of states and territories in 1885. The enumeration period was "during the two months beginning on the first Monday in June of the year." Not all states and territories complied (despite having the federal government partially compensate the states and territories for enumeration expenses). Those that did comply and for which records exist are the states of Florida, Nebraska, Colorado, and the territories of New Mexico and Dakota. Besides a population schedule, other schedules include agricultural, manufacturing, and mortality schedules.

Territorial Census

In the United States, territories were required to meet certain requirements in order to become a state. A territorial census was conducted during the process of petitioning for statehood, but also for purposes of taxation as well as apportioning seats of the territorial legislatures. Again, just like state censuses, territorial censuses were not conducting “on the zeros” meaning the same year as the US Decennial Census.

While the records for territorial censuses exist, many of them are incomplete and are not indexed for easy searching. Most territorial census records are grouped with state census records except for the current United States territories of American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands.