U.S. Atlantic and Great Lakes States - Census Index (1880)

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Record Details

Place: Atlantic and Great Lakes States

Date: 1880

Type: Census Records

Count: 9.5 million names

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About the Data

This data set is an index to individuals enumerated in the 1880 United States Federal Census, the Tenth Census of the United States. This data set covers some of the Atlantic and Great Lakes states, including Delaware, District of Columbia, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Enumerators of the 1880 census were instructed to record the names of every person in the household. Added to this, enumerators were presented with printed instructions, which account for the greater degree of accuracy compared with earlier censuses. Enumerators were asked to include the following categories in the census: name; age as of the census day; sex; color/race; month of birth if born within the year; relationship to the head of household; birthplace; parents' birthplaces; marital status; whether married within the previous year; occupation and months employed; whether deaf, blind, idiotic, insane, or disabled; whether sick or temporarily disabled on enumeration day and the reason therefore; whether unable to read if age ten or older; and whether the person attended school within the previous year. The categories allowed Congress to determine persons residing in the United States for collection of taxes and the appropriation of seats in the House of Representatives.

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do the U.S. federal censuses. The population schedules are successive "snapshots" of Americans that depict where and how they were living at particular periods in the past. Because of this, the census is often the best starting point for genealogical research after home sources have been exhausted.

Information contained in this index includes: name of each individual in the household; age in 1880; estimated birth year; birthplace; occupation; relation to head of household; place of residence in 1880; marital status; race; gender; name of the head of household; father's birthplace; mother's birthplace; and source information.

Field Example

Generally, you'll find the following information about an individual included in this data set:

Name — In some records you will find question marks in the place of the given name or surname. This indicates that the name was not listed on the original record. You may also find question marks in place of missing letters.

A question mark after a name indicates that the name spelling was unclear. You may also occasionally find the same record listed in the index under two different name spellings. Please note that not all unusual and uncertain names were noted by question marks, so always be sure to check under various spellings if you are having trouble locating a name.

Age in 1880 — The age of the individual as listed on the census.

Estimated Birth Year — Birth year estimated by subtracting the age given on the census from 1880.

Birthplace — Place of birth as listed on the census.

Occupation — The individual's occupation.

Relation to Head of Household — The individual's relation to the head of household. This could be wife, daughter, son, mother, father, brother, sister, etc.

Home in 1880 — Place of enumeration.

Marital Status — Indicates whether single, married, widowed, or divorced.

Race — Indicates whether white, black, mulatto, Indian, or Chinese.

Gender — Male or Female

Name of Head of Household — The name of the head of household the individual was enumerated with.

Father's Birthplace — Where the individual's father was born.

Mother's Birthplace — Where the individuals' mother was born.

Source Information — Gives year, census place (including town name, county, and state), National Archives microfilm number, Family History Library microfilm number, page number, Enumeration District, and image number.

More About this Data Set

The United States was the first country to call for a regularly held census. The Constitution required that a census of all "Persons...excluding Indians not taxed" be performed to determine the collection of taxes and the appropriation of seats in the House of Representatives. The first nine censuses from 1790 to 1870 were organized under the United States Federal Court system. Each district was assigned a U.S. marshal who hired other marshals to administer the census. Governors were responsible for enumeration in territories.

The official enumeration day of the 1880 census was 1 June 1880. By 1880, there were a total of eight territories and thirty-eight states in the Union, with Colorado being the latest state addition.

Taken from Szucs, Loretto Dennis, "Research in Census Records" In The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy, ed. Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1997).

William Dollarhide, The Census Book: A Genealogist's Guide to Federal Census Facts, Schedules and Indexes, Heritage Quest: Bountiful, Utah, 2000.

Source Information
1880 U.S. Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ©Copyright 1999 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. All use is subject to the limited use license and other terms and conditions applicable to this site. Original data: United States. 1880 United States Federal Census. T9, 1454 rolls. National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.