Use the 1890 U.S. Census Research Guide for detailed ancestry research.
This is an essential guide for researching the 1890 U.S. Census. The 1890 U.S. Census is a list of questions asked to the U.S. Federal Population in 1890. The census captures the moment in time for each person recorded in the 1890 U.S. Census.
Use this guide to learn about and discover the stories of the people who lived during and before the 1890s. With the 1890 U.S. census information, you can, for starters, build individual and family profiles, write narratives, build family trees and find related records to research.
Table of Contents for 1890 U.S. Census Guide
The Essential 1890 U.S. Census Research Guide contains the following sections:
- Additional 1790-1950 U.S. Federal Census Resources
- Details about the U.S. 1890 U.S. Census
- Search the 1890 U.S. Census Substitutes and Schedules
- How 1890 U.S. Census Can Lead to Military Records
- Use the 1890 U.S. Census to Calculate the Birth Year
- What is the 1890 U.S. Federal Census?
- What Can You Find in U.S. Census
- Questions Asked in the 1890 U.S. Census
- Author B. Schreiber’s Introduction to the U.S. Census
Note: All images in this guide reflect life from the 1890s.
Why use the Essential 1890 U.S. Census Research Guide for Beginners
This guide is based on 1,000s of hours of my first-hand experience in researching the U.S. Censuses for purposes related to writing individuals and family narratives, family history, and genealogy. Writers, family historians, and genealogists can, for example, use this comprehensive research guide to:
- Learn 100’s of census research tips and tricks
- Correctly connect related individuals and family
- Complete and extend ancestral family trees
- Recognize, decipher and use clues from census data
- Build and expand individual family profiles
- Learn about and find other historical records
- Conduct exhaustive background research for writing narratives
- Write compelling individual and family narratives
- Find local, regional, state and national record repositories
Why the Essential 1890 U.S. Census Research Guide for Beginners was written
I’m Author B. Schreiber, a professional writer and blogger. I first started researching the U.S. Censuses to gain background information for stories and narratives I was writing about individuals and families I was related to.
Researching the U.S. Censuses can be complex and overwhelming. I spend hundreds of hours learning about each census and how to solve my research problems. This 1890 U.S. Census Research Guide is a compilation of what I learned and continue to apply. I am sharing this information because I understand how frustrating U.S. Census research can be. Perhaps this knowledge can help you. See the section: Author B. Schreiber’s Introduction to the U.S. Census.
Additional 1790-1950 U.S. Federal Census Resources
Essential censuses research guides
Click on any of the following years, and you will be taken to that years’ essential census research guide:
Census and historical record research articles
Throughout this U.S. federal census guide, please find links to resources that I have specifically prepared to help you. In addition, I have written and assembled other resources to provide you with a more in-depth understanding of the census research process. I have tried to cover every possible question and angle you are likely to face in your U.S. census research. I would encourage you to use the resources often. The resources include:
- 35 Important U.S. Census Research Tips and Tricks
- Pre-1850 U.S. Census Research Tips for Historians
- Where to find 1850-1940 Censuses Research Clues
- Introduction to 1790-1940 U.S. Censuses Ancestry Research
- How to Use Naming Patterns in Ancestry Research
- 5 Step Ancestry Research Process for Historians
- How to Cite and Verify Ancestry Research
- How to Conduct Detailed Exhaustive Historical Research
- Introduction to Ancestry Research and Historical Records
- 15 Strategies to Find Ancestor Names in Historical Records
- Keep Ancestry Research Focused with These 28 Simple Tips
(Video) Introduction to 1890 U.S. Census Historical Research. The “Introduction to 1890 U.S. Census Historical Research” provides a quick overview of the 1890 U.S. Census and how you can make the most from the 1890 U.S. Census for individual and family historical and narrative research.
For additional videos, see the BeginMyStory YouTube Channel.
Where to find the 1890 U.S. Census online
The following are some standard resources I have consulted:
Details about the 1890 U.S. Census
The following are a few of the details that are important to understand about the 1890 U.S. Federal census:
Number of persons included in the 1890 U.S. Census: 69,979,755 people were enumerated in the United States.
1890 U.S. Census day: June 1, 1890
1890 U.S. Census duration: 1 month
1890 U.S. Census geography:
- States and territories enumerated: 42 states and six territories were included in the census.
- New states: The newest state included the in 1890 U.S. Census were North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Washington
- Territories included: Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Alaska, Oklahoma and Indiana
- The available states include: The 1890 U.S. Census was destroyed/damaged by fire in 1921. Less than 1% survived, covering 6,160 individuals.
Surviving population schedules:
- Alabama
o Perryville Beat No.11 (Perry County) and Severe Beat No.8 (Perry County)
- District of Columbia
o Q Street, 13th St., 14th St., R Street, Q Street, Corcoran St., 15th St., S Street, R Street, and Riggs Street, Johnson Avenue, and S Street
- Georgia
o Columbus (Muscogee County)
- Illinois
o Mound Township (McDonough County)
- Minnesota
o Rockford (Wright County)
- New Jersey
o Jersey City (Hudson County)
- New York
o Brookhaven Township (Suffolk County) and Eastchester (Westchester County)
- North Carolina
o South Point and River Bend Townships (Gaston County), Township No. 2 (Cleveland County)
- Ohio
o Cincinnati (Hamilton County) and Wayne Township (Clinton County)
- South Dakota
o Jefferson Township (Union County)
- Texas
o J.P. No. 6, Mountain Peak, Ovilla Precinct (Ellis County)
o Precinct No. 5 (Hood County)
o No. 6 and J.P. No. 7 (Rusk County)
o Trinity Town and Precinct No. 2 (Trinity County)
o Kaufman (Kaufman County)
Search the 1890 U.S. Census Substitutes and Schedules
Because the 1890 U.S. Census is mainly lost, it will be essential to look to other resources that can help you build a family profile for this period.
The 1890 U.S. Census included the population and several other schedules taken usually at the same time. There are online and in print resources that provide more detail on these schedules and how to use them in genealogy research. I always suggest that you check:
(Video) 1840 and 1890 U.S. Census Veteran Schedules Overview. An overview of what types of information you will find in the U.S. Census Veterans Schedules. Learn about the veterans’ schedules and view the 1890 schedule questions.
Veterans Schedule
In 1890, a special schedule was created for Union Civil War veterans, including many Confederate veterans. You will find the following type of information: name, rank, company, regiment or vessel, dates of enlistment and discharge, length of service, residence, disability, and remarks. Muchofthe1890censuswas destroyed by fire. Nearly all of the records for the states of Alabama through Kansas and the western half of Kentucky were lost. . Of those states that have been lost, few schedules exist, and they are:
- California – Alcatraz
- Connecticut – Fort Trumbull
- Connecticut – Hartford County Hospital
- Connecticut – U.S. Naval Station
- Delaware – Delaware State Hospital for the Insane
- District of Columbia – Lincoln Post #3
- Florida – Fort Barrancas
- Florida – St. Francis Barracks
- Idaho – Boise Barracks
- Idaho – Fort Sherman
- Illinois – Cook County
- Illinois – Henderson County
- Indiana – Warrick County
- Indiana – White County
- Kansas – Barton Count
The schedules for the remaining half of Kentucky and the states of Louisiana to Wyoming are available
Actual remaining schedules are from: The remaining half of Kentucky and the states of Louisiana to Wyoming are available. Actual states include Half of Kentucky, and Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Indian Territory, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, U.S. ships and navy yards, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
How 1890 U.S. Census Can Lead to Military Records
Even though there is no information in the 1890 U.S. Census identifying veterans of war, there are still men living who served in one or more military wars and conflicts. The records available for these men vary but can yield important clues and knowledge about the veteran and his family.
- Pension applications. Search for pension applications and records of pension payments for veterans, their widows, and other heirs. The pension applications usually provide the most information. They can include supporting documents such as marriage, birth, and death records/certificates, pages from family Bibles, family letters, dispositions of witnesses, affidavits, discharge papers and other supporting documents. Even if an individual did not receive a pension, see if his pension request was denied.
- Bounty lands. Bounty land applications also are related to wartime service. The federal government provided bounty land for those who served in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Indian wars between 1775 and 1855. Bounty lands were offered as an incentive to serve and as a reward for service. Veterans or their heirs claimed bounty land.
Search for these military records:
Early Indian Wars 1815-1858
Look for military records of men serving in the Early Indian Wars aged 55+ in the 1890 U.S. Census. These men would have been born before 1835.
Mexican War 1846-1848
Look for military records of men serving in the Mexican Wars who are ages of 57+ in the 1880 census. These men would have been born before 1832.
Civil War 1861-1865
Civil War 1861-1865. Look for military records of men who would be serving in the U.S. Civil War between the ages of 40 and 90 in the 1890 U.S. Census. These men would have been born in 1850 and earlier. Keep in mind that many young men lied about their age and served with their father, brother (s), or other family members if an individual living in the Union or Confederate states that they served in their army. Suppose someone living in the Union or Confederate states that they served in their army. Many men who were in the Union served in the Confederacy. And many men from the South served in the Union Army. Make sure that you search for all male family members (i.e., father, sons, brothers, uncles, and nephews.) The Civil War enlistment card will give you clues of an individuals’ location and place of residence. See the article: How to Find Civil War Soldier Records for Writing Narratives
Researching military headstones
Military headstones have evolved through time. See the following articles for details: Meaning of Each Religious Emblem of Belief for U.S. Military Headstones
(Video) Introduction to U.S. Military Headstones. An introduction to U.S. military headstones provides an understanding of the design, history, symbolism, and individual and family research.
Use the 1890 U.S. Census to Calculate the Birth Year
In the 1890 US Population Census, learn the age of each member of the household. The following 1890 U.S. Census Birth Year Reference Chart will provide the approximate corresponding birth year for the age provided. For more information, see the following article: How to Use the Census to Calculate the Birth Year
| 1890 U.S. Census Birth Year Reference Chart | |||||
| Age | Birth Year | Age | Birth Year | Age | Birth Year |
| May 0/12 | 1890 | 28 | 1862 | 67 | 1823 |
| Apr 1/12 | 1890 | 29 | 1861 | 68 | 1822 |
| Mar 2/12 | 1890 | 30 | 1860 | 69 | 1821 |
| Feb 3/12 | 1890 | 31 | 1859 | 70 | 1820 |
| Jan 4/12 | 1890 | 32 | 1858 | 71 | 1819 |
| Dec 5/12 | 1889 | 33 | 1857 | 72 | 1818 |
| Nov 6/12 | 1889 | 34 | 1856 | 73 | 1817 |
| Oct 7/12 | 1889 | 35 | 1855 | 74 | 1816 |
| Sep 8/12 | 1889 | 36 | 1854 | 75 | 1815 |
| Aug 9/12 | 1889 | 37 | 1853 | 76 | 1814 |
| Jul 10/12 | 1889 | 38 | 1852 | 77 | 1813 |
| Jun 11/12 | 1889 | 39 | 1851 | 78 | 1812 |
| 1 | 1889 | 40 | 1850 | 79 | 1811 |
| 2 | 1888 | 41 | 1849 | 80 | 1810 |
| 3 | 1887 | 42 | 1848 | 81 | 1809 |
| 4 | 1886 | 43 | 1847 | 82 | 1808 |
| 5 | 1885 | 44 | 1846 | 83 | 1807 |
| 6 | 1884 | 45 | 1845 | 84 | 1806 |
| 7 | 1883 | 46 | 1844 | 85 | 1805 |
| 8 | 1882 | 47 | 1843 | 86 | 1804 |
| 9 | 1881 | 48 | 1842 | 87 | 1803 |
| 10 | 1880 | 49 | 1841 | 88 | 1802 |
| 11 | 1879 | 50 | 1840 | 89 | 1801 |
| 12 | 1878 | 51 | 1839 | 90 | 1800 |
| 13 | 1877 | 52 | 1838 | 91 | 1799 |
| 14 | 1876 | 53 | 1837 | 92 | 1798 |
| 15 | 1875 | 54 | 1836 | 93 | 1797 |
| 16 | 1874 | 55 | 1835 | 94 | 1796 |
| 17 | 1873 | 56 | 1834 | 95 | 1795 |
| 18 | 1872 | 57 | 1833 | 96 | 1794 |
| 19 | 1871 | 58 | 1832 | 97 | 1793 |
| 20 | 1870 | 59 | 1831 | 98 | 1792 |
| 21 | 1869 | 60 | 1830 | 99 | 1791 |
| 22 | 1868 | 61 | 1829 | 100 | 1790 |
| 23 | 1867 | 62 | 1828 | 101 | 1789 |
| 24 | 1866 | 63 | 1827 | 102 | 1788 |
| 25 | 1865 | 64 | 1826 | 103 | 1787 |
| 26 | 1864 | 65 | 1825 | 104 | 1786 |
| 27 | 1863 | 66 | 1824 | 105 | 1785 |
Census taker instructions for age on 1890 U.S. Census
The following are the exact instructions given to the census taker (enumerator):
6. Age at nearest birthday. If under one year, give an age in months.-Write the age in figures at nearest birthday in whole years, omitting months and days, for each person of one year of age or over. For children who, on June 1, 1890, were less than one year of age, give the age in months, or twelfths of a year, thus: 3/12, 7/12, 10/12. For a child less than one-month-old, state the age as follows: 0/12. The exact years of age for all persons, one year old or over, should be given whenever it can be obtained. In any event, do not accept the answer “Don’t know,” but ascertain as nearly as possible the approximate age of each person. The general tendency of persons in giving their ages is to use the round numbers, as 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, etc. It the age is given as “about 25,” determine, if possible, whether the age should be entered as 24, 25, or 26. Particular attention should be paid to this, otherwise it will be found when the results are aggregated in this office that a much more than normal number of persons have been reported as 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, etc., years of age, and a much less than normal at 19, 21, 24, 26, 29, 31, etc.
What is the 1890 U.S. Federal Census?
A census is a government-sponsored enumeration of the population in a particular area. It contains a variety of information — names, heads of household (or all household members), ages, citizenship status, ethnic background, and so on. Here are some different types of census records you are likely to come across in your research.
U.S. federal census is also called a population schedule. Federal census records provide the building blocks of your research, allowing you to confirm the information and learn more. Compiled in the United States for every decade since 1790, census population schedules are comprehensive, detailed records of the federal government’s decennial survey of American households. The federal government uses information from the schedules for demographic analysis.
The schedules themselves, of interest primarily to genealogists, contain the personal information of the survey respondents. To protect the people’s privacy whose names appear in each schedule, census records are restricted for 72 years after the census is taken and are not available to researchers during that time.
What Can You Find in U.S. Census
Use the 1890 U.S. Census Guide to learn about and discover the stories of the people who lived during and before the 1890s. With the 1890 U.S. census information, you can, for starters, build individual and family profiles, write narratives, build family trees and find related records to research. For example, you can use the census to:
- Identify head of household
- Identify members of the household by name
- Identify relationships—surnames of married daughter, mother-in-law, cousins, other relatives
- Indicate that wife may not be the mother of kids
- Identify ages of individuals by name
- Begin to establish family relationships (e.g., spouse, children, siblings, parents)
- Identify people of color: White (W), Indian (I), American Indian, Black (B), Chinese (C), Japanese (J.P.)
- Begin to identify possible remarriages and step relationships
- Identify birthplace of parents-immigrant information
- Supplement birth/marriage info. Due to relationship info.
- Locate and identify birthplaces
- Identify month of birth
- Identify year of marriage
- Determine year of immigration
- Identify occupations
- Locate and identify real estate
- Find information in various schedules that include: Population, agriculture, industry and mortality
- Locate and identify a family who are neighbors
- Identify spelling variations
- Locate and identify a family in other census substitute records (e.g., probate inventories, tax lists)
- Locate and identify children not yet known
- Locate and identify possible parents
- Locate and identify possible children not listed in later censuses
- Differentiate between families of the same name
- Locate and identify possible neighbors who might be family
- Give clues to genetic symptoms or diseases
Questions Asked in the 1890 U.S. Census
The following are the questions found on the 1890 U.S. federal census:
LOCATION
Col. A: Number of Dwelling-house in the order of visitation
HOUSEHOLD DATA
Col. B: Number of families in this dwelling-house
Col. C: Number of persons in this dwelling-house
Col. D: Number of Family in the order of visitation
Col. E. No. of Persons in this family
NAME
Col. 1: Christian name, in full, and initial of middle name
Col. 1: Surname
MILITARY
Col. 2: Whether a soldier, sailor, or marine during the civil war (U.S. or Conf.) or widow of such person.
RELATION
Col. 3: Relationship to head of family
PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
Col. 4: Whether white, black, mulatto, quadroon, octoroon, Chinese, Japanese, or Indian
Col. 5: Sex
Col. 6: Age at nearest birthday. If under one year, give age in months.
ADDITIONAL PERSONAL DESCRIPTION
Col. 7: Whether single, married, widowed, or divorced.
Col. 8: Whether married during the census year (June 1, 1889 to May 31, 1890.)
NUMBER OF CHILDREN
Col. 9: Mother of how many children, and number of these children living.
PLACE OF BIRTH
Col. 10: Place of birth
Col. 11: Place of birth of Father
Col. 12: Place of birth of Mother
IMMIGRATION & NATURALIZATION
Col. 13: Number of years in the United States.
Col. 14: Whether naturalized.
Col. 15: Whether naturalization papers have been taken out.
OCCUPATION
Col. 16: Profession, trade, or occupation
Col. 17: Months unemployed during the census year (June 1, 1889, to May 31, 1890).
EDUCATION
Col. 18: Attendance at school (in months) during the census year (June 1, 1889 to May 31, 1890).
Col. 19: Able to Read
Col. 20: Able to Write
Col. 21: Able to speak English. If not, the language or dialect spoken.
HEALTH
Col. 22: Whether suffering from acute or chronic disease, with name of disease and length of time afflicted.
Col. 23: Whether defective in mind, sight, hearing, or speech, or whether crippled, maimed, or deformed with name or defect.
Col. 24: Whether a prisoner, convict, homeless child or pauper
MISC.
Col. 25: Supplemental schedule and page
REAL PROPERTY
Col. 26: Is the house you live in hired, or is it owned by the head or member of the family?
Col. 27: If owned by head or member of family, is the house free from mortgage incumbrance?
Col. 28: If the head of the family is a member, is the farm which he cultivates hired, or is it owned by him or by a member of the family?
Col. 29: If owned by head or member of family, is the farm free from mortgage incumbrance?
Col. 30 If the home or farm is owned by head or member of family, and mortgaged, give the post-office address of owner.
To Enumerators—The inquiries numbered 26-30, inclusive, must be made concerning each family and each farm visited.
Return to Table of Contents for 1890 U.S. Census Guide
Author B. Schreiber’s Introduction to the U.S. Census
I first used the U.S. census to help find and discover the past of my step-father, John. I was interested in writing a personal narrative about his life. I wanted to answer questions like.
- Where was he born?
- Who was his family?
- What was his family story?
- What was it like during different periods of his life?
- Are there any family records (e.g., birth, marriage, school, death, etc.) that exist?
- Are there any photos, journals, letters, memorabilia about the individual or family?
- Are there living families or descendants that I can interview or help tell the story?
I did not have much information. I knew where he was buried. He was born in either the 1920s/1930s. He was born in one of four states, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania. John had been married to my mother for about 5 years. After their divorce, my mother lost track of him until she received a call from the police department one day asking if she knew John. John’s body had been left in a hospital’s emergency room parking lot without any personal identification. His body was taken to a local morgue, where he remained for four months until my mother identified him. My mother then took steps to have John’s remains buried in a nearby cemetery with a military headstone.
I shared the story with a friend of mine who was a genealogist/family historian. She asked me if I had ever thought of looking in the U.S. Census. I responded with the answer of no and questioned her about how the c
She invited me to join her at a local library, where over the next couple of hours, she began to show me the census of the 1940s, 1930s, and 1920s. Within a couple of hours, she helped me find John and his related family in and around Jersey City, New Jersey. From those humble beginnings, I used the census as a steppingstone to finding records, locating living members of John’s family, and so much more.
In short, John was born in the late 1920s in Jersey City. Growing up, he became a bookie for the mob when he was in his early 20s. When he was caught stealing from the mob, the mob put out a contract on his life.
Desperately needing help, John went to his brother, a captain for the local police department, for safety. His brother was able to work directly with the mob to negotiate for Johns’s life. John was required to pay the money back with interest and leave town, never to return. He was a soldier in WWII and was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. When he met my mom, he was a dispatcher for a taxicab company.
From that first experience, I spent 1000s hours learning how to use the U.S. 1940-1790 Censuses as a primary resource for my narrative and background research about individuals, families, and character development.
