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Florida Census Records
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Statewide Records that exist for Florida 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. The Southern Genealogist's Exchange Society has published statewide indexes to the 1830 and 1840 territorial censuses and the 1850 federal census of the new state of Florida.
There are Industry and Agriculture Schedules(lists do not exist for all counties for each year) availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedulesfor the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Union Veterans Schedules were conducted in 1890. Census of surviving Union veterans of the Civil War or their widows, listing service information, any service-connected disability, and current address.
Spanish: The Spanish took a number of censuses during their periods of colonial control (1565-1763 and 1784-1821). Most have been published, though some may be hard to find. "The 1783 Spanish Census of Florida" was published in four consecutive issues of the Georgia Genealogical Magazine, beginning with no.39 (Winter 1971). The Spanish Census of Pensacola, 1784-1820: A Genealogical Guide to Spanish Pensacola" by William S. Coker and G. Douglas Inglis, reproduces ten valuable censuses and population lists, one or another taken roughly every four years. Most of these documents are in Spanish, but on occasion they can richly repay careful research. For further understanding of the Spanish period generally, see chapters 2-6 of Paul S. George's A Guide to the History of Florida (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1989).
State Schedules: The state of Florida conducted its own censuses in 1845, 1855, and every ten years from 1875 through 1945. Unfortunately, very few enumeration schedules have survived.
In the holdings of the Florida State Archives are some fragmentary census returns of families with school-aged children. One for Franklin County dates from 1855, and another for Franklin from 1866 has been published; see "Franklin County Children Ages 5-18 in 1866," The Florida Armchair Researcher 1 (Spring 1984): 7-8. The archives has census returns for 1867 from Hernando, Madison, Orange, and Santa Rosa counties. The 1875 Alachua County census also survives at the state archives.
Fortunately, Florida accepted partial funding from the federal government for a census taken as of 1 June 1885. There were schedules for population, agriculture, manufactures, and mortality. They are arranged alphabetically by name of county and thereunder numerically by type of schedule. Arrangement within the schedules is by enumeration district, precinct, or city. Thirty-five of the thirty-nine counties of the state in 1885 are included on the thirteen rolls of National Archives Microfilm Publication M845 (the schedules for Alachua, Clay, Columbia, and Nassau appear to have been lost). The Putnam County Genealogical Society Quarterly Journal has published fully indexed transcriptions of the 1885 Putnam County population schedules, and several similar projects are reported to be in progress, so a query to local genealogical or historical societies might yield good things.
The Florida State Archives has the original schedules of the state censuses of 1935 and 1945, accessible alphabetically by county and thereunder by numbered election precincts. The schedules give name, address (and whether inside or outside city limits), age, sex, race, relation to family, place of birth, degree of education, and occupation. There is no index to these records. A personal visit is required.
- Census Records at Archives.com
- Florida Census Books at Amazon.com
- Florida Census, 1820-90: This collection contains the following indexes: 1820 Census Index (Pensacola and Escambia River Areas); 1825 Leon County Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1850 Slave Schedule; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1860 Slave Schedule; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedule; 1890 Naval Veterans Schedule; Early Census Index, Vol. 1-2.
- Florida State Census, 1885: This database is an index with corresponding images of the 1885 Florida State Census
- Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
- Census Online - Florida Census Records
- Census 2000 Data for the State of Florida
