Archiver > NYWESTCH > 2005-10 > 1128661408

From: Cliff Lamere <>
Subject: Federal and State Censuses
Date: Fri, 07 Oct 2005 01:03:28 -0400
References: <1f6.13a584d3.3076edeb@aol.com>
In-Reply-To: <1f6.13a584d3.3076edeb@aol.com>

Federal censuses for Westchester Co. were conducted 1790-2000, every ten
years, but are currently available only from 1790 to 1880 and 1900 to
1930. The 1890 census burned up for the whole country. The military
schedule portion survived because it was stored elsewhere. Prior to the
fire, scattered cities or Towns (perhaps some complete counties) around
the country had copies made so that they could have the information
locally. In those small number of cases, the census information may
still exist.

The state censuses were conducted 1825 1835 1845 1855 1865 1875 1892
1905 1915 1925. Of those, only 1905, 1915, and 1925 still exist for
Westchester Co. Some counties still have all of their censuses back to
1825. Some counties were created after 1825. For those, you would have
to know the name of the county at the time of a particular census in
order to find the people you seek (the same is true for deeds, wills,
etc.). Very little of the state censuses has been indexed, published in
book form, or put online.

Original manuscripts of the 1915 and 1925 census are maintained by the
NY State Archives. Statewide, the 1825-1905 censuses, if they have been
preserved for a particular county, are usually held by the county
clerk's offices. In some counties, they may have been deposited in the
county Archives.

The following webpage shows which state censuses still exist for each


One list member said "Census available 1790-80." I cannot interpret
that. The 80 can't mean 1780, 1880 or 1980.

Cliff Lamere

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