Arizona Census Records

See Also Researching in Census Records - What is the name, age, sex, color, occupation, and birthplace of each person residing in this house? Which of these individuals attended school or was married within the year? Who among them is deaf and dumb, blind, insane, “idiotic,” a pauper, or a convict? Is there anyone in the household over twenty years of age who cannot read and write? What is the name of the slave owner? How many slaves belong to the owner? What is the tribe of this Indian? What were the places of birth of the person’s parents? In what year did this person immigrate to the United States and, if naturalized, what was the year of naturalization? For answers to these and other questions, researchers look to census records......

Statewide Records that exist for Arizona are 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. The federal 1860 census contains only that portion of the state below the Gila River that was enumerated as part of the New Mexico Territory, with the exception of a few people who resided in Pah-Ute County who were enumerated as part of Washington County, Utah.

Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in Arizona are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1870 and 1880. Union Veterans Schedules were conducted in 1890.

Territorial and State - Both the 1864 and 1866 territorial censuses are available as well. Original and duplicates of the 1864 territorial census, in addition to being on microfilm, are housed in the Arizona State Archives which also holds “great registers” of voters, a substitute for state census records. The following counties are represented: Apache, 1884–1910; Cochise, 1882–1910; Coconino, 1894–1910; Gila, 1882–1910; Maricopa, 1876–1970; Mohave, 1882–1911; Navajo, 1895–1932; Pima 1876–81; Pinal, 1894–1911; and Yavapai, 1882–1906.

• Arizona Census Books at Amazon.com
• Arizona Census, 1831-80: This collection contains the following indexes: 1831 Territorial Census (St. Cruz Co. only); 1862 Territorial Census Index; 1864 Territorial Census Index; 1866 Territorial Census Index; 1867 Territorial Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1880 Federal Census Index.
• Arizona and New Mexico Territories Census, Late 1800s: Printed as a Senate document, this database contains over 12,000 records, which are excerpts from the decennial census of 1860 for Arizona County in the Territory of New Mexico, excerpts from the decennial federal census of 1870 for the Territory of Arizona, and excerpts from the Special Territorial Census of 1864 taken in Arizona. Each record lists the name, age, sex and marital status of the individual, as well as their length of residence, occupation, place of birth, and the value of their property.
• Arizona Territory Census, 1864: On December 29, 1863, John N. Goodwin, first governor of the Territory of Arizona, issued a proclamation to organize the government of the Territory. The first step taken was to conduct a census of the Territory's inhabitants. Census returns are listed by town and entries include, where provided, the following information: name, age, sex, marital status, place of birth, length of residence, whether native of foreign born, naturalization date, location where family resides, and occupation. The total census of the territory atthis time was 4,187 inhabitants.
• Navajo County, Arizona Census, 1910: Located in northeastern Arizona, Navajo County was a vast, sparsely settled area at the time of the 1910 federal census. This database is an index to the federal census of the county in that year and was taken from microfilm copies of the original records. It covers all areas of the county except the Navajo Reservation and parts of the Hopi Reservation. It contains information concerning the resident's first and last names, relationship to the head of household, approximate age, birthplace, and occupation. The enumeration districts and page numbers are provided to enable the researcher to obtain more detailed information, as the index is meant as a tool in finding people on the actual census microfilm. It provides information on over 5000 individuals, residing in the towns or places of Aztec, Bidahochi, Carrizo, Holbrook, Lakeside, Pinetop, Showlow, Shumway, Silver Creek, Snowflake, Taylor, Winslow, Woodruff, Precinct #2 and various ranches. A search of this database can provide an eye-opening view of this high desert county during the early 1900's.
• 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.

Since 1790, the U.S. government has taken a nationwide population count every ten years. Unique in scope and often surprisingly detailed, the census population schedules created from 1790 to 1920 are among the most used of records created by the federal government. Over the course of two centuries the United States has changed significantly, and so has the census. From the six basic questions asked in the 1790 census, the scope and categories of information have changed and expanded dramatically.

Early censuses were essentially basic counts of inhabitants; but as the nation grew, so did the need for statistics that would reflect the characteristics of the people. In 1850, the focus of the census was radically broadened. Going far beyond the vague questions previously asked of heads of households, the 1850 census enumerators were instructed to ask the age, sex, color, occupation, birthplace, and other questions regarding every individual in every household. Succeeding enumerations solicited more information; by 1920, census enumerators asked twenty-nine questions of every head of household and almost as many questions of everyone else in the residence. (Only a very small segment of the 1890 census remains; a fire in the Commerce Department destroyed the vast majority of the original records for that year. Because of privacy considerations, census records less than seventy-two years old are not available to the general public; thus, the 1930 census is the most recent available to the public.)

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. Once home sources and library sources have been exhausted, the census is often the best starting point for further genealogical research. Statewide indexes (see “Indexes,” below) are available for almost every census; they are logical tools for locating individuals whose precise place of residence is unknown. While some inaccuracies are to be expected in census records, they still provide some of the most fascinating and useful pieces of personal history to be found in any source. If nothing else, census records are important sources for placing individuals in specific places at specific times. Additionally, information found in the census will often point to other sources critical to complete research, such as court, land, military, immigration, naturalization, and vital records.

The importance of census records does not diminish over time in any research project. It is always wise to return to these records as discoveries are made in other sources because, as you discover new evidence about individuals, some information that seemed unrelated or unimportant in a first look at the census may take on new importance.

When you can’t find family, vital, or religious records, census records may be the only means of documenting the events of a person’s life. Vital registration—the official recording of births, deaths, and marriages—did not begin until around 1920 in many areas of the United States, and fires, floods and other disasters since have destroyed some official government records. When other documentation is missing, census records are frequently used by individuals who must prove their age or citizenship status (or that of their parents) for Social Security benefits, insurance, passports, and other important reasons.

How to Find Census Records - All available federal census schedules (those made from 1790 to 1920) have been microfilmed and are available at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.; at the National Archives’ regional archives; at the Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church) in Salt Lake City and LDS family history centers throughout North America (see chapter 8, “The Family History Library and Its Centers”) ; at many large libraries; in genealogical society libraries; and through companies that lend microfilmed records. Some state and local agencies have census schedules for the state or area they serve. Generally, microfilm copies may be borrowed through interlibrary loan.

Starting With the Census - It is usually best to begin a census search in the most recently available census records (1920) and to work from what is already known about a family. With any luck, birthplaces and other clues found in these more recent records will point to locations of earlier residence.