Find Ancestors in the 1880 US Federal Census
Genealogy Information in Census Record Includes Parents’ Birthplace
Jun 22, 2009
The 1880 US Federal Census records provided breakthroughs for genealogists. For the first time, the relationship between heads of households and others living in the house were listed, as well as the birthplace of parents – crucial for identifying immigrant ancestors.
1880 Federal Census Data
The 1880 Federal Census began on 1 June 1880 and was to be completed within 30 days. Enumerators asked the following questions for all residents of the home, including those away on business, in the military, or for other reasons:
- Name
- Age at last birthday, or in months if less than one year
- Sex
- Color (White, Black, Mulatto, Chinese, Indian)
- Month of birth if born within the year
- Relationship to head of household
- Marital status
- Whether married within the year
- Occupation of each person
- Months unemployed
- If sick or disabled on date of enumerator’s visit
- Health: whether blind, deaf & dumb, idiotic, insane, or disabled
- Education: whether attended school within the year, or cannot read or write
- Place of birth
- Place of birth of mother and father
Family Ancestors or Servants?
Prior to 1880, there was no way to tell from census data if the children listed were all sons and daughters, or if some were nieces/nephews, grandchildren, or servants. Adults living in the same household might be siblings, in-laws, or cousins.
With the relationships of each person to the head of household listed, genealogists can put families together properly and know if someone was a family ancestor, or just a boarder or servant.
Immigrant Ancestors in the 1880 Federal Census
The 1880 census was the first to include information about the previous generation, and genealogists welcomed these sources to track other family ancestors.
For each person, enumerators were to list the birthplace of his or her parents - the state, if born within the US; or the country, if foreign-born. With this information, genealogists can track migrations within the United States, such as an Ohio-born person having Vermont-born parents. They may also reach “across the pond,” if a person in the census shows parents born in another country.
Genealogy Sites with the 1880 Federal Census Index
In years past, the only practical way to find an ancestor in the census was to use a somewhat cumbersome system called the Soundex. With expanding technology, however, transcription and indexing have become common.
The 1880 census was transcribed and indexed in the 1990s by volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The LDS Church has made the index freely available, and it can be accessed at their FamilySearch.org website, and for free at Ancestry.com and other normally fee-based online genealogy sites.
As with any census index, not all information is included. Be sure to go to the original census images to get a complete picture, additional genealogy clues, and to look for possible relatives living nearby. These are available on microfilm through local LDS Family History Centers, at state and regional genealogical libraries, or through fee-based genealogy sites.
Extend Genealogy Research
- For information on earlier censuses, see Find Ancestors - 1850, 1860, 1870 US Federal Census.
- For links to articles about the 1900-1930 census records, and other tips on using the US Census for research, see the Find Family Ancestry in the US Federal Census Records blog post.
