Skip Navigation Contact Us Accessibility Info

Federal Census Schedules for Missouri (1830-1940)

A sample page from
the 1880 Census.
Click to enlarge

The U.S. Government began taking a decennial (every ten years) census in 1790. The 1810 and 1820 censuses of the Louisiana and Missouri Territories would have listed the heads of household, but those records have been lost. Thus, the first year with a full Missouri federal census is 1830. The Archives has federal population schedules available from 1830-1930 with the exception of 1890, which was damaged in a 1921 fire and ultimately destroyed in 1934. Federal census records are closed for 72 years by federal law. The 1940 census was released on April 2, 2012.

Thirteen pages of the 1880 population schedule for Perry County were found within the 1880 agriculture schedule for Perry County. These pages cover enumeration district 99 within Union township, Perry County.

1880, Perry County, ED 99 (Original located at the Missouri Historical Society Library and Research Center)

Fillable sample forms of the population schedules can be downloaded and/or printed. Click on a year below to open the form.

1830 | 1840 | 1850 | 1860 | 1870 | 1880 | 1900 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 | 1940

If you would like the Archives staff to research an 1830-1940 population schedule, please complete and submit a research request.

Federal Census Supplemental Schedules (1850-1940)

“Taking the Census” from November 19, 1870
Harper’s Weekly

The Department of the Interior created several different “non-population” or supplemental schedules to flesh out the statistics of the United States. Later, the Census Bureau continued this tradition. The schedules changed from decade to decade. Some include names and information on specific individuals; others report aggregate data by county.

Some important notes:

Except for the veterans schedule, the special census schedules for 1890 were destroyed in an 1896 fire. (A 1921 fire destroyed the population schedule from that year as well.)

Congress authorized the destruction of the 1900 and 1910 supplemental schedules after the statistical reports were compiled.

See the links below for more information.

Agricultural Schedules (1850-1930)
Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes Schedules (1880)
Manufactures and Products of Industry Schedules (1850-1930)
Military Veterans Schedule (1890)
Mines and Quarries Schedules (1900-1930)
Mortality Schedules (1850-1900)
Retail Distribution, Wholesale Distribution, Construction, and Hotels Schedules (1930)
Slave Schedules (1850-1860)
Social Statistics Schedules (1850-1880)
Unemployment Schedules (1930)

In April 2012, the Missouri State Archives joined genealogy societies and historical organizations around the country in the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project. The index created through this effort allows the public to easily search for every person found in the census and view digital images of the original records.

The 1940 census is now available, without charge, on the 1940 Census Community Project sponsor sites.