1894 Michigan State Census

Due to the fire damage of the 1890 census, there remains a 20 year gap in federal census records for most of the United States. Researchers have been using “replacements” for the 1890 census to help fill in the gaps for the missing information. While any state census is valuable for researchers, those done between the years of 1881 and 1899 may be most invaluable because they can provide similar information to what may have been on the 1890 census.

If you had an ancestor residing in Michigan during 1894 then you may have the chance to fill some of that census gap by using the 1894 state census of Michigan, of which parts are available online. I have to prefix my statement with “may” because not all county census records remain. Unfortunately, at some point in history, most of the counties records were destroyed, and nobody really knows why, though there are some ideas. The following 27 counties have extant records:

1894 Michigan Census Online

1. 

   Barry County (Ancestry, FamilySearch, SeekingMichigan)

2. Bay County (Ancestry, FamilySearch, SeekingMichigan)
3. Benzie County (Ancestry, FamilySearch)
4. Dickinson County (Ancestry, FamilySearch)
5. Emmet County (Ancestry, FamilySearch)
6. Gratiot County (Ancestry, FamilySearch, SeekingMichigan)
7. Hillsdale County (SeekingMichigan)
8. Ingham County (Ancestry, FamilySearch, SeekingMichigan)
9. Iosco County (Ancestry, FamilySearch, SeekingMichigan)
10. Jackson County (SeekingMichigan)
11. Kalamazoo County (Ancestry, FamilySearch, SeekingMichigan)
12. Kent County (FamilySearch, SeekingMichigan)
13. Keweenaw County (Ancestry, FamilySearch)
14. Lapeer County (FamilySearch, SeekingMichigan)
15. Leelanau County (FamilySearch)
16. Lenawee County (SeekingMichigan)
17. Livingston County (SeekingMichigan)
18. Menominee County (FamilySearch, SeekingMichigan)
19. Midland County (SeekingMichigan)
20. Montcalm County (FamilySearch, SeekingMichigan)
21. Muskegon County (SeekingMichigan)
22. Newaygo County (SeekingMichigan)
23. Ottawa County (SeekingMichigan)
24. Sanilac County (SeekingMichigan)
25. St. Clair County (SeekingMichigan)
26. St. Joseph County (SeekingMichigan)
27. Washtenaw County (FamilySearch, SeekingMichigan)

In 1894, the state schedules included a question as to whether the person was veteran of the Civil war, or the widow of a Civil War veteran. While not all counties are available for the 1894 Michigan state census online, there do remain records for any Civil war soldier, still alive, that may have been enumerated within that census. These records are complete for the 81 counties in Michigan existing in 1894. This collection has been made available for free on AccessGenealogy:

• Civil War Soldiers in the 1894 Michigan State Census

The 1894 Michigan state census provides information on the following particulars: Name of every person who resided in the family; Age; Gender; Color or race; Marital status; Married within the census year; Mother of how many children; Mother of how many children (living); Birth place; Birth place of father; Birth place of mother; Number of male children born during census year; Number of female children born during census year; Number of months old; Occupation; Whether in military; Sick or disabled on day of census; Nature of disability; Attended school within the year; Number of months; Literacy; Whether speaks English;  if not, language spoken; Length of residence in Michigan; Length of residence in United States; If prisoner, pauper, or homeless child. View the sample 1894 Michigan Census image on this page.

You can access the 1894 census online for the 27 counties above from the following websites. We’ve ranked the websites (1 being the best) below in order of accessibility, meaning, if they’re free or paid, and if you can access them without having first to register, and whether they have images or just a transcription. Please make sure to consult the list of counties available above.

1894 Michigan Census

1. Seeking Michigan, 1894 State Census
   This website contains images for the 1894 state census, only for those particular counties as listed in the list above. Once you visit the page, use the search at the top of the page to find the individual you are looking for. You are able to print and download the images for your personal record.
2. FamilySearch Michigan, State Census, 1894
   Name index of the Michigan state census taken in June 1894.  The results show the name, gender, event place, age, birth year, event year, relationship to head of household, family number, line number, page number, and image number. Transcription only.
3. Ancestry Michigan, State Census, 1894 – $$$
   This collection contains an index to the census. The results show the name, age, race, county, birth year and birth location. All of Ancestry’s records are available for free on one of the two sites above.