Native American Census

1859 List of Munsee from Leavenworth County Kansas

This list was adapted for the web from a photocopy of a two-page typed document possessed by the family of Clio Caleb Church. Since it has no official heading or signature, the document appears to be someone’s transcription of an original report to the Office of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior. Likely this is a census of the Munsee who were moving from Leavenworth County to the new reservation in Franklin County, coinciding with the Treaty of 1859. It is not an enrollment list — it includes non-Indian spouses and there are no enrollment or allotment numbers. The document lists the person’s name, sex, and age, grouped by family unit.

1896 St. Regis Indians Census

Census of the St. Regis Tribe of Indians of New York Agency, New York taken by Alexander Solomon, Chief, for J. R. Jewell, United States Indian Agent June 1896.

Free US Indian Census Rolls 1885-1940

Ponca Census Image

All of the 1885-1940 Indian census rolls with their images can be accessed for free from AccessGenealogy. For the most part, these rolls dated after 1900 were done in alphabetical order and were typewritten – this should help make finding your ancestor much easier. The earlier ones though were often done in handwriting and the film quality can be very poor at times. Beginning in 1930, the rolls also showed the degree of Indian blood, marital status, ward status, place of residence, and sometimes other information.

Indian Census Rolls 1885-1940

NARA microfilm publication Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 (692 rolls) contains census rolls that were usually submitted each year by agents or superintendents in charge of Indian reservations, as required by an act of July 4, 1884. The data on the rolls vary to some extent, but usually given are the English and/or Indian name of the person, roll number, age or date of birth, sex, and relationship to head of family.

Campbell’s Abstract of Creek Indian Census Cards

Example of Census Card

The publication of the Tribal Rolls, in 1907, gave the roll number, name of the allottee, age, sex and blood, and operated to a large extent to inform the public, but this information was not sufficient, in fact, it aided only those who, by reason of their familiarity with the workings and records of the Indian Offices, knew how to secure additional information. John Campbell set out to help researchers determine the family relationships between the allottee’s by providing an abstract index of all names from the records. This index has proven invaluable over time by providing a quick method to research family relationships within the tribal rolls.

Ancestry – US Indian Census Schedules 1885-1940

Indian Census Records will provide answers to many questions about your ancestry.  The database provided by Ancestry.com lists: Name (Indian and or English Gender Age Birth date Relationship to head of family Marital Status Tribe name Agency and reservation name Images by Jurisdiction, from Ancestry.com: Clallam, Lummi, Muckleshoot, Nooksak, Suquamish, Puyallup, Skagit, Swinomish, Snohomish Indians Laguna Pueblo Lower Yanktonai Sioux and Lower Brule Sioux Indians Lower Yanktonai Sioux Indians Lummi, Muckleshoot, Port Madison, Swinomish, Tulalip, and Clallam Indians For 1912 Lummi, Port Madison, Swinomish, and Tulalip Reservations Navajo, Hopi, and Paiute Indians Omaha, Ponca, Santee, and Winnebago Indians Paiute and … Read more

Native American Census Rules

The following are the instructions given to enumerators regarding Indians…When you read these, you will see the method that was used in an attempt to make Indians invisible if not non-existent…except when it was useful for the whites…The 1880 instructions, for instance, make it clear Indians were to be counted for the purpose of gaining representatives for the states, but not to be counted as Indians…And contrary to what you may believe, people were required to co-operate with census takers and threatened with paying a “penalty” for breaking the law if they refused… 1850 Census: Indians not taxed are not … Read more