Florida State Census Information from Florida State Archives File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Ron Thompson, thompson@darwin.psy.fsu.edu USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. This file may not be removed from this server or altered in any way for placement on another server without the consent of the State and USGenWeb Project coordinators and the contributor. *********************************************************************** Florida State Census --------------------------------------------- Biographical / Historical Note The purpose of the federal census is to enumerate the entire population of the country every ten years by county jurisdiction. The first six federal censuses, those from 1790 to 1840, were overseen by federal marshals. The first Census Office began operation in Washington in 1850. This was only temporary as the Office was disbanded after each count. The Census Office became permanent in 1902. The first six censuses were similar in content, naming only the heads of families. All other people were noted only by tally marks in categories for age, sex, race, and slavery, except that the Constitution excluded from the census all Indians not taxed. The later federal censuses included a variety of different schedules. The 1850 and 1860 censuses contained free population, slave population, mortality, agriculture, and industry schedules. The 1870 and 1880 counts included schedules for population, mortality, agriculture, and industry. Less than one percent of the results of the 1890 census remain after the 1921 fire in Washington. The 1900 census has separate schedules for population, mortality, agriculture, and manufactures. The census of 1910 had different schedules for population, agriculture, and manufactures. The federal census was first compiled in Florida in 1830. It has served as Florida's census record since 1950 due to the abolishment of the state census in 1949 (Senate Joint Resolution #46, 1949). State censuses were compiled in 1845 and every ten years after (Article IX, Sections 1, 2, 1838, 1861, 1865 Constitutions; Article XIII, Section 1, 1868 Constitution; Article VII, Section 5, 1885 Constitution). The state census was abolished in 1949 (Senate Joint Resolution #46, 1949). The federal census has therefore served as Florida's census record since 1950. --------------------------------------------- First census 1845 Florida State Archives Record Group: 001021 Florida State Archives Call Number: S 1373 Summary - Scope Note 1.00 item This series contains the census returns from the first state census conducted in 1845. The series includes enumerations of the inhabitants of Alachua, Benton, Columbia, Duval, Gadsden, Hamilton, Hillsborough, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Madison, Marion, Orange, St. Johns, Walton, Wakulla, and Washington counties. The document also compares the federal enumeration taken in 1845. The enumeration lists the county, the name of the census taker, the number of white males over and under 21, the number of white females over and under 18, the number of male and female slaves, and the number of male and female free coloreds. The enumeration does not list the names of the inhabitants of the Florida counties. --------------------------------------------- Second census 1855 Florida State Archives Record Group: 001021 Florida State Archives Call Number: S 1374 Summary - Scope Note 0.25 cubic ft. This series contains returns from the second state census conducted in 1855. Returns for Marion County are the only known existing state census records for 1855. The information recorded in the book includes the name of the head of the family, the number of white males over and under 21, the number of white females over and under 18, the number of children between 5 and 18, the number of children in schools, the number of male and female slaves, the value of the slaves, the number of male and female free persons of color, the number of acres of and value of land, and the value of buildings, furniture, and plantation livestock. The book also includes a recapitulation for the entire county. --------------------------------------------- Third census 1867 Florida State Archives Record Group: 001021 Florida State Archives Call Number: S 1375 Summary - Scope Note 1.00 cubic ft. This series contains returns from the third state census conducted in 1867. Although incomplete, the records include books of enumeration from Hernando, Madison, Orange, and Santa Rosa Counties, total tabulations for the State, and miscellaneous fragments, such as a page listing the enumeration for Franklin County. The books of enumeration have separate listings for "colored" and white inhabitants. Both include the name of the head of the family, the number of males over and under 21, the number of females over and under 18, the total number of inhabitants, and the number of males between 18 and 45. The tabulations list population totals by county for "colored" and white populations. --------------------------------------------- Fourth census 1875 Florida State Archives Record Group: 001021 Florida State Archives Call Number: S 1364 Summary - Scope Note 1.00 microfilm reel(35 mm.) This series contains the returns of the fourth state census of Florida conducted in 1875. It is incomplete; it contains only the state census records of Alachua County. The information recorded in the returns includes the name, age at last birthday, sex, and race of all those persons listed. For some entries, other information is provided including occupation, the value of real estate, the value of personal property, the number of acres planted in cotton, the number of acres planted in cane, and the number of orange trees. --------------------------------------------- Tenth census 1935 Florida State Archives Record Group: 001021 Florida State Archives Call Number: S 5 30.00 microfilm reels(35 mm.) Summary - Scope Note This series contains the original schedule of the tenth state census conducted in 1935. The schedule includes the following information: name, address (whether inside or outside city limits), age, sex, race, relation to family, place of birth, degree of education, whether home owner or renter, and occupation. There is no index to these records. --------------------------------------------- Eleventh census 1945 Florida State Archives Record Group: 001021 Florida State Archives Call Number: S 1371 43.00 microfilm reels(35 mm.) Summary - Scope Note This series contains the original schedule of the eleventh state census conducted in 1945. The schedule includes the following information: name, address (whether inside or outside city limits), age, sex, race, relation to family, place of birth, degree of education, whether home owner or renter, and occupation. A few precincts are missing. There is no index to these records. --------------------------------------------- This information was taken from the Florida State Archives web site. The microfilm is available at the State Archives and may be available from other sources. Unlike the Federal Census there is no 72 year waiting period on viewing the State Census.