Census, census, WHERE’S the census

Census, census, WHERE’S the census???????
Ok, so now you know what the census is, how it works and you want to find it … but where?

The best place to begin is the Family History Center Library in Clarks Mills. You have the best selection, great help, and the price is reasonable.

If you don’t want to wait for your order to come in, you want FREE microfilm and you like to drive:

If you want local census try the county clerk’s office in the county you are interested in. Paper copies survive in most instances. You might want to call ahead to be sure.

Try your public library. Just for example, the Herkimer library has some of the Herkimer County Federal census on microfilm. They also have the paper indexes to the NY Federal Census through 1860.

The Onondaga Public Library downtown has a wealth of New England and New York Federal Census on microfilm complete with the Soundex Index rolls. If you have never visited this library, this is a GREAT place to begin. They also have some older census in bound form for other states.

The National Archives Library in Pittsfield, Mass. Their website says they have microfilm copies of ALL of the Federal Census. If you many states over many years, this is probably the place to visit. No rental fee and you have them all right there, this is what is called a win-win situation!!!!! Check out their website at: http://www.nara.gov/nara/regional/01nspgil.htm This site will give you a map, hours of operation and a quick description of the many things they have to offer beside the census.

Some of the census are online. Check out Cyndi’s site (see below) and the page on http://www.usgenweb.org/census/states.htm that pertains to your particular state. For New York State there are many census pages listed, you might just get lucky and find what you are looking for. USGENWEB seems to be relocating, the only way that I have been able to get there is to use http://www.usgenweb.net then pick the Census Project and continue from there.

The New York State Library has census too. Check out what they have at http://unix2.nysed.gov/homepg.htm for general information on the library and http://unix2.nysed.gov/gengen.htm for specific information on genealogy. Again, if you have never visited this library this is a TREMENDOUS resource!!! This is an especially good source for the New York State Census, which can be hard to find.

Some other good web sites to investigate:

http://www.familytreemaker.com has forms you can download to record the information from the census.

http://www.frontiernet.net/~halsey1/ny/ny-census.htm This is Dick Halsey’s site for New York State census information. Dick is a very knowledgeable genealogist who is active in the Rochester Genealogical Society.

http://www.cyndislist.com/census.htm This is Cyndi’s genealogy site, this specific address is just census sites and there are lots of good ones here.