Clinton Co., IA Census Information
Click Here for Our Records Online
While censuses for 1840 and earlier list only the heads of families, those from 1850 on can show names of each member of the household, age, place of birth, occupation and race. It is one of the first steps you should take when researching your family. So many questions can be answered and clues given that can lead to further research. So many times the volunteers and myself get questions from visitors who want to know what so-and-so's wife's name was, who his parents or children were, where they came from, etc. These and so many more questions can be answered with good census research.
Many census records are online and many aren't. We are working on transcribing census records for Clinton County but I sincerely hope you will take the time to view the actual records yourself.
Federal censuses in Iowa began in 1850, and were taken every ten years. They are currently available through 1920, except for the mostly destroyed 1890 census. All but the 1910 census are indexed.
There were several territorial censuses also taken for the area. The Wisconsin Territorial Census for 1836 includes the original counties of Dubuque and Des Moines, Iowa.
Numerous censuses were conducted on the county level while under territorial and state status, with a variety still in existence for 1838-1897. Concerted efforts, however, were made for statewide enumerations in 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915 and 1925. These are some of the richest and informative censuses ever taken in this country. While the censuses from 1885-1895 provide much the same information as federal censuses, they also inquire as to county of birth if within the state of Iowa, as well as inquiries into military service. The 1905 and 1915 censuses inquire about parents' birth places as well. The 1925 is the most informative of all, asking for the names of parents and their birth place.
There is no state-wide index for the censuses of 1856, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915 or 1925. Indexes, however, for counties or portions of counties are becoming available through individuals, chapters of the Iowa Genealogical Society, Hawkeye Heritage, or the staff of the State Historical Society. All extant state censuses are microfilmed, available for research at the State Historical Society of Iowa and the FHL and all Clinton Co. census records are on microfilm at the library.
The Soundex coding system was developed so that you can find a surname even though it may have been recorded under various spellings. Knowing a surname's Soundex code is an important first step in research using NARA's census microfilm holdings (1880-1920).
The 1910 census does not have a Soundex index for Iowa; however, if you know the town or city where your ancestor lived, you can find the appropriate county, enumeration district number, and Family History Library film number by looking in the following source:
Buckway, Eileen G., comp. U. S. 1910 Federal Census: Unindexed States: A Guide to Finding Census Enumeration Districts for Unindexed Cities, Towns, & Villages. Salt Lake City: Family History Library, 1992. (FHL book 973 X2bu 1910; fiche 6101340; computer number 678265.)
The following are the available census records and census substitutes for the state of Iowa:
-
Federal Census: 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, & 1920
-
Federal Mortality Schedules: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880. These schedules list the names of persons who died during the year preceding the census. Mortality schedules contain info on a person's age, state or country of birth, month of death, cause of death, number of days ill, race, occupation, and for 1880, parents' birthplace.
-
State/Territorial Census: 1836, 1838, 1840-1849, 1851, 1852, 1854, 1856, 1859, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1925 (The 1895 State Census of Iowa lists the company and regiment for any veterans of the "War of the Rebellion." With this info you can send for the civil war military and/or pension file.)
-
Sac and Fox Indian Census: 1847
- The following census records are available at the Clinton Library
- Clinton – 1850, 1856, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1885, 1895, 1900, 1905, 1910, 1915, 1920, 1925 (index)
- Census records for a few other Iowa counties.
Copy Your Census Form? A good article by Michael John Neill
Check out Census Tools where you can download several cool things including a spreadsheet to keep track of your census info.
You can find Federal film numbers, eds, townships, etc for all Iowa
counties at the following site also:
http://www.us-census.org/states/iowa/