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Genealogical
Research Series Pamphlet No. 5
State Census Records
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This pamphlet is one in a series designed
to assist the genealogical researcher in using the most
pertinent of related federal, state, and local governmental
records in the possession of the Illinois State Archives and
its Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) system.
This pamphlet concerns state censuses.
State Census Records
Historical Background
The Illinois Constitution of
1818 required that a state census be taken in 1820 and every
fifth year thereafter in order to determine apportionment of
representation in the General Assembly. The state
constitution of 1848 accepted the federal decennial censuses
as the basis for apportionment but also provided for state
censuses at mid-decades. Thus state censuses were conducted
in 1855 and 1865. The Illinois Constitution of 1870 ended
the practice of state censuses when it established the
federal decennial censuses as the sole guide to
reapportionment.
State censuses were taken in 1820, 1825,
1830, 1835, 1840, 1845, 1855, and 1865. Unfortunately
only the 1820, 1855, and 1865 ones have survived reasonably
intact. Most of the county returns for 1825, 1830, 1835, and
1845 are missing and nearly half of the 1840 state census
has been lost.
Record Contents
State censuses list only the
name of the head of each household. Other inhabitants simply
were tallied. All of the state censuses listed below are
available on microfilm for consultation at the Illinois
State Archives in Springfield.
| 1820 |
Record
Series 103.002. STATE CENSUS. 2 vols. Index.
Each county return includes name of county and for
each household name of head of household and numbers
of free white males twenty-one years of age and
older, other white inhabitants, slaves and servants,
and free Negroes and mulattoes. Returns are included
for 18 of 19 counties existing at that time:
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Alexander
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Gallatin
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Monroe
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Washington
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Bond
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Jackson
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Pope
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Wayne
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Clark
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Jefferson
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Randolph
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White
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Crawford
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Johnson
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St. Clair
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Franklin
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Madison
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Union
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Only Edwards County is missing.
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Census was
edited, indexed, and published in Margaret Cross
Norton, ed., Illinois Census Returns: 1820
in Theodore Calvin Pease, ed., Collections of the
Illinois State Historical Library Statistical
Series, III (Springfield, 1934).
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| 1825 |
Record
Series 103.003. STATE CENSUS. 0.1 cu. ft. and
1 microfilm roll. Index. Each county return includes
name of county and names or legal descriptions of
legal subdivisions contained in county (e.g.,
townships, towns, villages). Under each of these
categories entries for each household include name
of head of household; number of free white males
twenty-one years of age and older, including heads
of families; number of free white males under
twenty-one years of age, including heads of
families; number of free white females, including
heads of families; numbers of male and female
servants and slaves, and free persons of color; and
type (e.g., mill, distillery) and number of
manufacturing establishments. Returns are included
for 3 of 43 counties existing at that time: Edwards,
Fulton, and Randolph.
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| 1830 |
Record
Series 103.004. STATE CENSUS. 1 partial
microfilm reel. Index.
Each county return includes name of county and for
each household name of head of household; numbers of
white males and females in each decennial age group
(e.g., ages 0–9, 10–19, 20–29); numbers of
male and female Negroes and mulattoes, indentured or
registered servants, and French Negroes and
mulattoes held in bondage; total number of
inhabitants in household; number of males subject to
duty in state militia; and type (e.g., gristmill)
and number of manufacturing establishments. Of the
51 counties existing at that time, the only return
included is for Morgan County.
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| 1835 |
Record
Series 103.005. STATE CENSUS. 1 partial
microfilm reel. Index. Each county return includes
name of county and for each household name of head
of household; numbers of free white males and
females in each decennial age group (e.g., ages
0–9, 10–19, 20–29); numbers of male and female
Negroes and mulattoes, indentured or registered
servants and their children, and French Negroes and
mulattoes held in bondage; total number of
inhabitants in household; number of males subject to
duty in state militia; and type (e.g., gristmill)
and number of manufacturing establishments. Returns
are included for 4 of 60 counties existing at that
time: Fayette, Fulton, Jasper, and Morgan.
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| 1840 |
Record
Series 103.006. STATE CENSUS. 3 microfilm reels
and 1 partial microfilm reel. Index.
Each county return includes name of county and
occasionally the names or legal descriptions of
legal subdivisions contained in counties (e.g.,
townships, cities, villages). Under each of these
categories entries for each household include name
of head of household; numbers of free white males
and females in each decennial age group (e.g., ages
0–9, 10–19, 20–29); numbers of male and female
Negroes and mulattoes, indentured and registered
servants and their children, and French Negroes and
mulattoes held in bondage; number of males subject
to duty in the state militia; total number of
inhabitants in household; and type (e.g., sawmill,
gristmill) and number of manufacturing
establishments. Returns are included for 35 of 87
counties existing at that time:
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Adams
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Cook
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Jasper
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Rock Island
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Bond
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Crawford
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Jo Daviess
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Schuyler
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Brown
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Edgar
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Johnson
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Stark
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Calhoun
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Effingham
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Knox
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Tazewell
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Champaign
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Franklin
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La Salle
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Union
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Clark
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Fulton
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Lawrence
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Vermilion
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Clay
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Hamilton
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Livingston
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White
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Clinton
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Hardin
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Monroe
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Whiteside
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Coles
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Jackson
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Randolph
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| 1845 |
Record
Series 103.007. STATE CENSUS. 1 partial
microfilm reel. Index.
Each county return includes name of county and for
each household name of head of household; numbers of
free white males and females in each decennial age
group (e.g., ages 0–9, 10–19, 20–29); numbers
of male and female Negroes and mulattoes, indentured
or registered servants, and French Negroes and
mulattoes held in bondage; total number of
inhabitants in household; number of males subject to
duty in state militia; and type (e.g., gristmill)
and number of manufacturing establishments. Returns
are included for 3 of 98 counties existing at that
time: Cass, Putnam, and Tazewell.
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| 1855 |
Record
Series 103.008. STATE CENSUS. 13 microfilm
reels. Index.
Each county return includes name of county and
frequently names or legal descriptions of legal
subdivisions contained in county (e.g., townships,
cities, villages). Under each of these categories
entries for each household include name of head of
household, numbers of free white males and females
in each decennial age group (e.g., ages 0–9,
10–19, 20–29), numbers of male and female
Negroes and mulattoes, total number of inhabitants
in household, number of males eligible for duty in
state militia, type (e.g., mill, tinshop, saddleshop)
and valuations of products of manufacturing
establishments, valuations of livestock and products
of coal mines, pounds of wool produced, and
infrequent remarks (e.g., occupation of head of
household, legal description of area covered by
return). Returns are included for 90 of 100 counties
existing at that time:
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Adams
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Fulton
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McHenry
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Randolph
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Alexander
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Greene
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McLean
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Richland
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Bond
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Grundy
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Macon
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Rock Island
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Boone
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Hamilton
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Macoupin
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St. Clair
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Brown
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Hancock
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Madison
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Saline
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Bureau
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Hardin
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Marion
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Sangamon
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Calhoun
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Henderson
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Marshall
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Schuyler
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Cass
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Iroquois
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Mason
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Scott
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Christian
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Jackson
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Massac
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Shelby
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Clark
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Jasper
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Menard
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Stephenson
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Clay
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Jersey
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Mercer
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Tazewell
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Clinton
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Jo Daviess
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Monroe
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Union
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Coles
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Johnson
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Montgomery
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Vermilion
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Cook
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Kane
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Morgan
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Wabash
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Crawford
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Kankakee
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Moultrie
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Warren
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Cumberland
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Kendall
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Ogle
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Washington
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De Kalb
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Knox
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Peoria
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Wayne
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De Witt
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La Salle
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Perry
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White
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Du Page
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Lawrence
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Piatt
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Whiteside
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Edgar
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Lee
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Pike
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Williamson
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Edwards
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Livingston
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Pope
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Winnebago
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Effingham
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Logan
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Pulaski
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Fayette
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McDonough
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Putnam
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| 1865 |
Record
Series 103.010. STATE CENSUS. 18 microfilm
reels. Partial index.
Each county return includes for each household name
of head of household; numbers of free white males
and females in each decennial age group (e.g., ages
0–9, 10–19, 20–29); numbers of male and female
Negroes; total number of inhabitants in household;
number of males eligible for duty in state militia;
type (e.g., blacksmith shop, wheelwright shop) and
valuation of products of manufacturing
establishments; valuations of livestock, grain
products, and other agricultural products; tons of
coal produced annually; pounds of wool products; and
numbers of flour and gristmills, sawmills, and
distilleries. Returns are included for 99 of
Illinois’ 102 counties:
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Adams*
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Fayette*
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Lee
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Randolph*
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Alexander*
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Ford*
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Livingston
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Richland
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Bond*
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Franklin*
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Logan*
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Rock Island
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Boone*
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Fulton*
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McDonough
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St. Clair*
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Brown*
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Greene*
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McHenry*
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Saline*
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Bureau*
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Grundy*
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McLean*
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Sangamon
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Calhoun*
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Hamilton
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Macon*
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Schuyler*
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Carroll*
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Hancock*
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Macoupin
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Scott
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Cass*
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Hardin*
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Madison*
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Shelby*
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Champaign*
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Henderson
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Marion*
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Stark
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Christian*
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Henry
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Marshall
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Stephenson*
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Clark*
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Iroquois*
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Massac*
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Tazewell* †
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Clay
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Jackson*
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Menard*
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Union
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Clinton*
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Jasper*
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Mercer
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Vermilion*
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Coles*
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Jefferson*
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Montgomery
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Wabash*
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Cook
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Jersey*
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Morgan*
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Warren
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Crawford*
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Jo Daviess
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Moultrie
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Washington
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Cumberland
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Johnson*
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Ogle*
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Wayne
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De Kalb*
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Kane
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Peoria*
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White
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De Witt*
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Kankakee
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Perry
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Whiteside*
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Douglas*
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Kendall*
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Piatt*
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Will
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Du Page*
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Knox*
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Pike*
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Williamson
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Edgar*
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Lake*
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Pope*
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Winnebago
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Edwards*
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La Salle
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Pulaski*
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Woodford
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Effingham*
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Lawrence
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Putnam*
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*These
counties have been indexed.
†Elm Grove Township only. |
Finding Your Ancestors
Researching On Your Own
The Name Index to Early
Illinois Records, located in the Archives card catalog
aisle, includes entries for heads of households for state
censuses through 1855. Filed separately, the index for the
1865 state census currently covers 70 counties. Because
volunteers are in the process of indexing the remaining
counties, an updated list should be requested at the
reference desk. Index citations will enable the genealogist
to reference original entries in the state censuses. The
Archives also has a collection of published indexes to state
censuses. Issued by local genealogical societies, these
indexes cite heads of households of particular counties for
various census years. Archives staff can provide a list of
these published indexes.
Mail,
Telephone and Internet Requests
In searching state censuses Archives staff members require
the census year, the full name of the head of the household,
that person’s county residence, and if possible, the
township. For the 1865 census counties not yet indexed will
be searched if the researcher can provide all of the above
information. For this census reference staff cannot perform
searches of cities exceeding 2,500 persons which have not
been indexed. If a subject’s name is found, the Archives
will furnish the genealogist an uncertified and unofficial
photocopy of the census page on which it appears. As a
result of limitations on staff research time, the Archives
can research no more than two searches per inquiry. Send
inquiries to: Illinois State Archives, Reference Unit,
Norton Building, Springfield, Illinois 62756. Telephone:
(217) 782-3553. Fax: (217) 524-3930.
Submit
a Request Via the Internet.
 Back to
Genealogy in the Illinois State Archives page
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