Census Research
for Sonoma County
In order to provide as much guidance as possible for your research into the United States Federal Censuses I have added the United States Census Bureau, the National Archives and the Wikipedia homepages so you can familiarize yourself with each census. They might also help explain what the marks and categories on each census are. Or explain why there is not one for a certain place for a certain year. Good luck on your search!
Here are three websites that give further insights into the U.S. Censuses:
~ Overview of the U.S. Census. [Rootsweb] This page gives a good overview and history of the U.S. Census. As well as information on each census, but is NOT a searchable database. . . . Link
~ Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness website has information on California Census Records. This site mentions other types of federal censuses like Industry, Agriculture or Mortality Schedules. . . Link
~ The 1930 School Census of Sonoma County, California [Book $] . . . Link
The following links can be used to search through all census years by county and state on the same page, so I am not going to enter a link for all the individual censuses for each site. Also, some may need memberships for full information I have tried to list what each site offers for FREE and for PAID memberships.
Ancestry.com: Link
To do a search is FREE, but you only get partial data even with a FREE account. You need a PAID account to view complete record data.
FamilySearch: Link
To do a search is FREE without an account, but you only get partial data. You need a FREE account to view complete record data and original page.
FindMyPast: Link
You need a FREE account to do a search. You need a PAID membership to view complete record data and original page.
Genealogy Bank: Link
To do a search is FREE without an account. You need a PAID membership to view complete record data and original page.
MyHeritage: Link
To do a search is FREE without an account. You need a PAID membership to view complete record data and original page.
Non-Population Censuses
There are Industry and Agriculture Schedules for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. As well as Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Union Veterans Schedules exist only for 1890.
~ Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880 U. S. Federal Census [Ancestry] . . . Link
Here you can select either the Agriculture, Industry or Manufacturing Schedules.
Population Censuses
Statewide California Census records that exist are 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, but Sonoma County is included), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 and 1940. California’s 1849 state constitution dictated that a census be taken in 1852, in 1855, and every 10 years after that, but the 1852 census was the only one taken.
1850 [Population of Sonoma County: 560]
1860 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1850 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1860 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
1850 United States Federal Census [PDF] . . . Collected Statistics.
1850 United States Federal Census, 20,031,203 records [Ancestry] . . . Searchable Database.
1850 United States Federal Census, 20,224,571 records [FamilySearch] . . . Searchable Database.
1850 United States Federal Census, 20,571,627 records [MyHeritage] . . . Searchable Database.
1850 United States Federal Census, Sonoma County [US GenWeb Census Project] . . . Index. . . Transcription.
1850 United States Federal Census, Sonoma County [FindMyPast] . . . 2,991 Search Results.
1850-1880 U.S., Selected Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 5,884,130 records [Ancestry.com] . . . Searchable Database.
1852
1852 CA State Census [Ancestry] . . . Searchable Database.
1852 CA State Census, Sonoma. [FamilySearch] . . . To View Originals.
1852 CA State Census [MyHeritage] . . .
1852 CA State Census [California State Archives] . . . In Person Searches. Filed alphabetically by county name. Includes name, age, sex, occupation, birthplace and last residence. Indexes available.
1860 [Population of Sonoma County: 11,867]
1860 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1860 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1860 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
1860 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com] . . . Searchable Database.
1860 United States Federal Census, 27,150,731 records [FamilySearch] . . . Searchable Database.
1860 United States Federal Census, 27,120,058 records [MyHeritage] . . . Searchable Database.
1860 United States Federal Census, Sonoma County [FindMyPast] . . . 11,828 Search Results.
1860 United States Federal Census [California State Archives] . . . In Person Searches. Filed alphabetically by county name. Includes name, age, sex, occupation, birthplace and last residence. Indexes available.
1870 [Population of Sonoma County: 19,819]
1870 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1870 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1870 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
1870 United States Federal Census, 40,405,476 records [Ancestry.com] . . . Searchable Database.
1870 United States Federal Census, 40,350,030 records [FamilySearch] . . . Images and Searchable.
1870 United States Federal Census, 40,383,628 records [MyHeritage] . . . Searchable Database.
1870 United States Federal Census, Sonoma County [FindMyPast] . . . 19,795 Search Results.
1880 [Population of Sonoma County: 25,926]
1880 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1880 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1880 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
1880 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com] . . . Searchable Database.
1880 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Searchable Database.
1880 United States Federal Census, 50,473,326 records [MyHeritage] . . . Searchable Database.
1880 United States Federal Census [FindMyPast] . . . Searchable Database.
1880 United States Federal Census, Sonoma County [FindMyPast] . . . 11,989 Search Results.
1880 United States Federal Census [California State Archives] . . . In Person Searches. Filed alphabetically by county name. Includes name, age, sex, occupation, birthplace and last residence. Indexes available.
U.S., 1880 Federal Census Schedules of Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes California, Sonoma. [Ancestry] . . . Link
1890 [Population of Sonoma County: 32,721]
1890 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1890 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1890 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
1890 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com] . . . Searchable Database.
1890 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Searchable Database.
1890 United States Federal Census, 6,304 records [MyHeritage] . . . Searchable Database.
1890 United States Federal Census, Sonoma County [FindMyPast] . . . 24 Search Results.
1900 [Population of Sonoma County: 38,480]
1900 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1900 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1900 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
1900 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com] . . . Searchable Database.
1900 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Searchable Database.
1900 United States Federal Census, 76,460,854 records [MyHeritage] . . . Searchable Database.
1900 United States Federal Census, Sonoma County [FindMyPast] . . . 38,806 Search Results.
1910 [Population of Sonoma County: 48,394]
1910 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1910 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1910 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
1910 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com] . . . Searchable Database.
1910 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Searchable Database.
1910 United States Federal Census, 92,639,466 records [MyHeritage] . . . Searchable Database.
1910 United States Federal Census, Sonoma County [FindMyPast] . . . 48,333 Search Results.
1920 [Population of Sonoma County: 52,090]
1920 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1920 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1920 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
1920 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com] . . . Searchable Database.
1920 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Searchable Database.
1920 United States Federal Census, 107,445,111 records [MyHeritage] . . . Searchable Database.
1920 United States Federal Census, Sonoma County [FindMyPast] . . . 29,703 Search Results.
1930 [Population of Sonoma County: 62,222]
1930 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1930 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1930 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
1930 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com] . . . Searchable Database.
1930 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Searchable Database.
1930 United States Federal Census, 125,150,767 records [MyHeritage] . . . Searchable Database.
1930 United States Federal Census, Sonoma County [FindMyPast] . . . 50,713 Search Results.
Sonoma County 1930 Census on Reel 221, Vol 244 . . . Link
Sonoma County 1930 Census on Reel 222, Vol 245 & 246 . . . Link
1940 [Population of Sonoma County: 69,052]
1940 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1940 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1940 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
U.S., Enumeration District Maps and Descriptions, 1940
(Cities include: Healdsburg, Petaluma, Santa Rosa & "Other Places") . . . Link
1940 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com] . . . Searchable Database.
1940 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Searchable Database.
1940 United States Federal Census, 134,282,495 records [MyHeritage] . . . Searchable Database.
1940 United States Federal Census, Sonoma County [FindMyPast] . . . 69,273 Search Results.
1950 [Population of Sonoma County: 103,405]
1950 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1950 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1950 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
1950 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com] . . . Searchable Database.
1950 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Searchable Database.
1950 United States Federal Census, 159,401,661 records [MyHeritage] . . . Searchable Database.
1940 United States Federal Census, Sonoma County [FindMyPast] . . . 69,273 Search Results.
1960 [Population of Sonoma County: 147,375]
1960 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1960 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1960 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
1970 [Population of Sonoma County: 204,885]
1970 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1970 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1970 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
1980 [Population of Sonoma County: 299,681]
1980 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1980 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1980 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
1990 [Population of Sonoma County: 388,222]
1990 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1990 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1990 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
2000 [Population of Sonoma County: 458,614]
2000 United States Census Overview . . . Link
2000 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
2000 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
2010 [Population of Sonoma County: 483,878]
2010 United States Census Overview . . . Link
2010 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
2010 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
2020 [Population of Sonoma County: 488,863]
2020 United States Census Overview . . . Link
2010 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
2010 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link
