Doing Research

In Sonoma County

Censuses of 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

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 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 [MyHeritage] . . . Searchable Database.

1850 United States Federal Census, Sonoma County [US GenWeb Census Project] . . . Index. . . Transcription.

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] . . . 

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.

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.

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] . . . Link

1880 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Link

1880 United States Federal Census [FindMyPast] . . . Link

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] . . . Link

1890 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Link

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] . . . Link

1900 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Link

1900 United States Federal Census [MyHeritage] . . . Link

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] . . . Link

1910 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Link

1910 United States Federal Census [MyHeritage] . . . Link

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] . . . Link
1920 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Link

1920 United States Federal Census [MyHeritage] . . . Link

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] . . . Link
1930 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Link

1930 United States Federal Census [MyHeritage] . . . Link

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] . . . Link
1940 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch] . . . Link 

1940 United States Federal Census [MyHeritage] . . . Link 

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]
1950 United States Federal Census [FamilySearch]

1950 United States Federal Census [MyHeritage]

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]

1900 United States Census Overview . . . Link
1900 United States Census Overview [National Archives] . . . Link
1900 United States Census Wikipedia Page . . . Link

2020 [Population of Sonoma County: 488,863]

Census not taken yet!