New Jersey State Censuses, 1855–1915 (2017 Update)

New Jersey’s state censuses were conducted in the “five” years between the Federal enumerations and can be a rich resource for family researchers. Every ten years, from 1855 to 1915, the censuses were conducted and returns filed at the county level, and later, sent to Trenton. While there are some gaps in the records, the 1885 and 1895 censuses are nearly complete, and can be of particular value as a substitute for the 1890 Federal census—most of which was lost to fire.

2017 Update

FamilySearch.org* and Ancestry.com** has digitized microfilm of New Jersey’s state censuses and are, or have finished, name-indexing the schedules. In 2017, FamilySearch made their indexes and images available online for free.

How to Locate Older Town Names in Historic Censuses

When using historic censuses, keep in mind that the historical boundaries of many towns and counties were much different than today. To trace the history of the municipality and county boundaries, see The Story of New Jersey’s Civil Boundaries, 1606–1968, by John F. Snyder, available as a free PDF download from the State of New Jersey and the New Jersey State Library.

[*] FamilySearch.org is a free research website but user registration is required. Note that some resources may be accessible via FamilySearch only when using the site within the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, an affiliated center, or a local Family History Center. Find your local Family History Center. [**] Ancestry.com is a fee-based subscription website. Access is available at many libraries and archives.

New Jersey State Censuses, 1855–1915

Compiled by Michelle Tucker Chubenko, Jersey Roots Genealogy (www.jerseyrootsgenealogy.com).

Michelle Tucker Chubenko is a researcher with Legacy Tree Genealogists. She specializes in New Jersey and Eastern European research, and lectures at local, regional, and national genealogy conferences. Follow her blog at jerseyrootsgenealogy.wordpress.com for the latest news in New Jersey genealogy. An article authored by Chubenko about the New Jersey State Censuses, “The State of the Census: New Jersey, 1855–1915,” appears in the Fall 2016 issue of the GSNJ Newsletter (a GSNJ Member benefit). This article details the information recorded on the schedules and includes a copy of the following table. [Article layout by Michelle D. Novak.]

New Jersey State Censuses—County-by-County Guide

New Jersey State Censuses—Collections

All extant New Jersey State censuses are available on microfilm at the New Jersey State Archives. (See table for a county-by-county breakdown of existing records.) The majority of the collection has also been recently (as of 2017) digitized and indexed by FamilySearch.