Historical Census Publications

About Historical Census Publications at GVSU

GVSU did not become a depository library until 1963, so it owns a limited number of pre-1970 census volumes.  In general, it is fairly easy to get information from older censuses at the county-level and above, but obtaining data for place-level and smaller geographies can be difficult.  As with any search for materials at GVSU, the best place to begin your search for pre-1970 census publications is the University Libraries online catalog.

Two sources of older census volumes that will not always show up in the online catalog are the Census Bureau website and the United States Congressional Serial Set (SEIDMAN Y 1.1/2:).  The Census Bureau is in the process of scanning and making its historic census volumes available online.  Most nineteenth and twentieth century census volumes are available now. 

The Serial Set is an ongoing series of congressional and other governmental publications.  The contents of this series cannot be found in the online catalog, but is instead found using either LexisNexis Congressional (available only to GVSU students, staff, and faculty) or the CIS U.S. Serial Set Index (SEIDMAN Y 1.1/2: Index; available to all).  Dozens of nineteenth century census reports were included in the Serial Set. Suzanne Schulze's Population Information in Nineteenth Century Census Volumes lists all of the census reports in the Serial Set on pages 425-426, and each volume listed in Schulze's work indicates whether it is available in the Serial Set.  GVSU does not have every Serial Set volume so you will want to check the catalog record for the Serial Set to see if GVSU owns the volume you need. This bibliography (PDF) also lists all the historical census volumes available at GVSU. 

Online Sources of Historical Census Publications and Data

Historical Census Volumes

Historic Census Browser (University of Virginia)

  • This site contains information from the 1790-1960 censuses down to the county level.  While all of the variables from each census are not included, it is an excellent source for basic census data.

Historical Statistics of the United States and Statistical Abstract of the United States

  • Access scanned copies of the Bicentennial Edition: Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970 and most of the Statistical Abstracts from 1878 to the present.
  • Part I
  • Part II
  • Selected Historical Decennial Census Population and Housing Counts (Census Bureau)
    • This site contains a variety of tables and reports with most of the information being at national and state level geographies.

Integrated Public-Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) (University of Minnesota)

  • This site allows one to access microdata from the 1850-2000 censuses.

Additional Census Information on this Website

  Last Modified Date: June 19, 2009
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