Can I access Census records online anywhere ? (free)?

Question

Everytime I try to get infomation, it leads me to a pay, or membership link. I need old information, dead people. Shouldn't this be open information?

Thanks for any help!!

Ginger-

Answer 1

Yes, with provisos.  Go to:  http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census...

it tells you:

Census Records

What Census information can I get on this web site?

We do not have census records online on the NARA web site. However, we do have the microfilm catalogs online, which can help prepare you for your visit to the National Archives.

Ancestry.com and Heritagequest.com have digitized many of the Federal Census records. These web sites are subscription-based, but access is free-of-charge and unlimited from any NARA facility.

An index to current articles, biographies, bibliographies, and critical analyses of more than 120,000 authors from every age and literary discipline on a variety of topics, Ancestry Library is also available at any NARA facility. Many references include the complete article (full-text). Of particular interest will be the following databases:

Start Your Research of Census Records

Introduction to Census Records

The name of your relative or ancestor, and the state he or she resided in, is enough to get you started searching Census records.

The first Federal Population Census was taken in 1790, and has been taken every ten years since. However, data from recent censuses are not available after 1930 because of a 72-year restriction on access to the Census. Most researchers find it most helpful to begin with the 1930 Census and work backwards to locate people in earlier generations.

The National Archives has the census schedules on microfilm available from 1790 to 1930. (Note: Most of the 1890 Census was destroyed in a Department of Commerce fire, though partial records are available for some states.)

What can the Census tell me?

Census records can provide the building blocks of your research, allowing you to both confirm information, and to learn more.

From 1850 to 1930, details are provided for all individuals in each household, such as:

names of family members

their ages at a certain point in time

their state or country of birth

their parent's birthplaces

year of immigration

street address

marriage status and years of marriage

occupation(s)

value of their home and personal belongings

the crops that they grew (in agricultural schedules), etc.

Tip: Begin with the most current census year available and work backwards. With the 72-year restriction on access to the Census, the most current year available is 1930. Not all of this kind of information is available in every census. Before the 1850 Census, few of these details were recorded. From 1790-1840, only the head of household is listed and the number of household members in selected age groups.

For specifics on what information was collected in each census year, see Availability of Census Records About Individuals

So, there you have it, straight from the horse's mouth.  Yes, it is free, IF you go to ANY NARA facility.  Also, you might be able to go to your LOCAL LIBRARY and use www.ancestry.com or www.heritagequest.com FOR FREE (our library has both, as well as periodicals, books, and a volunteer to assist people in their pursuit).

Answer 2

It's not that the information isn't free, it's that the website IE: ancestry.com or others go to alot of trouble to gather the information from the census records and put it on-line to make it available.

If your looking for free, don't bother you won't find it.  

You might consider joining a genealogy group, there are many to choose from on the web.  I belong to several and they come in very handy if your trying to search for records from across the country or overseas.  One good one is:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/california...

don't let the name fool you they are world wide.  The owner of the group is very helpful and so are all the members.

Now there is one way you may be able to gain access to the records for free, but that involves you going to the public library.  Many public libraries have subscriptions to Ancestry.com that you as a library patron can use for free.  You can also check to see if there are any LDS Family History Centers near you.  You can find one by going to their website at:

http://www.familysearch.org

They also have free genealogy software and other helps.

If you go to an LDS Family History Center, be prepare to meet some very friendly and helpful people.  They are all volunteers and will be more than glad to help you find the information you desire.  They will not do the work for you but will put you on the right path so to speak.  You can search the census there and any other records the LDS Church has available.

Now is the person you are looking for is on a census after the 1930 census, you won't be able to find it no matter where you go...privacy laws census are only available for public after 75 years....

Good luck

Answer 3

The census records are online and free but very difficult to find. Ancestry is able to charge because they have the records collected at one web location and indexed.

Websites like rootsweb.com have many indexes (incomplete) as do the US genweb project. Some sites have census images online but they are un-indexed. You have to trudge through the soundex, then scroll through thousands of images to find the one you are looking for, hopefully you can read it.  Public libraries have access to records also. Some have Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest.com available to online users but you have to sign up for access through the library. Heritagequest is easier to download images and faster but Ancestry is more complete but very slow for dial-up use. The FREE sites take a long time to locate your relative.

The Mormon churches have free access but you have to go to their computers. They sometimes charge me a few cents for copies and for a couple dollars do look-up for me. They don't like you to smoke in their church, a small price for the collection of records they have. Oh! yes and they have the 1880 census online for free at familysearch.org. And they also have online genealogies with <> brackets around unproven facts.