Is there a place I can see past censuses (US) for free, if so or not where can I find them?

Question

Is there a place I can see past censuses (US) for free, if so or not where can I find them?

Answer 1

I will do census lookups on the paid sites for you. I do free research for others since I already pay for the sites for my own use.

Answer 2

You can find the full 1880 census for free at the Latter Day Church site

www.familysearch.org.  

There are quite a few genealogy societies and other genealogical groups that have transcribed parts of the censuses.  It truly depends on where your research is centered.  

Here is a few links with FREE census information transcribed:

http://www.census-online.com/links/

http://www.us-census.org/states/

You might also want to check out the GenWeb page for the county that you are researching.   Many of them have transcribed census records for their county.

Here is a link to the main page.  Click on the appropriate links until you find the county you wish to research.  I hope that this helps.  

http://www.usgenweb.org/

Have a great day.

P.S.  All of the resources above are free. Also, check with your local library.  They may already have a subscription to Ancestry.com or HeritageQuest available for their patrons use.

Answer 3

In the USA, most Family History Centers, which are small rooms devoted to genealogy in Mormon churches (but open to all, for free) have access to the census images.

Some libraries do too.

You can subscribe to Ancestry or Heritage Quest. If you do, you don't have to dress up to see them and you can look at them at any hour of the day or night.

Answer 4

Also, if you know what county, do a google search for that county.  For example "Hanover County Virginia genealogy" or "Hanover County Virginia census records" and see what you get.  Many counties keep some of their own census records on line......but some counties are better at it than others.  Some will have all of them.  Some only a couple of them.  And some have none.  Some show scanned originals, some just create indexes that guide you but you have to still seek the originals.  Still, whatever they have, it will get you something.  With any luck, the counties you are looking at will be ones that are very good with putting their genealogy records online.

Answer 5

ancestry.com has a 14 day free trail or you can go to your local state library