United States Census Data

This page provides information about the 1860 census and links to online resources for digital data, transcripts of the original and printed results of the originals.

See more about the 1860 census from the National Archives 

• Direct URL : https://www.archives.gov/research/census/1860

See more below for:

• Questions Asked
• Data Description
• 1860 Census Geography
• Data Sources, including tabular data and original reports and enumerations.

Schedule 1 - Free Inhabitants

• Dwelling-house numbered in the order of visitation
• Families numbered in the order of visitation
• Name of every person whose usual place of abode on the first day of June, 1860, was in this family
• Age
• Sex
• Color (white, black, or mulatto)
• Profession, occupation, or trade of each person, male and female, over 15 years of age
• Value of real estate owned
• Value of personal estate owned
• Place of birth, naming the State, Territory, or Country
• Married within the year [hash mark if yes]
• Attended school within the year [hash mark if yes]
• Persons over 20 years of age who cannot read and write [hash mark if yes]
• Whether deaf and dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict [hash mark if yes]

Schedule 2 - Slave Inhabitants

• Name of slave owner
• Number of slaves
• Age
• Sex
• Color
• Fugitive from the state [hash mark if yes]
• Number manumitted
• Deaf and dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic
• Number of slave houses

Aggregated results of the 1860 census are available from the National Historical GIS Project at IPUMS from the University of Minnesota : NHGIS (Requires free registration).  

• Direct URL nhgis.org

An index of variables is available HERE

• Direct URL : https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sz0np-oskZkHrqkUlWsuXQpYx9vYx7PB7cbGSdTC5oE/edit?usp=sharing

The following spatial data are available from NHGIS.org

1860 States

34 States : Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin.  

7 Territories : Dakota Territory, Indian Territory, Kansas Territory, Nebraska Territory, New Mexico Territory, Utah Territory, Washington Territory

1860 Counties

2126 Counties : Some Counties and districts contain no population data.

Digital data in tabular format:

Aggregated results of the 1790 census are available from the National Historical GIS Project at IPUMS from the University of Minnesota. 

Click here: https://www.nhgis.org/ (Requires free registration)

Official Reports:

• 1860 Decennial Census of Population and Housing Questionnaires & Instructions

Direct URL : https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/technical-documentation/questionnaires.1860_Census.html

• Preliminary report on the Eighth Census, 1860

Direct URL : https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1862/dec/1860e.html

• 1860 Census: Population of the United States

Direct URL : https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1864/dec/1860a.html

• 1860 Census: Statistics of the United States, (including mortality, property, etc.)

Direct URL : https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1866/dec/1860d.html

• 1860 Census: Manufactures of the United States

Direct URL : https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1865/dec/1860c.html

• 1860 Census: Agriculture of the United States

Direct URL : https://www.census.gov/library/publications/1864/dec/1860b.html