The census is the backbone of American genealogy. Every decade it lists households, ages, birthplaces, and (from 1880) relationships — a snapshot of your family every ten years.
How to find them
- Federal censuses are released to the public after 72 years, so everything through the 1950 census is now open and free.
- Use state censuses to fill the gaps — Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, the Dakotas and others took their own censuses in the off-years, and Iowa's 1925 census even names each person's parents.
- Read every column: birthplace of the person and their parents, year of immigration, and occupation are all clues to the next generation.
- Cross-reference names you find with our death-record database to confirm you have the right family.
Names, dates, and places from the public record across all 12 Midwestern states.
Search the database →The catch to know about
The 1890 federal census was almost entirely destroyed by fire — a 20-year hole many families hit. State censuses (Iowa 1885/1895, Kansas, the Dakotas) are the usual way to bridge it.
We trace your whole family line and write it into a book and an interactive site — flat rate, records-based, no DNA test.
See how it works →Frequently asked questions
Are census records free?
Yes — U.S. federal census records are public 72 years after they were taken, so everything through 1950 is free to view. State censuses are largely free through state archives and historical societies.
What happened to the 1890 census?
Most of it was destroyed in a 1921 fire. Genealogists bridge the 1880–1900 gap using state censuses, city directories, and tax lists.