Federal Census Records
The census has been taken every ten years since 1790. For privacy reasons, the most recent census available to the public is the 1940 Federal Census. The older census records contain only the name and age of the head of household, location, and the number of dependents, but beginning in 1850 there are more headings, including the names and ages of other household members, state/country of origin, and education levels. The following Federal Census records for South Carolina are available on microfilm: 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840,1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930. (The 1890 census was destroyed in a January 1921 fire in the Commerce Building in Washington, D.C.)
The Census Index is shelved on top of the microfilm cabinet.
| SCR 317.3 United | South Carolina 1790 Federal Census Index |
| SCR 317.3 United | South Carolina, 1790: Head of Families |
| SCR 317.3 United | South Carolina 1800 Federal Census Index |
| SCR 317.3 United | South Carolina 1810 Federal Census Index |
| SCR 317.3 United | South Carolina 1820 Federal Census Index |
| SCR 317.3 United | South Carolina 1830 Federal Census Index |
| SCR 317.3 United | South Carolina 1840 Federal Census Index |
| SCR 317.3 United | South Carolina 1850 Federal Census Index |
| SCR 929.3 South | South Carolina 1850 Slave Schedule Census Index |
| SCR 317.3 Index | Index to 1860 Federal Census of South Carolina |
| SCR 317.3 Steuart | South Carolina 1870 Census Index |
| SCR microfilm | Soundex Index to the 1880 Federal Census of South Carolina |
| SCR microfilm | Soundex Index to the 1900 Federal Census of South Carolina |
| SCR microfilm | Soundex Index to the 1910 Federal Census of South Carolina |
| SCR microfilm | Soundex Index to the 1920 Federal Census of South Carolina |
| SCR microfilm | Soundex Index to the 1930 Federal Census of South Carolina |
Research tip: Please note that the Soundex doesn’t index a name in the 1880 or 1920 census unless the household contains a child under the age of 10. There are many errors in the census indexes, so a name not appearing in the index doesn’t mean that the name doesn’t appear in the census.
South Carolina Census Records on Microfilm
The SCR holds the census film for South Carolina only, and there are bound index volumes organized alphabetically by surname for 1790-1870. Beginning in 1880, the indexes are only available on microfilm in the Soundex. This index is organized phonetically by code so that multiple surnames variations appear together, making it easier for researchers to find their ancestor even if the name was misspelled in the census.
Census Records on the Computer
All the census material for other states as well as S.C. up to 1940 is available on Ancestry.com, which has a name search option. Ancestry.com is a subscription-based internet resource, but is available to patrons free of charge on library computers.
Research Tips
The census records were handwritten and can be difficult to decipher. This, along with census taker errors, means that there are numerous misspellings and mistakes in the computer database and bound indexes. Please try numerous spelling variations for both surnames and first names.
Researchers looking for S.C. census information may want to check the microfilm if they are unsuccessful in locating their ancestors on Ancestry.com, because the microfilm index is more thorough.
Most of the U.S. Census for 1890 was destroyed in a fire in Washington, D.C. Only the records for Union soldiers living in the state survive for S.C
Other Censuses for South Carolina
Among the SC Room’s printed materials are censuses printed for various counties in various years. There are some special compilations and abstracts of censuses for various counties on the shelves as well. You can search under the term “Census” in the catalog and the county name.
| Microfilm | 1869 Census of SC |
| Microfilm | U.S. Census of Industry for S.C.: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 |
| Microfilm | U.S. Census of Agriculture for S.C.: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 |
| Microfilm | U.S. Census of Mortality, S.C.: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (indexes for 1850 and 1860) |
| Microfilm | U.S. Social Statistics Census, S.C.: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 |
| Microfilm | U.S. Census Enumeration Districts, SC: 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 |
| SCR CD | 1880 United States Census and National Index |
| SCR 317.3 South | Free Blacks and Mulattoes in the 1850 Census |
| SCR 317.57915 Chas | Census of the City of Charleston, 1848 |
| SCR 317.57915 Chas | Census of the City of Charleston, 1861 (bound copy on Index table; also on film). |
| SCR 929.2 Motes | Irish in the South Carolina Census, 1850 |
| SCR 929.3757 Green | 1860 South Carolina Agricultural Census, Vol. 1-3 (There is no name index for the Agricultural Census film, but this book has census abstracts an a name index for all of 1860.) |
| SCR 929.3757 Motes | Migration to South Carolina-1850 Census: From England, Scotland, Germany, etc. |
| SCR 929.3757 Motes | Migration to South Carolina-1850 Census: From New England and Middle Atlantic States |