Secrets of the Census, Part 5: 1880

The 1880 federal census is a turning point for family historians because, at last, we can see how people living together are related to the head of the household. Prior to this, we could only make assumptions, and too often we might be wrong! This census included questions we've seen on prior censuses, but it did not ask for value of real estate or property.

In past censuses, it was not possible to discern a street address for city dwellers. The 1880 census was the first to ask for that information. Other firsts in the 1880 census include the birthplace of each person's mother and father, a column asking if a person was ill on the day of the enumerator's visit, and the first "race" classification of Native Americans as "Indian."

Here are some samples of what you might find as you investigate your own family in 1880. First, we'll go to Macoupin County, Illinois. This is a rural community so there are no street addresses. We can see that three people on this page have health issues (red arrows below). The first is twenty-seven-year-old Olive Stone, who has been "disabled from typhoid fever." Next is Delila Murray, suffering from a "heart affliction and rheumatism." Finally, further down the page, we find William Talkington, a stock trader, who has clearly spent too much time outside and now has "sunstroke." Notice that the Relationship column now tells us how people are related to the head of household. We can see nieces, nephews, stepchildren, adopted children, and boarders. We learn that four of the babies were born before the census taker arrived in early June, and their months of birth are included to the left of their ages. At the far right of the page, we can see the birthplace of each person as well as where each of their parents was born.

We'll leave the countryside and head for Louisville, Kentucky, where, along the far left-hand side of the page (red line), it shows that we are on Coldwell Street. The next column gives us the house numbers, so we know exactly where people were living. Then, we have the dwelling number and next, the family. Now we know exactly how many families were living in each dwelling. Again, relationships are listed, and they include in-laws, servants, and siblings. We also learn exactly how each adult was earning a living and which of the children was enrolled in school.

In addition to the population schedule, 1880 included several additional censuses that may help you as you research. Look for:

• Agriculture
• Defective, Dependent, Delinquent Classes
• Industry and Manufacturing
• Mortality

In our next census post, we'll delve into the real story of what happened to the 1890 census. Meanwhile, if you missed any of the previous posts, you can access them here:

Part 1: https://stlgs.blogspot.com/2025/09/secrets-of-census-part-1.html 

Part 2: https://stlgs.blogspot.com/2025/09/secrets-of-census-part-2.html

Part 3: https://stlgs.blogspot.com/2025/09/secrets-of-census-part-3.html

Part 4: https://stlgs.blogspot.com/2025/10/secrets-of-census-part-4-1870.html