Census Data and Information

The census returns, or population schedules, are the actual forms filled out by census workers. They include names, ages, marital status, places of birth, and occupation, depending on the year.

For reasons of privacy, these schedules are not released to the public until 72 years after they are taken.

UM Libraries have copies of the population schedules for Maryland from 1790-1930. They are available in the Maryland Room, in Hornbake Library.

Recently, the 1940 Census information was released by the Census Bureau.

Population schedules for other states can be accessed at the National Archives in D.C. or contact your public library to see if they have access to the Ancestry.com or HeritageQuest subscription databases.

UM Libraries' Maryland Room has an important collection of materials focusing on the State of Maryland. 

After each census, the data was tabulated and disseminated in several series. The Census Bureau is in the process of digitizing these series and many of them are now available on the Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades page.

Print copies can be found in print format in UM Libraries' U.S. Government Information Collection, on the 4th floor of McKeldin Library.

Here's a list of call number locations for each decennial census. After 1960, all decennial census had a SuDoc number that started with C 3.223. The numbers below are examples of what the numbers may be. For further assistance, ask at the first floor library services desk.