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1855-1940 Kansas Censuses

1910 Cloud County census example

Kansas censuses are available at the Kansas Historical Society from 1855 through 1930 on microfilm. Indexes for selected years are also available. These records are available online from Ancestry free to Kansans by verifying their driver's license.

After 1925, Kansas did not take a full state census. For later data see information about the Kansas State Board of Agriculture population schedules and agricultural statistical rolls. Federal census records are closed by law for 72 years.  For information about the release of the 1940 census, see the National Archives web page.

Special censuses have been taken when specific information was wanted, for instance: mortality schedules, slave schedules, enumerations of veterans, and censuses of Native Americans living on reservations.

Information Fields Included In The Kansas Censuses

1855 Eligible voters with ages by deciles. Some entries list names of family members, some give the number only.

1860 All members of household by name; includes age, sex, race or color, and state or country of birth.

1865 Same as 1860; also marital status and military record (company and regiment).

1870 Same as 1860.

1875 Same as 1860; also where from to Kansas (state or country).

1880 Same as 1860; also relationship of all listed to the head of the household and birthplace (state or country) of the parents of each person listed. Parents' names were not given unless they were listed in person as members of the household.

1885 Same as 1860; also where from to Kansas (state or country) and military record (condition of discharge, state of enlistment, letter or name of company or command, number of regiment or other organization to which attached, arm of the service, and name of military prison if confined in one).

1895 Same as 1885.

1900 Same as 1860; also relationship to head of household, birthplace of parents (state or country), month and year of birth, marital status, number of years married, number of children born to mother and number living, occupation, and citizenship.

1905 Same as 1885.

1910 Same as 1860; also relationship to head of household, occupation, citizenship, number of years in the U.S., mortgage holder, marital status, time unemployed per year, deaf, dumb, blind, insane, literacy, whether attends school, birthplace of parents, number of children born and living, Civil War service, years in present marriage, and mother tongue.

1915 Same as 1885.

1920 Same as 1860; also relationship to head of household, occupation, whether home is owned or rented and status of mortgage, marital status, citizenship status, whether attended school that year, literacy, parents' birth place and mother tongue, and whether able to speak English.

1925 Same as 1885; also relationship to head of household, marital status and citizenship (year of immigration to the U.S. and year of naturalization if naturalized).

1930 Same as 1920; also age at first marriage, employment or occupation, owned a radio, home owned or rented, and whether individual a veteran and in which war served.

1940 Address, names of household members, relationship to head of household, sex, race, age, marital status, whether attended school or college since March 1, 1940, highest grade of school completed, state or country of birth, citizenship status, place of residence in 1935 & whether it's a farm, employment status--including why they're not working if unemployed, total income and how much they have worked in preceding year.