CENSUS RECORDS

When the first federal census was taken in 1790, residents of the nation's capital were enumerated in two separate states. Those living north of the Potomac River were enumerated with Prince George's and Montgomery counties in Maryland. Those south of the river were listed with Virginians; however, Virginia's census for that year has been destroyed. In addition, no federal returns exist for the District of Columbia for 1810. The 1800 census has survived and, from 1820, enumerations exist for each decennial year. They are currently available through 1920, except for the mostly destroyed 1890 census. All of the population schedules are available at the National Archives in the Microfilm Reading Room, and through the Family History Library and its centers.

District of Columbia Research Sources

Cook, Eleanor M. V. Guide to the Records of Your District of Columbia Ancestors. Silver Spring, MD: Family Line Publications, 1987. A Guide to Genealogical Research in the Nation's Capitol. 7th ed.: Annandale Stake, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1989. Angevine, Erma Miller. "Genealogical Research on Families of the District of Columbia." National Genealogical Society Quarterly 78 (March 1990): 15–32. Proctor, John Clagett. Washington, Past and Present: A History. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1930.

Archives, Libraries, and Museums

Anderson House Library and Museum
2118 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
202-785-2040

Catholic University of America
Department of Archives, Manuscripts, and Museum Collections
5 Mullen Library
Washington, DC 20064
Tel: 202-319-5065
E-mail: meagher@cua.edu
URL: http://www.cua.edu/www/mullen/archcoll.html

District of Columbia Archives
1300 Naylor Court, NW
Washington, DC 20001-4255
(202) 727-2054

Georgetown University
Lauinger Library
Special Collections
Box 571174
Washington, DC 20057-1174

General Branch, Civil Archives Division
National Archives and Records Administration
Washington, DC 20409

Library of Congress
Local History & Genealogy Divison
1st-2nd Streets, SE
Washington, DC 20540
E-mail: lcweb@loc.gov
URL: http://lcweb.loc.gov

Martin Luther King Memorial Library
901 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Tel: 202-727-1111

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Washington National Records Center
Shipping Address:
4205 Suitland Road
Suitland, MD 20746-8001
Mail:
4205 Suitland Road
Washington, DC 20409-0002
Tel: 301-457-7000
Fax: 301-457-7117
Email: center@suitland.nara.gov

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Archives I
8th & Pennsylvania Avenues
Washington, DC 20408
Tel: 202-501-5410 (Genealogical Staff)
202-501-5400 (Record Availability)
Fax: 301-713-6905 (Fax-on-Demand Information)
Email: inquire@arch2.nara.gov

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)
Archives II
8601 Adelphi Road
College Park, MD 20740
Tel: 202-501-5400 (Record Availability)
301-713-6800 (General Reference)
301-713-7040 (Cartographic Reference)
Fax: 301-713-6905 (Fax-on-Demand Information)
Email: inquire@arch2.nara.gov

Smithsonian Institute
1000 Jefferson Drive
Washington, DC 20560
Tel: 202-357-2700
TTY: 202-357-1729
URL: http://www.si.edu/

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
100 Rauol Wallenberg Place, SW
Washington, DC 20024-2150
Tel: 202-488-0400
E-mail: research@ushmm.org
archive@ushmm.org