CENSUS RECORDS

Federal census records for the state of Maryland began in 1790, continuing every ten years thereafter. They are currently available through 1920 (except for the mostly destroyed 1890 census). Other missing enumerations include 1790 for Allegany, Calvert, Somerset, and part of Dorchester counties (destroyed); 1800 for Baltimore County (never taken); and 1830 for Montgomery, Prince George's, Queen Anne's, Saint Mary's, and Somerset counties.

A 1776 census was taken to determine revolutionary population and is indexed at the Maryland State Archives, but it is not available for all counties. A 1778 "census" is a list of males over eighteen who in some counties signed the Oath of Fidelity, and, in others, those who did not. Of the few extant lists, those for nine counties were published by Gaius Marcus Brumbaugh in Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County and Church From Original Sources, 2 vols. (1915–28; reprint; Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1985). See also Bettie Stirling Carothers's compilations, 1776 Census of Maryland and 1778 Census of Maryland (Lutherville, Md., 1972). Both versions of the published 1778 census contain transcription errors. A police census taken in Baltimore in 1868 is also located in the Baltimore City Archives.

Maryland Research Sources

Scharf, J. Thomas. History of Maryland, 3 vols. 1879. Reprint with new index. Hatboro, Pa.: Tradition Press, 1967.

Kaminkow, Marion. Maryland A to Z: A Topographical Dictionary. Baltimore: Magna Carta Book Co., 1985.

Meyer, Mary Keysor. Genealogical Research in Maryland: A Guide. 3rd ed. Baltimore: Maryland Historical Society, 1983.

A series of individual guides to microfilmed county and Baltimore City records, A Guide to the Maryland State Archives Holdings, is handy for obtaining microfilm through interlibrary loan. The individual guides are available for five dollars each from the Maryland Hall of Records.

Archives, Libraries, Societies, and Other Resources

Maryland State Archives, African American Resources
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/refserv/html/afro.html

U.S. Colored Troops Resident in Baltimore at the time of the 1890 Census
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/3096/html/00010001.html

Maryland State Archives, Census Index, 1880, Anne Arundel County
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/refserv/stagser/
ssu1500/html/ssi1525.html

Maryland State Archives, Maryland Marriage References, by Robert Barnes
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/refserv/stagser/
ssu1500/html/ssu1527.html

Maryland State Archives, Religious Records Program
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/html/0002.html

Maryland State Archives, Supplement to Early Settlers Query
by Dr. Carson Gibb
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/msa/speccol/4341/html/search.html

Maryland Genealogical Society
201 West Monument Street
Baltimore, MD 21201-4674
Tel: 410-685-3750

Maryland Historical Society
201 West Monument Street
Baltimore, MD 21201-4674
Tel: 410-685-3750
Fax: 410-385-2105
Email: web-comments@mdhs.org

Lower DelMarVa Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 3602
Salisbury, MD 21802-3602
Tel: 410-742-3501
  410-546-0314
http://bay.intercom.net/ldgs/index.html

Maryland USGenWeb Project
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mdgenweb/