California Census Records Online includes Federal and State censuses. Census records (especially when indexed) are one of the easiest ways to find family members and track individuals over their lifetime.

US Census Records

In the United States, federal censuses are taken every 10 years and these records are made public 72 after the census is taken. US Censuses began in 1790 and the most recent census available is the 1950 census. Most of the 1890 census was destroyed by fire, but parts remain and you can use other records as census substitutes.

HINT: You can look at federal (1870-1920) census records to see if your ancestor was naturalized and if they were, visit California Naturalization Records online.

HINT: Between 1790 and 1840, only the head of household is named in the census.

HINT: Between 1850 and present, all people living in a household are named in the census.

HINT: Between 1850 and 1880 there are census mortality schedules listing who died in the year before the census was taken.

TIP – Login with your free FamilySearch account to unlock some collections — see other tips for opening FS resources.

US level Census Records

US – 1848-1970 – United States, Native American, Eastern Cherokee Indian Reservation Rolls, 1848-1970, index & images, at FS

US – 1850 – United States Census, 1850, index & images, at FS

US – 1850 United States Federal Census, at MH

US – 1850 United States Federal Census (Slave Schedule), at MH

US – 1850 United States Federal Census (Mortality Schedule), at MH

US – 1860 – United States Census, 1860, index & images, at FS

US – 1860 United States Federal Census, at MH

US – 1870 – United States Census, 1870, index & images, at FS

US – 1870 United States Federal Census, at MH

US – 1880 – United States Census, 1880, index & images, at FS

US – 1880 United States Federal Census, at MH

US – 1885-1940 – United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940, index links to images, at FS

US – 1890 – United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890, index & images, at FS

US – 1890 United States Federal Census, at MH

US – 1900 – United States Census, 1900, index & images, at FS

US – 1900 United States Federal Census, at MH

US – 1900-1940 – United States Enumeration District Maps for the Twelfth through the Sixteenth US Censuses, 1900-1940, at FS

US – 1908-1910 – United States, Native American, Eastern Cherokee Enrollment Records, 1908-1910, index links to images, at FS

US – 1910 – United States Census, 1910, index & images, at FS

US – 1910 United States Federal Census, at MH

US – 1920 – United States Census, 1920, index & images, at FS

US – 1920 United States Federal Census, at MH

US – 1930 – United States Census of Merchant Seamen, 1930, index, at FS

US – 1930 – United States Census, 1930, index & images, at FS

US – 1930 United States Federal Census, at MH

US – 1930 United States Census of Merchant Seamen, at MH

US – 1940 – United States Census, 1940, index & images, at FS

US – 1940 United States Federal Census, at MH

California Census Records online at state level

California – 1790 – The census of 1790 : a demographic history of colonial California, at FS

California – 1796-1798 – California, census records : pre-statehood census, 1796-1798, at FS

California – 1848-1863 – Missourians in the San Francisco, California death records, 1848-1863 : [and] Missourians in the 1870 mortality census records of California [and] Missourians in the death records of Marysville, Yuba County, California, 1870-1900, at FS

California – 1850 – California, 1850 federal census, at FS

California – 1850-1880 – Jugoslav-American immigrant history series, at FS

California – 1852 – 1852 California census, at FS

California – 1852 – 1852 California census (continued), at FS

California – 1852 – 1852 California census continued, at FS

California – 1852 – 1852 California state census, at FS

California – 1852 – California census of 1852, at FS

California – 1852 – California state census, 1852, at FS

California – 1852 – California State Census, 1852, index

California – 1852 California State Census, at MH

California – 1852 – California, state census, 1852, at FS

California – 1852 – Censuses of California, 1852, 1860, 1870, 1880, at FS

California – 1852 – Censuses of California, 1852, 1860, 1870, 1880: Chinese names in census rolls, at FS

California – 1860 – California, 1860 federal census, at FS

California – 1860 – Censuses of California, 1852, 1860, 1870, 1880, at FS

California – 1860 – Censuses of California, 1852, 1860, 1870, 1880: Chinese names in census rolls, at FS

California – 1860 – Index to Federal census, California, 1860, p. 415, at FS

California – 1870 – California, 1870 federal census, at FS

California – 1870 – Censuses of California, 1852, 1860, 1870, 1880, at FS

California – 1870 – Censuses of California, 1852, 1860, 1870, 1880: Chinese names in census rolls, at FS

California – 1870 – St. Catherine’s Academy, at FS

California – 1880 – 1880 census-California, at FS

California – 1880 – Arthur’s in California, at FS

California – 1880 – California census, 1880, at FS

California – 1880 – California, 1880 federal census, at FS

California – 1880 – California, 1880 federal census, at FS

California – 1880 – Censuses of California, 1852, 1860, 1870, 1880, at FS

California – 1880 – Censuses of California, 1852, 1860, 1870, 1880 : Chinese names in census rolls, at FS

California – 1880 – Censuses of California, 1852, 1860, 1870, 1880: Chinese names in census rolls, at FS

California – 1880 – Special census of Indians, 1880, at FS

California – 1885-1939 – Indian census rolls, Hoopa Valley, 1885-1939, at FS

California – 1885-1940 – Indian census rolls, Colorado River, 1885-1940, at FS

California – 1899-1904, 1915-1920 – Indians census rolls, Digger, 1899-1904 and 1915-1920, at FS

California – 1900 – California, 1900 federal census, at FS

California – 1900 – California, 1900 federal census, at FS

California – 1905-1935 – Indian census rolls, Fort Yuma, 1905-1935, at FS

California – 1910 – California, 1910 federal census, at FS

California – 1910 – California, 1910 federal census, at FS

California – 1915-1930 – Indian census rolls, Fort Bidwell, 1915-1930, at FS

California – 1916-1923 – Indians census rolls, Greenville, 1916-1923, at FS

California – 1920 – California, 1920 federal census, at FS

California – 1920 – California, 1920 federal census, at FS

California – 1930 – California, 1930 federal census, at FS

California – 1940 – California, 1940 population census, at FS

California Census Records online at the county level

Amador County – Census – 1860 – Bits and Pieces : Census Extractions – 1860 California, Amador County Census Township of Jackson, at FS

Butte County – Census – 1860 – Butte County, California 1860 Federal Census, at FS

Butte County – Census – 1880 – 1880 Federal Census Index, Butte County, California, at FS

Kern County – Voting Registers – The Great Register (voter Registration), Kern County, California : a Partial Substitute for 1890 Census, at FS

Lassen County – Cemeteries – Lassen Co., Birth Records, 1864-1928 & Cemetery Census; Death Records, 1874-1912 & Marriage Records, 1864-1929, at FS

Los Angeles County – Census – 1850 – Census of the City and County of Los Angeles, California for the Year 1850, Together with an Analysis and an Appendix, at FS

Mariposa County – Census – 1850 – Population Schedule of the United States Census for 1850, Mariposa County, California, at FS

Nevada County – Cemeteries – Nevada Co., Cemetery Census & Death Records, 1922-1983, at FS

Orange County – Cemeteries – Orange Co., Birth/death/marriage/church Records & Cemetery Census, at FS

Plumas County – Census – 1860 – Sierra County 1860 Census, Plumas County 1860 and 1880 Census, Yuba County 1880 Census Abstracts, at FS

Plumas County – Census – 1880 – Sierra County 1860 Census, Plumas County 1860 and 1880 Census, Yuba County 1880 Census Abstracts, at FS

Sacramento County – Census – 1870 – Bits and Pieces : Census Extractions – 1870 California, Sacramento Co. Census, at FS

San Diego County – Census – 1900 – Indexes – San Diego County, California, Census Index, 1900, at FS

San Joaquin County – Census – 1850 – 1850 Census, San Joaquin County, at FS

San Joaquin County – Census – 1850 – The 1850 Census of San Joaquin County, California, at FS

Santa Barbara County – Census – 1880 – Santa Barbara County, California 1880 Enumerations, at FS

Shasta County – Census – 1850 – Shasta County California 1850 U.S. Census, at FS

Sierra County – Census – 1860 – Sierra County 1860 Census, Plumas County 1860 and 1880 Census, Yuba County 1880 Census Abstracts, at FS

Solano County – Census – 1852 – 1852 California Census : Solano County, at FS

Solano County – Census – 1852 – 1852 Census, California, Solano County Continued, at FS

Solano County – Census – 1852 – Solano County, California 1852 State Census Index, at FS

Solano County – Census – 1900 – 1900 United States Census Index, Solano County, California, at FS

Stanislaus County – Census – 1860 – 1860 Census of Stanislaus County, California, at FS

Yolo County – Census – 1850 – Missourians in the 1850 Census of Yolo County, California, at FS

Yolo County – Schools – Reports : 1867-1907, Yolo County (California). School Census Marshall, at FS

Yuba County – Census – 1850 – Federal Census 1850, Yuba Co., California, at FS

Yuba County – Census – 1860 – Original Returns of Yuba County of U.S. Census of 1860, at FS

Yuba County – Census – 1880 – Sierra County 1860 Census, Plumas County 1860 and 1880 Census, Yuba County 1880 Census Abstracts, at FS

California Census Records online at the city level

Chico – Census – 1906 – City Census, 1906, at FS

El Toro – Cemeteries – Orange Co., Birth/death/marriage/church Records & Cemetery Census, at FS

Grass Valley – Cemeteries – Nevada Co., Cemetery Census & Death Records, 1922-1983, at FS

Greenview Township – Census – 1908 – Census Report of Greenview Township, 1908, at FS

Kern City – Census – 1908 – Town Census, 1908, at FS

Long Beach – Census – City Census, 1905, 1906, at FS

Long Beach Township – Census – 1908 – Census of Long Beach Township, 1908, at FS

Los Angeles – Census – 1850 – Census of the City and County of Los Angeles, California for the Year 1850, Together with an Analysis and an Appendix, at FS

Los Angeles – Census – 1836 – Padrones De La Ciudad De Los Angeles, 1836, 1844, at FS

Los Angeles – Census – 1844 – Padrones De La Ciudad De Los Angeles, 1836, 1844, at FS

Los Angeles – Census – 1897 – First Census of the City of Los Angeles, 1897, at FS

Los Angeles – Census – 1897 – Los Angeles City Census, 1897, at FS

Marysville – Census – 1860 – Original Returns of Yuba County of U.S. Census of 1860, at FS

Monrovia – Census – 1910 – City Census, 1910, at FS

Nevada City – Cemeteries – Nevada Co., Cemetery Census & Death Records, 1922-1983, at FS

Oakland – Census – 1902 – City Census, 1902, at FS

Porterville – Census – 1908 – City Census, 1908, at FS

Portola – Cemeteries – Elk Grove Cemetery Record & Portola, Plumas County, California Census, at FS

Red Bluff – Census – 1908 – Town Census, 1908, at FS

Richmond – Census – 1908 – City Census, 1908, at FS

San Jose – Census – 1897 – City Census, 1897, at FS

San Juan Capistrano – Cemeteries – Orange Co., Birth/death/marriage/church Records & Cemetery Census, at FS

San Luis Obispo – Census – 1906 – City Census, 1906, at FS

San Pedro – Census – 1906 – City Census, 1906, at FS

Santa Ana – Cemeteries – Orange Co., Birth/death/marriage/church Records & Cemetery Census, at FS

Santa Barbara – Census – 1850 – U.S. Census, Santa Barbara, California, 1850, at FS

Santa Barbara – Census – 1834 – Early California and Nogales, Arizona Lists of Expeditionary Members, Soldiers and Residents, 1752, 1775, 1781-1837 : Material Emphasizes Santa Barbara, Calif., at FS

Santa Barbara – Census – 1837 – Early California and Nogales, Arizona Lists of Expeditionary Members, Soldiers and Residents, 1752, 1775, 1781-1837 : Material Emphasizes Santa Barbara, Calif., at FS

San Bernardino – Population – A Preliminary Study of the Wealth of Families in San Bernardino, California in 1860 and 1870, at FS

San Diego – Census – 1899 – City Census, 1899, at FS

San Francisco – Census – 1920 – 1920 Census Map for San Francisco, California, at FS

Santa Monica – Census – 1905 – City Census, 1905, at FS

Scott Valley Township – Census – 1908 – Census Report of Scott Valley Township, 1908, at FS

Truckee – Cemeteries – Nevada Co., Cemetery Census & Death Records, 1922-1983, at FS

Ventura – Census – 1905 – Town Census, 1905, at FS