South Dakota 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 South Dakota 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 – 1810 – United States Census, 1810, at FS, index & images
US – 1810 – 1810 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1820 – United States Census, 1820, at FS, index & images
US – 1820 – 1820 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1830 – United States Census, 1830, at FS, index & images
US – 1830 – 1830 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1840 – United States Census, 1840, at FS, index & images
US – 1840 – 1840 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1848 – United States, Native American, Eastern Cherokee Indian Reservation Rolls, 1848-1970, at FS, index & images
US – 1850 – United States Census, 1850, at FS, index & images
US – 1850 – 1850 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1850 – United States Census (Mortality Schedule), 1850, at FS, index & images
US – 1850 – 1850 United States Federal Census (Mortality Schedule), at MH-$
US – 1850 – 1850 United States Federal Census (Slave Schedule), at MH-$
US – 1860 – United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1860, at FS, index & images
US – 1860 – United States Census, 1860, at FS, index & images
US – 1860 – 1860 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1870 – United States Census, 1870, at FS, index & images
US – 1870 – 1870 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1880 – United States Census, 1880, at FS, index & images
US – 1880 – 1880 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1885 – United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940, at FS, index & links to images
US – 1890 – United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890, at FS, index & images
US – 1890 – United States Census, 1890, at FS, index & images
US – 1890 – 1890 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1900 – United States Census, 1900, at FS, index & images
US – 1900 – 1900 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1908 – United States, Native American, Eastern Cherokee Enrollment Records, 1908-1910, at FS, index & links to images
US – 1910 – United States Census, 1910, at FS, index & images
US – 1910 – 1910 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1920 – United States Census, 1920, at FS, index & images
US – 1920 – 1920 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1930 – United States Census of Merchant Seamen, 1930, at FS, index & images
US – 1930 – 1930 United States Census of Merchant Seamen, at MH-$
US – 1930 – United States Census, 1930, at FS, index & images
US – 1930 – 1930 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1940 – United States Census, 1940, at FS, index & images
US – 1940 – 1940 United States Federal Census, at MH-$
US – 1950 – United States Census, 1950, at FS, index & images
South Dakota Census Records online at the state level
South Dakota – 1836 – The first census of the original counties of Dubuque and Demoine (Iowa): taken in July 1836, at FS
South Dakota – 1860 – Dakota, 1860 federal census, at FS
South Dakota – 1869-1951 – Cheyenne River Agency – Agency records, 1869-1951 (birth, death, marriage, divorce, census, school, employment, land, pension, Sioux, Cheyenne), at FS
South Dakota – 1870 – Dakota Territory, 1870 federal census, at FS
South Dakota – 1870 – The 1870 census records of Deuel, Jayne and Hutchinson counties, Dakota Territory, at FS
South Dakota – 1874-1932 – Census records, 1874-1932, at FS
South Dakota – 1876-1939 – Census records, 1876-1939 [Standing Rock Agency], at FS
South Dakota – 1877-1942 – Rosebud Agency – Tribal census, 1877-1942 (Dakota Indians), at FS
South Dakota – 1877-1942 – Spotted Trail Agency – Tribal census, 1877-1942 (Dakota Indians), at FS
South Dakota – 1877-1942 – Tribal census, 1877-1942, at FS
South Dakota – 1879 – South Dakota, School Records, 1879-1970, index & images, at FS
South Dakota – 1880 – Dakota, 1880 federal census, at FS
South Dakota – 1880 – Special census of Indians, 1880, at FS
South Dakota – 1880 – Special census of Indians; Ihanktonwan Sioux, Crow Creek Agency, 1880, at FS
South Dakota – 1880 – Special census of Indians; Rosebud Agency, 1880, at FS
South Dakota – 1885 – Partial South Dakota portion of the 1885 Dakota Territory census population schedules, at FS
South Dakota – 1885-1917 – Indian census rolls, Santee, 1885-1917, at FS
South Dakota – 1885-1931 – Indian census rolls, Yankton, 1885-1931, at FS
South Dakota – 1886-1942 – Cheyenne River Agency – Indian census rolls, Cheyenne River, 1886-1942 (birth, marriage, death, census, Sioux, Dakota), at FS
South Dakota – 1886-1942 – Indian census rolls, Cheyenne River, 1886-1942, at FS
South Dakota – 1886-1942 – Indian census rolls, Crow Creek, 1886-1942, at FS
South Dakota – 1886-1942 – South Dakota – Indian census rolls, Crow Creek, 1886-1942 (birth, marriage, death, census, Sioux, Brulé, Yanktonai, Dakota), at FS
South Dakota – 1889 – Lists of males over 18 years of age, 1889, at FS
South Dakota – 1892-1939 – Flandreau – Indian census rolls, Flandreau, 1892-1939 (Sioux, birth ,death, census, Santee, Dakota), at FS
South Dakota – 1892-1939 – Indian census rolls, Flandreau, 1892-1939, at FS
South Dakota – 1895 – Partial South Dakota 1895 census population schedules, at FS
South Dakota – 1895 -1940 – Tribal census of the Lower Yanktonai Sioux, 1895-1940, at FS
South Dakota – 1900 – South Dakota, 1900 federal census, at FS
South Dakota – 1901 – Register of Lower Yanktoniai Sioux families–Crow Creek Agency, ca. 1901, at FS
South Dakota – 1905 – South Dakota State Census, 1905, index & images, at FS
South Dakota – 1905 – State census, 1905, at FS
South Dakota – 1910 – South Dakota, 1910 federal census, at FS
South Dakota – 1910-1911, 1921, 1924 – Indian census rolls, Canton Asylum, 1910-1911, 1921 and 1924, at FS
South Dakota – 1915 – South Dakota State Census, 1915, index & images, at FS
South Dakota – 1915 – State census, 1915, at FS
South Dakota – 1920 – South Dakota, 1920 federal census, at FS
South Dakota – 1925 – South Dakota State Census, 1925, index & images, at FS
South Dakota – 1925 – State census, 1925, at FS
South Dakota – 1926 – Census, 1926, at FS
South Dakota – 1926-1930 – Pine Ridge Agency – Agency pension records, 1926-1930, at FS (death dates, pensions, Oglala, Dakota), at FS
South Dakota – 1930 – South Dakota, 1930 federal census, at FS
South Dakota – 1931 – Census of the Yankton Reservation, 1931, and undated, at FS
South Dakota – 1935 – South Dakota State Census, 1935, index & images, at FS
South Dakota – 1935 – State census, 1935, at FS
South Dakota – 1940 – South Dakota, 1940 population census, at FS
South Dakota – 1945 – South Dakota state census, at FS
South Dakota – 1945 – South Dakota State Census, 1945, index & images, at FS
South Dakota – 1946-1948 – Pine Ridge Agency – Supplemental census, all births and deaths, 1946-1948 (census, Oglala, Dakota), at FS
South Dakota – 1946-1948 – Supplemental census, all births and deaths, 1946-1948, at FS
South Dakota Census Records online at the county level
Deuel County – Census – The 1870 Census Records of Deuel, Jayne and Hutchinson Counties, Dakota Territory, at FS
Fall River County – Schools – Census – South Dakota, Fall River County, School Census and Enumeration, 1887-1926, at FS
Hanson County – Census – The 1870 Census Records of Deuel, Jayne and Hutchinson Counties, Dakota Territory, at FS
Hanson County – Schools – South Dakota, Hanson County, School Census Records, 1912-1928, at FS
Hughes County – Schools – South Dakota, Hughes County, School Census Records, 1910-1930, at FS
Hutchinson County – Census – The 1870 Census Records of Deuel, Jayne and Hutchinson Counties, Dakota Territory, at FS
Lawrence County – Schools – Census – South Dakota, Lawrence County, School Census, 1889–1907, at FS
McPherson County – Schools – South Dakota, McPherson County, School Census Records, 1897-1938, at FS
Mellette County – Schools – South Dakota, Mellette County, School Census Records, 1919-1938, at FS
Pennington County – Schools – Census – South Dakota, Pennington County, School Censuses, 1901-1919, at FS
Pennington County – Census – South Dakota, Pennington County, Census Poll Books, 1879–1910, at FS
Potter County – Schools – South Dakota, Potter County, School Census Records, 1885-1931, at FS
Spink County – Schools – South Dakota, Spink County, School Census Records, 1883-1938, at FS
Turner County – Census – The 1870 Census Records of Deuel, Jayne and Hutchinson Counties, Dakota Territory, at FS
Union County – Census – Population Schedules of the Eleventh Census of the United States, 1890, at FS
Ziebach County – Schools – South Dakota, Ziebach County, School Census Records, 1911-1938, at FS
South Dakota Census Records online at the city level
Rosebud – Census – Special Census of Indians; Rosebud Agency, 1880, at FS
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