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1870 United States Federal Census

Original Images

This database contains images of original records.

Sample Forms
Download blank Census forms
You can fill out the form with information on your ancestor, or just use it to better read the column headings.

Handwriting Help
View a sampling of handwriting examples
The examples should help you read the text on the original images more easily.

Please choose a county in New York:

Albany Herkimer Richmond
Allegany Jefferson Rockland
Broome Kings Saint Lawrence
Cattaraugus Lewis Saratoga
Cayuga Livingston Schenectady
Chautauqua Madison Schoharie
Chemung Monroe Schuyler
Chenango Montgomery Seneca
Clinton New York Steuben
Columbia Niagara Suffolk
Cortland Oneida Sullivan
Delaware Onondaga Tioga
Dutchess Ontario Tompkins
Erie Orange Ulster
Essex Orleans Warren
Franklin Oswego Washington
Fulton Otsego Wayne
Genesee Putnam Westchester
Greene Queens Wyoming
Hamilton Rensselaer Yates

Census Records - Counties

After separating the census records into groups by state, the federal government subdivided these records into county groups. Searching for an ancestor on the county level provides a smaller region for research if you remain uncertain about the specific township where your ancestor resided. Researchers should also be aware of boundary line or jurisdictional changes through time. These changes may affect where an ancestor was enumerated on the census, so it remains important to search the counties surrounding the area where your ancestor lived.