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1850 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 Michigan:

Allegan Jackson Oceana
Barry Kalamazoo Ontonagon
Berrien Kent Ottawa
Branch Lapeer Saginaw
Calhoun Lenawee Sanilac
Cass Livingston Schoolcraft
Chippewa MacKinac Shiawassee
Clinton Macomb St Clair
Eaton Marquette St Joseph
Genesee Mason Tuscola
Hillsdale Midland Van Buren
Houghton Monroe Washtenaw
Huron Montcalm Wayne
Ingham Newaygo
Ionia Oakland

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.