# Missing U.S. Census Info. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 22, 2005, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-u-s-census-info/318076 "2005-08-22T04:10:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rippingtons\_fan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rippingtons_fan/32/11767_2.png) [@rippingtons\_fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rippingtons_fan)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-u-s-census-info/318076/1 "2005-08-22T04:10:16Z")
What happened to all the information in the 1890 U.S. Census? It would sure help researching one’s family tree to be able to get this infornmation contained in this census. ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-u-s-census-info/318076/2 "2005-08-22T04:56:28Z")
Most of the records from the 1890 census were destroyed or damaged in a 1921 fire. [This article from the National Archives](http://www.archives.gov/genealogy/census/population/1890.html) explains what survived, and [here’s an article](http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1996/spring/1890-census-1.html) with a lengthier explanation. The census data for the years 1790-1880 are largely intact, as are the records for 1900-2000. ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mycroft\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_H)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/missing-u-s-census-info/318076/3 "2005-08-22T14:32:08Z")
Something that may help partially fill in the 1890 gaps is that some states did a mid-decade census. In Minnesota they recommend checking the 1885 and 1895 state censuses. (Being state records, they were not stored with the US data that was burned.)