Peninsula
Genealogical Society - - Door Co., WI
Peninsula
Genealogical Society - - Door Co., WI
CENSUSES for DOOR COUNTY, WI
updated 7 Apr 2011
PGS Database:
This index is a PDF File and can be viewed with Adobe Reader. It takes quite a while to download - just FYI!
FEDERAL CENSUSES for Door County: Door Co. government began in 1851. So, Federal Censuses for Door Co. available as of 2009 are: 1860-1930 - On the 1850 Census, you can find the area which became Door County included on the Brown County Census. The federal censuses were taken every 10 years and as of 1850 included all persons. Before that only the Head-of-household's name was taken. The 1860 Federal Census showed the Towns in Door County in a state of formation and Ginny HAEN has produced a listing of the Towns with some explanation for researchers which is on our PGS 1860 Census Helps Page (7 Apr 2011). The 1890 Census is not available!-see STATE CENSUSES.
INDEXES: To make research much easier than going through each page of an area's census, indexes have been created to locate families and individuals. The PGS has created an index of the 1910 Federal Census for Door County because for many years there was no index or Soundex for 1910. It was produced in print and now is available on this website (see the link below on this page). Nowadays indexes and actual images for that Federal Census and many others can be found on FamilySearch, Ancestry.com, HeritageQuest (free through many public libraries on your home computers-you will need your library card number to log in and your password), Rootsweb - the major census resource websites.
Original Images of Census pages: After finding the individual or family on the indexes, it is necessary to view and copy the pages from the original census for your records. Viewing those pages will allow you to see neighbors and possible other family living nearby. Also, street names may be mentioned if in a village or city. The Door County Library in Sturgeon Bay and Brown County Library in Green Bay have censuses up to 1930 available on microfilm. These microfilms can be interloaned to other public libraries. You can also view microfilms of the Federal Censuses at your local Family History Center.
Family Search (free), HeritageQuest (free through public libraries) and Ancestry.com ($ or free at your local public library or Family History Center).
STATE CENSUSES for Door County: 1885 and 1895 WI State Censuses are particularly important as there is no 1890 Federal Census.
The Wisconsin State Censuses: 1855, 1875, 1885, 1895 and 1905 have been digitized and indexed and are available on Family Search Labs Search at:
-The 1885 Wisconsin State Census for Door County can be ordered on microfilm at your local Family History Center on FHL#1032696 (Columbia-Dunn Co's).
-The 1895 Wisconsin State Census for Door County can be ordered on microfilm at your local Family History Center on FHL #1032706 (Columbia-Dunn Co's).