Florida

Florida Census Research

Federal censuses for Florida began in 1830 and continued every ten years thereafter.

The Spanish took a number of censuses during periods of their control (1565–1763 and 1784–1821). Most have been published, though some may be difficult to find. “The 1783 Spanish Census of Florida” was published in four consecutive issues of the Georgia Genealogical Magazine, beginning with no.39 (Winter 1971). William S. Coker and G. Douglas Inglis’s The Spanish Census of Pensacola, 1784–1820: A Genealogical Guide to Spanish Pensacola (Pensacola, Fla.: Perdido Bay Press, 1980) reproduces ten valuable censuses and population lists, one or another taken roughly every four years.

The state of Florida also conducted its own censuses in 1845, 1855, and every ten years from 1875 through 1945. Unfortunately, very few enumeration schedules have survived. Fortunately, Florida accepted partial funding from the federal government for a census taken as of 1 June 1885. Thirty-five of the thirty-nine counties of the state in 1885 are included and survive. The Florida State Archives has the original schedules of the state censuses of 1935 and 1945.

Florida Vital records

• Florida State Department of Health: Holds records of births from 1917 to the present (with limited records from 1865-1916); marriages and divorces (from June 6, 1927 to the present); and deaths.
• Birth and death records may also be available from local county health departments, while local county Clerks of courts may hold divorce and marriage records.  See the “About Vital Records” page on the Florida State Department of Health website for local contact information.

Florida Research Resources

The organizations listed below provide information about Florida history and genealogy. In addition to these state-level resources, many counties and towns maintain important genealogical collections in local libraries, genealogical societies, or historical societies, so check for a local resource when researching.

• State Library of Florida Genealogy Resources page
• Florida State Archives
• Florida Historical Society
• Florida State Genealogical Society (FSGS): FGS publishes a newsletter and The Florida Genealogist Journal, and sponsors an annual statewide conference.
• Florida GenWeb: Contains links to Florida county-level genealogy pages; special projects; and collections and archives.
• RootsWeb Resources: Contains links to Florida genealogy resources, including state and county-level websites; societies and organizations; and personal and miscellaneous web sites related to Florida research.
• Florida Memory: This website is a joint project of the Florida State Library and Archives. Some highlights of this growing digital archive include Florida Confederate pension application files (images), WW1 Florida draft cards, a large photographic collection, and the Florida Folklife collection.
• University of Florida Digital Collections: Some highlights of the many available collections include the Florida Collections, which contain oral history, newspapers, and photograph collections, and the History and Heritage collections, containing “Florida and the Civil War.”
• Florida Digital Newspaper Library: Contains searchable digital images for Florida current and historic newspapers.
• Chronicling America: Online newspapers. Provides searchable online versions of selected Florida newspapers.
• National Archives at Atlanta: Maintains records from Federal agencies and courts in Florida, including census, military, court, naturalization, and immigration records. See the Genealogy and Historical research link for more details.
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM) General Land Office Records: The BLM administers Federal Land for public land states including Florida, and maintains records of land patents which granted land from the Federal Government to individuals. Use the Land Patent Search to locate land grants by name. Many record images are available on the web site. See the FAQ for more information on how to locate and use land patents.