Census Records
The first U.S. census took place on August 2, 1790, more than a year after President George Washington's inauguration. The law required every household be visited. Since 1790, censuses have been taken every 10 years, each one containing different information that the previous one. The 1890 census was destroyed, and what little remained was badly damanged in a 1920 Commerce Department building fire. This created a 20-year gap (1880-1900) making it very difficult to find family during those years.
For privacy reasons, censuses are published after 72 years have passed. The 1950 census was released for publication April 1, 2022. In 2032, the 1960 census will be published. If you are just starting your family search journey, check out the National Archives Resources for Genealogists.
Many of the census records are also accessible through the National Archives. Learn the history of the census and find a wealth of other resources.
To find your family in Greenlee County, you may want to start by looking at indexed census records at FamilySearch.org, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints.
The links below will take you to the search page at FamilySearch for that year's census records. You are required to register for a free account. Be sure to enter the place (town and state) where the ancestor you are searching for lived, or if you are unsure of the town, simply enter Greenlee County, Arizona. Arizona became a state in 1912 and before that, was a territory.
Access earlier censuses in Arizona through the Family Search Wiki Page. On the Wiki page, find the census year you want and click on "FamilySearch" below the year. If you have a paid subscription to Ancestry.com, you can click on Ancestry.com to be taken directly to that census year's search page.
If you scroll down the Wiki Page to "Other Census Images" you will find the U.S. Native American Census Rolls.
