US Census Records
It was not until 1870 that U.S. Federal census takers were instructed to count Native Americans, although some were counted earlier. In Michigan Native Americans were counted in 1850 in Wayland Township, Allegan County. In 1860 they were counted in TraverseTownship, Grand Traverse County; MiltonTownship, Grand Traverse County (now Antrim County); Danby Township in Ionia County; Mount Pleasant Township in Isabelle County; Leelanau and Centerville Townships in Leelanau County; parts of Mason and Oceana Counties, and Garden Island in Manitou County. In the earlier census remember that only whites are counted, so if you find a family in 1820, 1830 and 1840 with children born to the family, but with no female counted that is the appropriate age to be the mother that doesn't mean that the man had several wives who died before each census. It could mean the man has one wife who is Indian and therefore not counted. Names from 1830 Michlimackinac | 1840 Michlimackinac
Native Americans are found in with the general population in 1870, 1880, the 1890 Special Census, and the 1920, 1930 and 1940 census. In 1900 and 1910 they were enumerated on Indian Schedules which asked additional questions.
1880 Antrim County,
1880 Mason County.
In 1900 the census asked for person's tribe; tribe of father; tribe of mother; any white blood; polygamy; taxed; year of citizenship; by allotment; home fixed or moveable.
While the 1890 census (other than the
Special Civil War Veterans and Widows schedules) no longer exists,
from the Department of Interior's 1894 publication, Report on
Indians Taxed and Indians Not Taxed in the U.S. at the Eleventh
Census 1890 comes the number of Indians in each county.
Alcona 26; Alger 78; Allegan 71;
Antrim 184; Arenac 120; Baraga 287; Bay 92; Berrien 32; Calhoun 71;
Cass 35; Charlevoix 222; Cheboygan 132; Chippewa 441; Delta 217;
Emmet 914; Grand Traverse 35; Iosco 50; Isabella 355; Kalamazoo 21;
Lapeer 22; Leelanau 295; Mackinac 227; Manistee 22; Manitou 56;
Marquette 56; Mason 335; Mecosta 44; menominee 129; Muskegon 32;
Newaygo 18; Oceana 271; Ontonagon 59; Osceola 21; Ottawa 51; Saginaw
232; Schoolcraft 42; Tuscola 61; Van Buren 59; other counties (17 or
less in each) 206
Michigan State Census records
Native Americans were also included on
the state censuses taken in Michigan in 1874, 1884 and 1894.
Unfortunately these census records have not survived for all counties
and all years. Not all townships are represented in those censuses
that have survived.
The following are available at Michiganology.
Baraga - 1884
Barry - 1884, 1894
Bay - 1884, 1894
Benzie - 1884
Branch - 1857, 1874
Clinton - 1864
Eaton - 1845, 1854, 1864, 1874
Gratiot - 1894
Hillsdale - 1884, 1894
Houghton - 1864, 1874
Ingham - 1884, 1894
Iosco - 1894
Jackson - 1884, 1894
Kalamazoo - 1874, 1884, 1894
Kent - 1884, 1894
Keweenaw - 1884
Lake - 1884
Lapeer - 1884, 1894
Lenawee - 1854, 1884, 1894
Livingston - 1894
Menominee - 1884, 1894
Midland - 1894
Montcalm - 1884, 1894
Muskegon - 1884, 1894
Newaygo - 1884, 1894
Ottawa - 1884, 1894
Roscommon - 1884
Sanilac - 1884, 1894
St. Clair - 1884, 1894
St. Joseph - 1845, 1884, 1894
Sanilac - 1864
Washtenaw - 1827, 1845, 1854, 1884, 1894
Wayne - 1884 excluding Detroit
Additional census that have been found are:
Allegan - 1894Benzie - 1894
Dickinson - 1894
Emmet - 1884
Isabella - 1884, 1894
Keweenaw - 1894
Leelanau - 1894
When using a census record it may be
necessary to look at entire families in order to find the family you
are researching. It is possible to find the head of household using
his or her Indian name in one census, English name in another census
and a combination of the two in still another census. Look at the
names and ages of the children, compared with the information learned
on those children from other sources to construct the different
family identities.
(c) Copyright 1999-2019 Vicki Wilson
(c) Copyright 1999-2019 Vicki Wilson
Link to Michigan Native American Ancestors facebook group
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