New York, U.S., State Census, 1865

New York began taking formal state censuses in 1825 both to determine representation in state government and to produce statistics the government might find useful. The state took a census every ten years from 1825 through 1875, another in 1892, and then every ten years again from 1905 to 1925. State censuses like the 1865 census are useful because they fall in between federal census years and provide an interim look at the population.

The 1865 census asked about:

• state, county, and town, township, or city (and ward and district in cities)
• material of which dwelling is built and value
• name (including that of anyone absent in army or navy)
• age, sex, and color (white, black or mulatto)
• relation to head of family (something not found on federal censuses until 1880)
• place of birth (county of New York State or other state or foreign country)
• parent of how many children
• number of times married and current marital status
• occupation and usual place of employment
• whether native, naturalized voter, alien, or colored (not taxed)
• whether owner of land
• literacy of those over 21
• whether deaf, dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic
• whether now or formerly in the army or navy of the United States

Records are available for all counties, except the following: Allegany, Clinton, Franklin, Genesee, Hamilton, New York, Oswego, Putnam, Queens, Seneca, St. Lawrence, Sullivan, Wayne, Westchester, and Wyoming.