The New Mexico Genealogical Society

Availability of U. S. Federal Census Population Schedules for New Mexico Counties

by Ezekiel Gutierrez, Jr., as published in the New Mexico Genealogist, March 1999.

The following chart shows the census population schedules that exist for New Mexico counties from 1850 through 1920 and that are available on microfilm for public research at genealogical and family history libraries.

The first U.S. census of New Mexico was taken in 1850, the year that New Mexico officially became a territory of the United States. It remained a territory until statehood in 1912. The 1850 territorial census for the original seven counties of New Mexico is itemized and indexed in New Mexico 1850 Territorial Census, Vols. 1 through 4 [Item B1, NMGS Press].

Notes:

Yes: A federal population schedule is extant for that census year.
No: The 1890 census was taken, but the schedules are not available. A 1921 fire in the Commerce Department, Washington, D.C., destroyed almost all the census documents. None of the New Mexico records survived.
Although there is no 1890 Federal Census, a Special Schedule of 1890 (an enumeration of union veterans and widows) is available. The Special Schedule for Doña Ana County has been published in the New Mexico Genealogist, Sep 1997:113 and Dec 1997:158.
Under current law, a federal census does not become available to the public for 72 years after it is taken. The 1930 census will come into the public domain in the year 2002.

County	1850	1860	1870	1880	1885	1890	1900	1910	1920	Established
Bernalillo	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1852
Catron	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	1921
Chaves	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	Yes	Yes	1889
Cibola	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	1981
Colfax	--	--	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1869
Curry	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	Yes	1909
DeBaca	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	1917
Doña Ana	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1852
Eddy	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	Yes	Yes	1889
Grant	--	--	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1868
Guadalupe	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	Yes	Yes	1891
Harding	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	1921
Hidalgo	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	1919
Lea	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	1917
Lincoln	--	--	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1869
Los Alamos	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	1949
Luna	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	Yes	1901
McKinley	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	Yes	1899
Mora	--	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1860
Otero	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	Yes	Yes	1899
Quay	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	Yes	1903
Rio Arriba	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1852
Roosevelt	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	1903
San Juan	--	--	--	--	--	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1887
San Miguel	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1852
Sandoval	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	Yes	1903
Santa Ana	Yes	Yes	Yes	--	--	--	--	--	--	1852-1876*
Santa Fe	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1852
Sierra	--	--	--	--	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1884
Socorro	--	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1850
Taos	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1852
Torrance	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	Yes	1903
Union	--	--	--	--	--	--	Yes	Yes	Yes	1893
Valencia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	1852

*Santa Ana County was absorbed by Bernalillo County in 1876.

References:

Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920, by William Thorndale and William Dollarhide, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, MD 1987.
Twenty Censuses Population and Housing Questions, 1790-1980, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, October 1979.