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ILLINOIS 1830  CENSUS INDEX

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

        In the years between the 1820 and 1830 census, the population of Illinois almost tripled reaching 157,445 by the time of the 1830 census enumeration. Illinois had not yet engaged in the Black Hawk War which all but eliminated the Ahostile@ native American element and opened up the state to increased migration from the East and across sea to its rich farming and natural resource lands.

SOURCE OF INFORMATION

The primary source of information for this index can be found on four reels of National Archives microfilm: Records of the Bureau of the Census. RG 29. Fifth Census of the United States , 1830. M19, Reels 22, 23, 24, and 25.  In addition to using these microforms, the index was checked against previously prepared indexes in an attempt to provide the most accurate and useful tool for this census year.

HOW TO USE THIS INDEX

This index was prepared with personal computer equipment and thus has been customized to take advantage of the sorting features of the database program used. Abbreviations for common given names such as JNO., WM., JAS., have been lengthened to JOHN, WILLIAM, JAMES, etc., to assure that the entries will appear in correct alphabetical sequence. If abbreviations were unclear, they were left as on the original. Also, last names shown with spaces on the original were entered without spaces on this index. Thus, names such as Mc Intire or St. John , appear as MCINTIRE and STJOHN. This allows the computer program to place the names in strict alphabetical sequence.

             The index depicts the name of the head of household, the county of residence, and the page of the original record on which the name appears. Because only the page number is given, if two exact names appear on the same page, the entry will appear twice on the index.

             As is the case with all indexes to handwritten original records, handwriting has been interpreted as accurately as possible. As always, misinterpretations will occur as well as the errors or mis-spellings made by the census enumerator. No attempt was made to research previous or subsequent census years or other original records to determine the correct name. Thus, researchers should always look for alternate spellings if the name does not appear under the spelling first checked.