New York State Department of State State Population Census Schedules (1915)
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Overview of the Records
New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230
175 cubic feet
491 volume(s)
1 35mm microfilm roll(s)
Arrangement
Alphabetical by county, then by Assembly District, then by Election District.
Administrative History
Summary statistics of citizens, aliens, and total population for each political subdivision are published in "Report of the Secretary of State of the Enumeration of the Inhabitants, 1915" (Albany, 1916; Assembly Document no. 16). See also "Maps Accompanying the Report of the Secretary of State of the Enumeration of the Inhabitants, 1915" (Albany, 1916). For further information on census records, see "New York State Census Records, 1790-1925" (New York State Library Bibliography Bulletin #88).
Scope and Content Note
This series consists of a state-wide census of population administered through the Secretary of State's office. Each page of the schedules provides the block number (if any), election district number, ward number (if any), city or village, town, assembly district number, county, and name of the enumerator.
The categories of information are as follows: 1. Address (street or road, with house number if any); 2. Name of each person in the family as of June 1, 1915; 3. Relationship of each person to the head of the family; 4. Color or race; 5. Sex; 6. Age at last birthday; 7. Nativity (U.S. or foreign country); 8. Number of years in the U.S. (if born abroad); 9. Citizen or alien; 10. Occupation; 11. Employment "Class" (W.-person working on salary or wages; O.A.-person working for "own account," a "proprietor who is not an employer of labor"; Emp.-"employer of persons other than domestic servants"; X-"person not engaged in gainful occupation"); and 12. Residence of persons in institutions. No statistics of agriculture or industry were collected in this census. The Indian censuses found in the last volume (with Yates County) are available on microfilm.
Two volumes of Onondaga County schedules are missing, though there is no gap in the numbering of the volumes: Assembly District 2 lacks Fabius, Lafayette, Onondaga, Tully, and Wards 14, 18, and 19 of Syracuse; and Assembly District 3 lacks DeWitt, Manlius, Pompey, and Wards 10-17 of Syracuse. There is a loose-leaf binder listing each volume, with names of political subdivisions in each volume and microfilm roll numbers.
Alternate Formats Available
Microfilm copy of the census schedules is available at the New York State Library.
Population census schedules of Indian reservations done as part of the 1915 statewide census were microfilmed in response to frequent use in order to minimize handling of fragile, original census schedules. This microfilm is available at the repository, but is not included in the digitized set available on Ancestry.com New York.
Each schedule provides the name of the reservation enumerated, county where located, and enumerator's name. The following reservations are included in the census: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Onondaga, Poospatuck, St. Regis, Shinnecock, Tonawanda, and Tuscarora.
Items Online
The entire series (except Indian reservation schedules) is digitized (from microfilm) and is available to New York State residents for free on Ancestry.com New York. You must sign up for a free account to access these records without a paid subscription. To learn more, go to How to Use Ancestry.com New York
Ancestry.com
State Census, 1915 on Ancestry.com
Related Material
B1875 Population census of Indian reservations, 1915, contains related records.
Other Finding Aids
Available at Repository
Alphabetical card index to heads of population schedules is available on microfilm at the New York State Library.
Series B2307, Maps accompanying the report of the Secretary of State of the enumeration of the inhabitants, 1915, indexes this series.
Processing Information
Microfilmed copies of population surveys of Indian reservations done as part of the 1915 statewide census were originally accessioned as Series B1875, but were reintegrated with Series A0275 in 2023.
Access Restrictions
Restricted due to fragility of census schedules.