Iowa, Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880
Name index and images of mortality schedules from Iowa,1850-1880. Mortality Schedules were created in conjunction with the US Federal Census and list people who died in the year preceding the census. Mortality schedules were first included in the 1850 census. These include lists of people who died Jun 1849 - May 1850, Jun 1859 - May 1860, Jun 1869-May 1870, and Jun 1879 - May 1880.
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Iowa, Mortality Schedules
Source: https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Iowa,_Mortality_Schedules_-_FamilySearch_Historical_Records
What is in This Collection?
The Iowa Mortality Schedules collection consists of an index & images of mortality schedules in Iowa from 1850–1880. Mortality schedules include individuals who died in the year preceding the federal census. Mortality schedules exist for the census year 1850, 1860, and 1880. Census enumerators requested information from the head of household about deaths that had occurred from June 1st to May 31st of the previous year. In 1918 to 1919, the Bureau of the Census distributed the original schedules to states or to the National Library of the Daughters of the American Revolution when states were not interested.
Mortality schedules list a small percentage of the total population. At the time of the 1870 census, it was surmised that as many as one-third of all deaths were not reported. For instance, when a family was scattered by the death of the head of household, there was no one left to report it. In 1880, a supplemental report from attending physicians added 60,000 additional names to the schedules.
In the absence of vital registration in many states, mortality schedules provided nationwide death statistics for one year of each decade, 1850–1880. According to the official statistical report for 1870, this was done to assess the death rate for age-groups, sex, race, nationality, and occupation and to "deduc[e] the effect of the various conditions of life upon the duration of life."
Census mortality schedules are usually accurate, but this accuracy depended on the knowledge of the informant and the care of the census enumerator.
Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.
What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
- Name, age, gender, and color of deceased
- Free person or slave
- Whether married or widowed
- Birthplace (state, territory, or country)
- Month in which death occurred
- Occupation (profession or trade)
- Cause of death
- If parents were foreign born (1870 Census only)
- Length of residence in the United States (1880 Census only)
- Father’s and mother’s birthplace (1880 Census only)
Collection Content
Sample Images
1850
1860
1870
1880
_Iowa_1850_DGS_7311070_19.jpg)
_Iowa_1860_DGS_7311071_18.jpg)
_Iowa_1870_DGS_7311072_29.jpg)
_Iowa_1880_DGS_7311075_14.jpg)
Sample Forms National Archives
Inventory
An inventory of the contents of each film and digital folder in this collection can be found at Iowa Mortality Schedules - Inventory.
Digital Folder Number List
This collection contains a digital browse. Only the DGS numbers are displayed.
| DGS Number | Date From | Date To | First County | Last County | Roll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7311070 | 2 June 1849 | 1 June 1850 | Appanoose | Washington | 54 |
| 7311071 | 2 June 1859 | 1 June 1860 | Wright | Adair | 55 |
| 7311072 | 2 June 1869 | 1 June 1870 | Adair | Hancock | 56 |
| 7311073 | 2 June 1869 | 1 June 1870 | Hardin | Shelby | 57 |
| 7311074 | 2 June 1869 | 1 June 1870 | Sioux | Wright | 58 |
| 7311075 | 1 June 1879 | 31 May 1880 | Adair | Des Moines | 59 |
| 7311076 | 1 June 1879 | 31 May 1880 | Dickinson | Linn | 60 |
| 7311077 | 1 June 1879 | 31 May 1880 | Louisa | Van Buren | 61 |
| 7311078 | 1 June 1879 | 31 May 1880 | Wapello | Wright | 62 |
Collection Details
Location of Original Records
National Archives and Records Administration
"Iowa, Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed 2026. Citing Nonpopulation Census Schedules for Iowa, 1850-1880, NARA publication number T1156. Records of the Bureau of the Census, RG 29 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
