Find your ancestors in 1890 U.S. Census, Civil War Union Veterans and Widows

Discover more about your ancestor’s service during the U.S. Civil War and the effects of battle that lasted for decades after the war. Learn new details about their service, and for those who did not survive, the names of their widows.

What can these records tell me?

There are over 885,000 records in this set, and each entry was filled out as part of the 1890 U.S. Census by a Union soldier of the U.S. Civil War or their surviving spouse. While the information for each person varies, 1890 U.S. Census, Civil War Union Veterans and Widows typically includes:

  • First and last name of soldier
  • First and last name of surviving widow
  • Rank
  • Company
  • Regiment
  • Length of service
  • Disability incurred
  • NARA publication number

    • Discover more about 1890 U.S. Census, Civil War Union Veterans and Widows

    Twenty-five years after the end of the U.S. Civil War, the federal government issued an additional schedule, or form, as part of the regular 1890 U.S. Census to be completed by all members of the Union armed forces who fought during the war. These new schedules requested all of the information necessary to summarize a veteran’s service, including their unit information, length of service, and any lasting disability suffered from the war. If the veteran did not survive to complete the form, their widow was instructed to provide as much information as possible. Not all records contain the same level of information but often new details can be uncovered by viewing the image of the original document as well as the transcript.

    Although the schedules for some counties and states were destroyed, you should be able to learn a lot of new details that can further your family history. You may learn new facts about your ancestor’s wartime service or the details of a disability sustained from combat. The information you uncover will enrich your family history and can lead to new possibilities for research.