The Library has three microform collections of street indexes to New York City area state censuses. The titles of the collections are:
The following is a guide to these microform street indexes taken in part from Raymond G. Matthews in an introduction to New York City 1915 State Census Street Address Index.
Although the state censuses of New York are not indexed by name, it is fairly easy to find an individual in the enumerations for New York City if the address of residence is known.
The book compiled by the Family History Library is an index to addresses for the Manhattan 1915 census. The State Library also has a microfilmed card index to street addresses in Manhattan for 1905, 1915, and 1925. Prior to 1914, the Bronx was part of New York County and the Bronx is included in the Manhattan 1905 census and index. The Bronx was enumerated in 1915, but was not indexed by this card index.
At the time the book was compiled, the Family History Library had no similar index for the 1925 censuses of Manhattan, although the State Library does have 1925 census district maps for all boroughs of New York City.
Addresses can usually be obtained from city directories. Most city directories for New York City are available on microfilm. Manhattan directories for this time period also include Bronx addresses.
Once you have addresses, then select one of the street address indexes.
Volume I: Manhattan, compiled by Elaine Justesen and Ann Hughes. This index is arranged alphabetically by the name of the street and divided by even and odd house numbers. It gives the assembly district (A.D.), election district (E.D.), block, and microfilm number for most addresses. On the microfilm search the entire block designated in the index. Each block consists of only a few pages. [In the NYSL on fiche, MA/FF 974.71 N532 99-6203] [FHL no. 6101203, Manhattan]
This index was filmed at the office of the New York County Clerk but it is not open to the public at that location. For each address, the index provides the assembly district, election district, and page number. There are usually two numbers in the assembly district column. The one to the right, stamped or handwritten, is the assembly district. [In the NYSL on 36 reels of 16 mm. film, MA/FM 974.71 N532 99-6202] [See chart for reel numbers.]
The 1915 New York State Census is arranged by Assembly District, Election District and Block. The information contained in the census is: street address, name (surname, given name and middle initial), relation to head of family, color, sex and age at last birthday, place of birth (U.S. or foreign country), number of years in United States, citizen or alien, occupation, inmates of institutions (residence at time of admission), infants under one year born prior to June 1, 1915.
Cards are indexed alphabetically by street name, without regard to directional prefix. Instruction cards have book numbers and other notes about how the census was taken. [In the NYSL on one 16 mm. reel, MA/FM 974.71 N532 99-6204] [FHL no. 1851952]
To access the 1915 Queens census find the street on the index. Note the Assembly District (A.D.) number, the Election District (E.D.) number and the page number. Then go to the Queens census and look first for the A.D. number, then the E.D. number on the film boxes.