Included in this page are formal Federal and State censuses, as well as census-like events that have the effect of recording head of household and county of residence.
Printable forms for all census years are available from Ancestry.com. These are especially helpful when in decoding the strings of numbers found in the 1790-1840 census records. Unless otherwise noted, these census records were transcribed from the microfilmed originals. The index sources for this transcription are the printed all-name index volumes available at the Dallas Public Library.
Not all states participated in every census year, often because they simply did not exist as such. There are probably Rainwaters in a number of regions that were not enumerated. The following states which are key to the Rainwater migration participated in these early censuses.
1755-1800 | NC Tax Lists and State Census |
1790 | NC, SC |
1800 | NC, SC |
1808 | MS |
1810 | KY, NC, SC, TN, MS (state only) |
1811-1816 | AL |
1810-1811 | MS |
1813 | LA |
1820 | GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN |
1830 | AL, AR, GA, KY, LA, MS, MO, NC, SC, TN |
1832-1839 | GA, LA, TN |
1840 | AL, AR, GA, KY, LA, MS, MO, NC, SC, TN |
1842-1849 | Stewart Co., TN Tax Lists |
From “North Carolina Taxpayers, 1679-1790” and “North Carolina Taxpayers, 1701-1786”, both by Clarence E. Ratcliff and “Halifax County, North Carolina Tax Lists, Vol. 1, 1782 & 1783” by David B. Gammon; and “Surry Co., NC Lost Taxes, Vol. 1, 1790-1795, and Vol. 2, 1796-1800,” by Iris Moseley Harvey
1755
James S. Rainwater of John, Granville Co.
John Rainwater, Granville Co.
1766
James Rainwater, Bute Co.
John Rainwater, Bute Co.
1771
John Rainwater, Jr., Surry Co.
1772
John Rainwater, Sr., Surry Co.
James Rainwater, Surry Co.
1782
James Rainwater, Surry Co.
John Rainwater, Surry Co.
Mary Rainwater, Surry Co.
1783
Ann or Arm Rainwater, Halifax Co., (listed as Arm in the Ratcliff book and Ann in the Gammon book)
1784
Moses Rainwater, Johnston Co.
William Rainwater, Warren Co.
1790
James Rainwaters, Surry Co, 300 acres, 1 poll
1791
James Rainwaters, Surry Co, 300 acres
1792
James Rainwaters, Surry Co, 280 acres, 2 poll
1793
James Rainwaters, Surry Co, 280 acres
1794, 1795
James Rainwaters, Surry Co, 180 acres
1796
James Rainwaters, Surry Co, 180 acres, 1 poll
1797, 1798, 1799
James Rainwaters, Surry Co, 180 acres
1800
James Rainwaters, Surry Co, 188 acres
From “State Census of North Carolina, 1784-1787, 2nd Edition Revised” by Alvaretta Kenan Register
Moses Rainwater, 1 WM 21-60, 6 WM under 21 or over 60, 4 WF, Capt. Alexander Hobbys district, Johnston Co., NC, pg 2, 1787
James Rainwater, 1 WM 21-60, 1 WM under 21 or over 60, 5 WF, 1 black 12-50, Willeses district, Surry Co., NC, pg 2, Feb 1786
Will Rainwater, 1 WM 21-60, 2 WM under 21 or over 60, 4 WF, Capt. Colclough's district, Warren Co., NC, pg 3, 1785
Key to 1790
Free white males, age 16 years and older, including heads of families
Free white males under age 16
Free white females, including heads of families
All other free persons
Slaves
WM 16+ | WM 0-16 | WF | FP | SL | |
North Carolina | |||||
Gilliam Rainwater, Halifax District, Franklin Co. | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
James Rainwater, Salisbury District, Surry Co. | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
John Rainwater, Hillsboro District, Granville Co. | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Moses Rainwater Sr., Newbern District, Johnston Co. | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
William Rainwater, Newbern District, Johnston Co. | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
South Carolina | |||||
John Rainwaters, District #96, Spartanburg Co. | 2 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Thomas Reinwaters, District #96, Spartanburg Co. | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Robert Rainwaters, District #96, Spartanburg Co. | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Key to 1800
Free white males under age 10
Free white males age 10-16
Free white males age 16-26, including heads of families
Free white males age 26-45, including heads of families
Free white males over age 45, including heads of families
Free white females - same demographic categories
All other free persons not taxed (none in these households)
Slaves (none in these households)
WM 0-10 | WM 10-16 | WM 16-26 | WM 26-45 | WM 45+ | WF 0-10 | WF 10-16 | WF 16-26 | WF 26-45 | WF 45+ | |
North Carolina | ||||||||||
James Rainwater, Surry Co., pg 687 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
South Carolina | ||||||||||
Benajmin Rainwaters, Spartanburg Co., pg 205B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
James Rainwaters, Spartanburg Co., pg 197 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Jesse Rainwater, Chesterfield Co., pg 110 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
John Rainwaters, Spartanburg Co., pg 173 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Richard Rainwater, Chesterfield Co., pg 110 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Robert Rainwaters, Spartanburg Co., pg 194B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Solomon Rainwater, Pendleton Co., pg 130B | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Key to 1808
White males over the age of 21
White males under the age of 21
White females over the age of 21
White females under the age of 21
Number of slaves, if any
WM 21+ | WM 0-21 | WF 21+ | WF 0-21 | SL | |
Jesse Rainwater | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Richard Rainwaters | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
Key to 1810
Free white males under age 10
Free white males age 10-16
Free white males age 16-26, including heads of families
Free white males age 26-45, including heads of families
Free white males over age 45, including heads of families
Free white females - same demographic categories
All other free persons not taxed (none in these households)
Slaves
From Ancestry.com
1811 Washington Co
Jesse Rainwater
Richard Rainwater
1813 Clarke Co
Richard Rainwater, Mississippi Territory
1816 Washington Co
Jesse Rainwater, Alabama Territory
1816 Clarke Co
Richard Rainwater, Mississippi Territory
Washington Co, MS
Jesse Rainwater
Richard Rainwater
Claims west of the Pearl River: a list containing the number of actual settlers in that part of Louisiana which lies east of the river Mississippi and the island of New Orleans, and west of the Pearl River. From American State Papers, Vol. 3, Public Lands, Walter Lowrie and Walter S. Franklin, published 1834, Gales and Seaton Publishers, Washington, DC
Newsom Rainwater, March 1813, St. Tammany Parish
Key to 1820
Free white males under age 10
Free white males age 10-16
Free white males age 16-26, including heads of families
Free white males age 26-45, including heads of families
Free white males over age 45, including heads of families
Free white females - same demographic categories
All other free persons not taxed
Slaves
Number of persons engaged in agriculture or manufacturing
The redundant WM 16-18 category has been omitted for space considerations
WM 0-10 | WM 10-16 | WM 16-26 | WM 26-45 | WM 45+ | WF 0-10 | WF 10-16 | WF 16-26 | WF 26-45 | WF 45+ | SL | AG | |
Kentucky | ||||||||||||
Abraham Rainwater, Pulaski Co., pg 58 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
William Rainwaters, Pulaski Co., pg 66 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
North Carolina | ||||||||||||
Matthew Rainwater, Richmond Co., pg 198 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Moses Rainwater, Richmond Co., pg 212 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
South Carolina | ||||||||||||
Benjamin Rainwaters, Spartanburg Co., pg 259 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Burrell Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 262, line 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
James Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 269 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
James Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 265 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
John Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 262, line 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
John Rainwater, Pendleton Co., pg 219 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Joshua Rainwater, Pendleton Co., pg 210B, line 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Levi Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 262 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 mfg |
Miles Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 246 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Solomon Rainwater, Pendleton Co., pg 210B | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
William Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 262 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Tennessee | ||||||||||||
Nancy Rainwater, Montgomery Co., pg 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
R(obert) Rainwater, Stewart Co., pg 128 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Georgia & Mississippi: none listed |
Key to 1830
Free white males under age 5
Free white males age 5-10
Free white males age 10-15
Free white males age 15-20
Free white males age 20-30
Free white males age 30-40
Free white males age 40-50
Free white males age 50-60
Free white males age 60-70
Free white males age 70-80
Free white males age 80-90
Free white males age 90-100
Free white males over age 100
Free white females - same demographic categories
Free colored persons
Slaves
Alabama
Jesse Rainwaters, Washington Co., pg 254, males 11110001 females 00111 male slaves 042201 female slaves 052401
William Rainwater, Southern district, Marengo Co., pg 345, males 20002 females 00001
William Rainwater, Tuscaloosa Co., pg 314, males 0210001 females 00001
William Rainwaters, Lawrence Co.pg 293, males 01000001 females 0000101
Georgia
Burrell Rainwater, Hall Co., pg 118, line 15, males 0001001 females 1222001
Elisha G. Rainwater, Hancock Co., pg 165, line 6, males 20001 females 10001
John Rainwater, Greene Co., pg 287, line 1, males 1310001 females 02001
Joshua Rainwater, Hall Co., pg 106, line 15, males 10001 females 210001
Solomon Rainwater, Hancock Co., pg 164, line 24 males 100011 females 20001
Kentucky
Aaron Rainwater, Todd Co., , pg 378B, line 10, males 120001 females 201001
Abraham Rainwater, Pulaski Co., pg --, line 22, males 10001 females 00001
Abraham Rainwater, Russell Co., pg 118B, line 4, males 002001 females 0000101
Bartholomew Rainwater, Pulaski Co., pg 22, males 10001 females 30001
Daniel Rainwater, Russell Co., pg 118B, line 5, males 00001 females 00101
James Rainwater, Pulaski Co., pg 22, males 00001 females 10001
Patsy Rainwater, Pulaski Co., pg 22, males 0012 females 02111
Louisiana
John Rainwaters, Washington Parish, 10001-00101
Mississippi
Richard Rainwaters, Covington Co., 31010-21010
William Rainwaters, Copiah Co., 30110-10100
Missouri
None listed
South Carolina
T. W. Horton & E. Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 261, line 1, males 00101, females 0101201
Gabriel Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 259, line 26, males 00001, females 10001
James Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 288, line 3, males 11201, females 02001
Rev. James Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 303, line 24, males 110001, females 301001, male slaves 001
Sarah Rainwater (widow of Benjamin), Spartanburg Co., line 19, males 00102; females 00200001
Job Rainwater, Anderson Co., pg 194, line 4, males 1023011, females 1200201
Joshua Rainwaters, Marlboro Co., pg 59
Nancy Rainwater, Marlboro Co., pg 240, line 12, males 0101 females 1120001
John & William Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 328, line 22, males 10110001001, females 1100010001, male slaves 1,
female slaves 201
Tennessee
Allen Rainwaters, Sevier Co., pg 94, line 15, males 100001, females 21000101 (4510)
Collin L. Rainwaters, Jefferson Co., pg 328, line 11, males 20001 females 01001
James Rainwaters, Jefferson Co., pg 338, line 23, males 0121001 females 1000001
John Rainwatter, Jefferson Co., pg 335, line 5, males 0002101 females 222101
John H. Rainwater, Stewart Co., pg 255, line 6, males 21001, females 10001
John N. Rainwater, Sevier Co., pg 101, line 17, males 120001, females 00001
Matthew Rainwaters, Jefferson Co., pg 328, line 8, males 230001 females 011001
Moses Rainwater, Sevier Co., pg 101, line 14, males 01110001, females 01010001
Mrs. Nancy Rainwater, Montgomery Co., pg 46, line 24, males 01011, females 1001101
Polly Rainwatters, Sevier Co., pg 121, line 6, males 101 females 110011
Vincent Rainwatter, Jefferson Co., pg 336, line 12, males 1110101 females 2111001
From "The 1832 Gold Lottery of Georgia, Containing a List of the Fortunate Drawers In Said Lottery" by The Rev. S. Emmett Lucas, Jr., published by Southern Historical Press
Abner Rainwater, Hancock Co., Militia District #106, Lot 310, District 15, Section 1
and Lot 427, District 13, Section 1 North
John Rainwater, Greene Co., Militia District #142, Lot 284, District 2, Section 2
Nusam Rainwater
From Tennessee, Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895 on Ancestry.com
Bedford Co.
Mourning Rainwater, 1837
Wesley Rainwater, 1837
Coffee Co.
Allen P Rainwater, 1836
C L Rainwater, 1836
C S Rainwater, 1839
Jefferson Co.
Eli Rainwater, 1836
John Rainwater, 1836, (2)
James Rainwater, 1836
Vincent Rainwater, 1836
Sevier Co.
James Rainwater, 1837
John Rainwater, 1838
Key to 1830
Free white males under age 5
Free white males age 5-10
Free white males age 10-15
Free white males age 15-20
Free white males age 20-30
Free white males age 30-40
Free white males age 40-50
Free white males age 50-60
Free white males age 60-70
Free white males age 70-80
Free white males age 80-90
Free white males age 90-100
Free white males over age 100
Free white females - same demographic categories
Free colored persons
Slaves
Alabama
A. P. Rainwater, Lawrence Co., pg 205, males 0000101 females 1110001 free black males 5 (4510)
B. Rainwater, Cherokee Co., pg 142, males 00002001 females 00111001, 2 persons engaged in agriculture
C. Rainwater, Lawrence Co., pg 203, males 11201 females 001 free black males 2, 1 person engaged in agriculture
Catherine Rainwater, Jackson Co., pg 21, males 0 females 300001
Green Rainwater, Washington Co., pg 280, males 10001 female 00001, 1 person engaged in agriculture
Hugh Rainwater, Jackson Co., pg 21, males 10011 females 10001, free black males 000011, 2 persons engaged in agriculture.
Jesse Rainwater, Washington Co., pg 280, males 00010001 females 00010001, 2 persons engaged in agriculture
Relagh Rainwater, Jackson Co., pg 21, males 10011 females 10001, 2 persons engaged in agriculture
William Rainwater, Marengo Co., pg 63, males 110001, females 21001, male slaves 01, 1 person engaged in agriculture
Georgia
Abner Rainwater, 106th district, Hancock Co., pg 216, males 1200101 females 10001 male slaves 42001 female slaves 22000, 1 person engaged in agriculture
Elisha Rainwater, Barksdale, Warren Co., pg 185, males 221001, females 00001, 3 persons engaged in agriculture
James Rainwater, Cedar Creek, Coweta Co., pg 328, males 11020001, females 213011, male slaves 02, 5 persons engaged in agriculture, 1 professional or engineer
Job Rainwater, 845th district, Cobb Co., pg 271, males 10013001, females 20120001, 4 persons engaged in agriculture
Joshua Rainwater, 653rd district, Carroll Co., pg 65, males 01100001, females 121001, male slaves 1, 1 person engaged in manufacturing
Leroy N. Rainwater, 845th district, Cobb Co., pg 270, males 00001, females 0001, 1 person engaged in agriculture
Martha Rainwater, Greene Co., pg 50, males 10211, females 0200101, 4 persons engaged in agriculture
Solomon Rainwater, 106th district, Hancock Co., pg 216, males 1010001 females 222001 male slaves 412000 female slaves 102000, 5 persons engaged in agriculture
Gabriel Rainwaters, 823rd district, Cherokee Co., pg 176, males 100001, females 201010001, 1 person engaged in agriculture
Kentucky
Abraham Rainwater, Pulaski Co., pg 332, males 210001 females 21001
Abraham Rainwater, Russell Co., pg 24B, males 0002001 females 00000001, 4 persons engaged in agriculture
Bartholomew Rainwater, Pulaski Co., pg 333, males 110001 females 212201, 1 person engaged in agriculture
Daniel Rainwater, Russell Co., pg 26B, males 000001 females 000101, 3 persons engaged in agriculture
James Rainwater, Pulaski Co., pg 320, males 210001 females 12011
John Rainwater, Pulaski Co., pg 332, males 000001 females 10001
Patsy Rainwater, Pulaski Co., pg 332, males 00001 females 00021001
Mississippi
John Rainwater, Simpson Co., pg 222, line 15, males 001001 females 111001, 2 persons engaged in agriculture
Missouri
M. F. Rainwater, Marion Twp., Ray Co., pg 234, line 8, males 100001 females 11001, 3 persons engaged in agriculture
South Carolina
Ann Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 87, line 4, males 00011, females 0111001, 1 person engaged in agriculture
Sarah Rainwater (widow of Benjamin), Spartanburg Co., 3 persons in HH, 1 person engaged in agriculture, pg 103
D. T. Rainwater, Anderson Co., pg 138, line 18, males 00001, females 00001, 1 person engaged in agriculture
Hiram Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 111, line 3, males 000001, females 000001, 1 person engaged in agriculture
Joshua Rainwater, Marlboro Co., pg 196, line 5, males 0111001, females 0001101, 2 persons engaged in agriculture,
1 person idiot or insane being cared for in the HH
Simon Rainwater, Marlboro Co., pg 196, males 20001, females 11001, 1 person engaged in agriculture
William Rainwater, Spartanburg Co., pg 68/131, males 0000200010000; females 00100100100000; 3 engaged in agriculture
Tennessee
Cessom Rainwater, Marshall Co., pg 197, males 10001 females 10001
Eli D. Rainwater, Jefferson Co., pg 350, males 00001 females 10001
James Rainwater, Jefferson Co., pg 350, males 01012001 females 0010001
James Rainwaters, Sevier Co., pg 163, males 21001 females 00011
John Rainwater, Jefferson Co., pg 318, males 110001 females 20001
Vincent Rainwater, Jefferson Co., pg 351, males 01112001 females 02021001
John Rainwaters, Stewart Co., pg 310, males 021101 females 00101
John R. Rainwaters, Sevier Co., pg 160, males 002101 females 111011
Martha Rainwater, Montgomery Co., pg 233, males 001 females 00000191
Moses Rainwaters, Sevier Co., pg 168, males 0001000001 females 01021001
Mourning Rainwaters, Bedford Co., pg 21, males 0 females 00000001
Polly Rainwaters, Sevier Co., pg 166, males 011 females 000001
W. Rainwaters, Bedford Co., pg 24, males 00001 females 00001
Wills Rainwaters, Montgomery Co., pg 259, males 10001 females 10001
From “Stewart Co., TN Tax Lists, 1841-1866,” Jim Long
District 7
1842: John Rainwater, tax $0.50
1843: J. H. Rainwater, tax $0.50
1846: John Rainwater, tax $0.50
1847: John Rainwater, tax $0.50
1848: Benjamin Rainwater, tax $0.53
1849: John Rainwater, tax $0.50