Every Ten Years: Key to the United States Census, 1790-1930

by Genealogy.com

A census is an official enumeration of the population in a particular area. In addition to counting the inhabitants of an area, the census generally collects other vital information, such as names, ages, citizenship status, and ethnic background.

The first U.S. census was taken in 1790 and set out with the specific purpose of recording a state's population. It recorded the name of the head of household and then listed the number of people who lived in the household (broken down into five specific categories). Jump ahead to the 1920 census, however, and you'll be privy to details ranging from the number of years a person had been married to whether the family home is owned or rented!

In 1790, census-takers outside of Massachusetts didn't have printed forms to fill out and, as a result, there was little continuity in the early schedules. In taking the first census, workers provided their own paper and information was submitted on paper ranging from four inches to three feet! Since that time, as you can see, both the manner and type of information collected has changed substantially. Regardless of how much or how little information each census contains, each can prove to be invaluable in painting a portrait of a family at a particular place and time.

To find out what information the U.S. government collected in a particular year, select one of the years listed below.

1790 Census

The first census of the United States was taken in 1790, but one-third of that census has been lost. The schedules for these states have survived: Connecticut, Maine (then part of Massachusetts), Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Vermont. Information should reflect living status on the first Monday in August, 1790 (Census Day).

In the 1790 census, you can find the following information:

Name of the head of the family
Number of free white males 16 years and older
Number of free white males under 16 years old
Number of free white females
Number of all other free persons
Number of slaves

1800 Census

The 1800 federal census schedules have survived for: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Vermont. Information should reflect living status on the first Monday in August, 1800 (Census Day).

In the 1800 census, you can find the following information:

Name of the head of the family
Number of free white males under 10, over 10 and under 16, over 16 and under 26, over 26 and under 45, and 45 or older
Number of free white females under 10, over 10 and under 16, over 16 and under 26, over 26 and under 45, and over 45
Number of all other free persons
Number of slaves

1810 Census

In the 1810 census, you can find the following information:

Name of the head of the family
Number of free white males under 10, over 10 and under 16, between 16 and 18, over 16 and under 26, over 26 and under 45, and 45 or older
Number of free white females under 10, over 10 and under 16, over 16 and under 26, over 26 and under 45, and over 45
Number of all other free persons
Number of slaves

1820 Census

In the 1820 census, you can find the following information:

Name of the head of the family
Number of free white males under 10, over 10 and under 16, between 16 and 18, over 16 and under 26, over 26 and under 45, and 45 or older
Number of free white females under 10, over 10 and under 16, over 16 and under 26, over 26 and under 45, and over 45
Number of foreigners not naturalized
Number of persons engaged in agriculture, commerce, and manufacture
Number of male slaves under 14, over 14 and under 26, over 26 and under 45, and over 45
Number of female slaves under 14, over 14 and under 26, over 26 and under 45, and over 45
Number of free Black males under 14, over 14 and under 26, over 26 and under 45, and over 45
Number of free Black females under 14, over 14 and under 26, over 26 and under 45, and over 45
Number of all other individuals.

1830 Census

In the 1830 census, you can find the following information:

Name of the head of the family
Number of free white males under 5, over 5 and under 10, over 10 and under 15, over 15 and under 20, over 20 and under 30, over 30 and under 40, over 40 and under 50, over 50 and under 60, over 60 and under 70, over 70 and under 80, over 80 and under 90, over 90 and under 100, over 100
Number of free white females under 5, over 5 and under 10, over 10 and under 15, over 15 and under 20, over 20 and under 30, over 30 and under 40, over 40 and under 50, over 50 and under 60, over 60 and under 70, over 70 and under 80, over 80 and under 90, over 90 and under 100, over 100
Number of male slaves under 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over 100
Number of female slaves under 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over 100
Number of free Black males under 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over 100
Number of free Black females under 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over 100
Number of deaf and dumb whites under 14, over 14 and under 25, over 25
Number of blind whites
Number of deaf and dumb slaves and free Blacks under 14, over 14 and under 25, over 25
Number of blind slaves and free Blacks
Number of white foreigners not naturalized

1840 Census

In the 1840 census, you can find the following information:

Name of the head of the family
Number of free white males under 5, over 5 and under 10, over 10 and under 15, over 15 and under 20, over 20 and under 30, over 30 and under 40, over 40 and under 50, over 50 and under 60, over 60 and under 70, over 70 and under 80, over 80 and under 90, over 90 and under 100, over 100
Number of free white females under 5, over 5 and under 10, over 10 and under 15, over 15 and under 20, over 20 and under 30, over 30 and under 40, over 40 and under 50, over 50 and under 60, over 60 and under 70, over 70 and under 80, over 80 and under 90, over 90 and under 100, over 100
Number of male slaves under 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over 100
Number of female slaves under 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over 100
Number of free Black males under 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over 100
Number of free Black females under 10, over 10 and under 24, over 24 and under 36, over 36 and under 55, over 55 and under 100, over 100
Number of individuals engaged in mining, agriculture, commerce, manufacturing and trades, navigation of the oceans, navigation of the lakes, canals, and rivers, learned professions and engineering
Number of deaf and dumb whites under 14, over 14 and under 25, over 25
Number of blind whites
Number of idiotic or insane whites
Number of white males over 21 who cannot read and write
Number of deaf and dumb slaves and free Blacks under 14, over 14 and under 25, over 25
Number of blind slaves and free Blacks
Number of idiotic or insane slaves and free Blacks
Number of white foreigners not naturalized
Names and ages of Revolutionary War pensioners

1850 Census

In the 1850 census you can find the following information:

Name, age, and sex of each individual in the household
Whether each individual was white, black, or mulatto
Profession, occupation, or trade of each individual over 15
Value of the real estate owned by each individual
Each individual's state, territory, or country of birth
Whether or not an individual was married within the year
Whether or not an individual attended school within the year
Whether or not an individual can read and write, if over 20
Whether an individual is deaf, dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, a pauper, or a convict.

1860 Census

In the 1860 census you can find the following information:

Name, age, and sex of each individual in the household
Whether each individual was white, black, or mulatto
Profession, occupation, or trade of each male over 15
Profession, occupation, or trade of each female over 15
Value of the real estate owned by each individual
Value of the personal property owned by each individual
Each individual's state, territory, or country of birth
Whether or not an individual married within the year
Whether or not an individual attended school within the year
Whether or not an individual can read and write, if over 20
Whether an individual was deaf, dumb, blind, insane, idiotic, a pauper, or a convict

1870 Census

In the 1870 census you can get the following information:

Name, age, and sex of each individual in the household
Whether each individual was white, black, mulatto, Indian, or Chinese
Profession, occupation, or trade of each male
Profession, occupation, or trade of each female
Value of the real estate owned by each individual
Value of the personal property owned by each individual
Each individual's state, territory, or country of birth
Whether or not an individual's father is of foreign birth
Whether or not an individual's mother is of foreign birth
Month of birth if the individual was born within the year
Month of marriage if the individual was married within the year
Whether or not an individual attended school within the year
Whether or not an individual can read and write
Whether an individual is deaf, dumb, blind, insane, or idiotic
Whether or not the individual is a male citizen over 21
Whether or not the individual is a male citizen over 21 who cannot vote

1880 Census

In the 1880 census you can get the following information:

Street name and house number in cities
Name, age, and sex of each individual in the household
Whether each individual was white, black, mulatto, Indian, or Chinese
Month of birth if the individual was born within the year
Relationship of each individual to head of household
Whether an individual was single, married, widowed, or divorced
Whether or not an individual was married within the year
Profession, occupation, or trade of each male
Profession, occupation, or trade of each female
Number of months an individual was unemployed during the census year
Whether or not an individual was sick or temporarily disabled so as not able to function normally, and if so, the nature of the illness
Whether an individual was blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, maimed, crippled, bedridden, or otherwise permanently disabled
Whether or not an individual attended school within the year
Whether or not an individual can read and write
Each individual's state, territory, or country of birth
Each individual's mother's state, territory, or country of birth
Each individual's father's state, territory, or country of birth

1890 Census

Almost all of the 1890 census records were destroyed by a fire, however, from the remaining records, you can get the following information:

Street name and house number in cities
Name, age, and sex of each individual in the household
Whether each individual was white, black, mulatto, Indian, or Chinese
Month of birth if the individual was born within the year
Relationship of each individual to head of household
Whether an individual was single, married, widowed, or divorced
Whether or not an individual was married within the year
Profession, occupation, or trade of each male
Profession, occupation, or trade of each female
Number of months an individual was unemployed during the census year
Whether or not an individual was sick or temporarily disabled so as not able to function normally, and if so, the nature of the illness
Whether an individual was blind, deaf, dumb, idiotic, insane, maimed, crippled, bedridden, or otherwise permanently disabled
Whether or not an individual attended school within the year
Whether or not an individual can read and write
Each individual's state, territory, or country of birth
Each individual's mother's state, territory, or country of birth
Each individual's father's state, territory, or country of birth

1900 Census

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1910 Census

In the 1910 census you can get the following information:

Street name and house number in cities
Name, age, and sex of each individual in the household
Relationship of each individual to head of household
Color or race of each individual
Whether an individual is single, married, widowed, or divorced
Number of years an individual has been in his or her present marriage
Number of children born to female individuals, and the number of those children still living
Each individual's place of birth
Each individual's mother's place of birth
Each individual's father's place of birth
Individual's year of immigration to the United States
Whether an individual is naturalized or an alien
Language each individual speaks
Each individual's profession, occupation, or trade
Industry that the individual is working in
Whether an individual is an employee, employer, or self-employed
If an individual is an employee, whether or not currently employed, and number of weeks out of work in 1909
Whether or not an individual attended school anytime since September, 1909
Whether or not an individual can read and write
Whether or not the family owns or rents their home, whether or not the home is mortgaged, and whether it is a farm or a house
Whether or not the individual is a survivor of the Union or Confederate Army or Navy
Whether the individual is blind, deaf, or dumb

1920 Census

In the 1920 census you can get the following information:

Street or road name, and whether there is a house number or it is a farm
Name, age, and sex of each individual in the household
Relationship of each individual to head of household
Whether or not the family owns or rents their home, whether or not the home is mortgaged
Each individual's color or race
Whether an individual is single, married, widowed, or divorced
Individual's year of immigration to the United States
Whether an individual is naturalized or an alien
If naturalized, the year of naturalization
Whether or not an individual attended school anytime since September, 1919
Whether or not an individual can read and write
Each individual's place of birth
Each individual's father's place of birth
Each individual's mother's place of birth
Each individual's mother tongue
Each individual's father's mother tongue
Each individual's mother's mother tongue
Whether or not each individual can speak English, and if not, language spoken
Profession, occupation, or trade of an individual
Industry an individual is working in
Whether an individual is an employee, employer, or self-employed
If an employee, whether or not currently employed, and number of weeks out of work in 1919
Number of years an individual has been in present marriage
Number of children born to female individuals, and the number of those children still living