The United States census of 1790 was the first census of the whole United States. It recorded the population of the United States as of Census Day, August 2, 1790, as mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the United States Constitution and applicable laws. In the first census, the population of the United States was enumerated to be 3,929,214.[1][2]
Congress assigned responsibility for the 1790 census to the marshals of United States judicial districts under an act, which with minor modifications and extensions, governed census taking until the 1840 census. "The law required that every household be visited, that completed census schedules be posted in 'two of the most public places within [each jurisdiction], there to remain for the inspection of all concerned...' and that 'the aggregate amount of each description of persons' for every district be transmitted to the president."[3]
Both Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and President George Washington expressed skepticism[4] over the results, believing that the true population had been undercounted. If indeed an undercount was the result, possible explanations for it include dispersed population, poor transportation links, limitations of contemporary technology, and individual refusal to participate.[citation needed]
Loss of data
Although the census was proved statistically factual, based on data collected, the records for several states (including Delaware, Georgia, New Jersey, and Virginia) were lost sometime between 1790 and 1830.[5] Almost one-third of the original census data have been lost or destroyed since their original documentation. These include some 1790 data from: Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Vermont; the validity and existence of most of these data, though, can be confirmed in many secondary sources pertaining to the first census.[6]
At 17.8 percent, the 1790 census's proportion of slaves to the free population was the highest ever recorded by any census of the United States.[citation needed]
^The census of 1790, published in 1791, reports 16 enslaved persons in Vermont. Subsequently, and up to 1860, the number is given as 17. An examination of the original manuscript allegedly shows that there never were any slaves in Vermont. The original error occurred in preparing the results for publication, when 16 persons, returned as "Free colored", were classified as "Slave". But this claim is disputed by at least one historian.
^Corrected figures are 85,425, or 114 less than figures published in 1790, due to an error of addition of several towns.
^Corrected figures are 59,096, or 2 more than figures published in 1790, due to error in addition.
^The figures for Virginia do not include the population of Kentucky. Though Kentucky was then a part of Virginia, the Kentucky figures were compiled separately, and are shown on the line for Kentucky. The Virginia figures do include the portion of Virginia that later became the state of West Virginia.
^Dollarhide, William (2001). The Census Book: A Genealogists Guide to Federal Census Facts, Schedules and Indexes. North Salt Lake, Utah: HeritageQuest. p. 7.
^"1790 Census". 1930 Census Resources for Genealogists.
^"1790 Census: Heads of Families". U.S. Census Bureau.
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The United States census of 1790 was the first census of the whole United States It recorded the population of the United States as of Census Day August 2 1790 as mandated by Article I Section 2 of the United States Constitution and applicable laws In the first census the population of the United States was enumerated to be 3 929 214 1 2 1790 United States censusAugust 2 1790 1790 08 02 1800 Seal of the United States Census BureauTitle page of 1790 United States censusGeneral informationCountryUnited StatesResultsTotal population3 929 214Most populous wbr stateVirginia 747 610 Least populous wbr stateDelaware 59 094 Congress assigned responsibility for the 1790 census to the marshals of United States judicial districts under an act which with minor modifications and extensions governed census taking until the 1840 census The law required that every household be visited that completed census schedules be posted in two of the most public places within each jurisdiction there to remain for the inspection of all concerned and that the aggregate amount of each description of persons for every district be transmitted to the president 3 Contents 1 Contemporary perception 2 Loss of data 3 Data availability 4 Data 5 City rankings 6 References 7 External linksContemporary perception EditBoth Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and President George Washington expressed skepticism 4 over the results believing that the true population had been undercounted If indeed an undercount was the result possible explanations for it include dispersed population poor transportation links limitations of contemporary technology and individual refusal to participate citation needed Loss of data EditAlthough the census was proved statistically factual based on data collected the records for several states including Delaware Georgia New Jersey and Virginia were lost sometime between 1790 and 1830 5 Almost one third of the original census data have been lost or destroyed since their original documentation These include some 1790 data from Connecticut Maine Maryland Massachusetts New Hampshire New York North Carolina Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina and Vermont the validity and existence of most of these data though can be confirmed in many secondary sources pertaining to the first census 6 Data availability EditNo microdata from the 1790 population census are available but aggregate data for small areas together with compatible cartographic boundary files can be downloaded from the National Historical Geographic Information System Data EditCensus data included the name of the head of the family and categorized inhabitants as follows free white males at least 16 years of age to assess the country s industrial and military potential free white males under 16 years of age free white females all other free persons reported by sex and color and slaves 7 Under the direction of the Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson marshals collected data from all thirteen states Connecticut Delaware Georgia Maryland Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York North Carolina Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina and Virginia and from Maine and the Southwest Territory 3 The census was not conducted in Vermont until 1791 after that state s admission to the Union as the 14th state on March 4 of that year From 1777 until early 1791 and hence during all of 1790 Vermont was a de facto independent country whose government took the position that Vermont was not then a part of the United States At 17 8 percent the 1790 census s proportion of slaves to the free population was the highest ever recorded by any census of the United States citation needed State or territory Free white males of 16 years and upward a Free white males under 16 years Free white females a All other free persons Slaves Slaves of state population Total of U S populationVermont 22 435 22 328 40 505 255 16 b 8 0 0 85 539 c 2 2 New Hampshire 36 086 34 851 70 160 630 158 0 1 141 885 3 6 Maine 24 384 24 748 46 870 538 0 0 0 96 540 2 4 Massachusetts 95 453 87 289 190 582 5 463 0 0 0 378 787 9 8 Rhode Island 16 019 15 799 32 652 3 407 948 1 4 68 825 1 7 Connecticut 60 523 54 403 117 448 2 808 2 764 1 2 237 946 6 0 New York 83 700 78 122 152 320 4 654 21 324 6 3 340 120 8 6 New Jersey 45 251 41 416 83 287 2 762 11 423 6 2 184 139 4 6 Pennsylvania 110 788 106 948 206 363 6 537 3 737 0 9 434 373 11 0 Delaware 11 783 12 143 22 384 3 899 8 887 15 0 59 094 d 1 5 Maryland 55 915 51 339 101 395 8 043 103 036 32 2 319 728 8 1 Virginia 110 936 116 135 215 046 12 866 292 627 39 1 747 610 e 9 18 9 Kentucky 15 154 17 057 28 922 114 12 430 16 9 73 677 1 9 North Carolina 69 988 77 506 140 710 4 975 100 572 25 5 393 751 9 9 South Carolina 35 576 37 722 66 880 1 801 107 094 43 0 249 073 6 3 Georgia 13 103 14 044 25 739 398 29 264 35 5 82 548 2 1 Southwest Territory 6 271 10 277 15 365 361 3 417 9 6 35 691 0 9 Total 813 365 802 127 1 556 628 59 511 697 697 17 8 3 929 326 100 a b Heads of families were included The census of 1790 published in 1791 reports 16 enslaved persons in Vermont Subsequently and up to 1860 the number is given as 17 An examination of the original manuscript allegedly shows that there never were any slaves in Vermont The original error occurred in preparing the results for publication when 16 persons returned as Free colored were classified as Slave But this claim is disputed by at least one historian Corrected figures are 85 425 or 114 less than figures published in 1790 due to an error of addition of several towns Corrected figures are 59 096 or 2 more than figures published in 1790 due to error in addition The figures for Virginia do not include the population of Kentucky Though Kentucky was then a part of Virginia the Kentucky figures were compiled separately and are shown on the line for Kentucky The Virginia figures do include the portion of Virginia that later became the state of West Virginia City rankings Edit Commemorative pitcher with census results Rank City State Population 10 11 Region 2016 12 Population 2010 1 New York New York 33 131 Northeast 1 585 873 Manhattan only 2 Philadelphia Pennsylvania 28 522 Northeast 135 872 Center City only 3 Boston Massachusetts 18 320 Northeast 617 5944 Charleston South Carolina 16 359 South 120 0835 Baltimore Maryland 13 503 South 620 9616 Norwalk Connecticut 11 942 Northeast 85 6037 Northern Liberties Pennsylvania 9 913 Northeast 8 Salem Massachusetts 7 921 Northeast 41 3409 Newport Rhode Island 6 716 Northeast 24 67210 Providence Rhode Island 6 380 Northeast 178 04211 Marblehead Massachusetts 5 661 Northeast 19 80812 Southwark Pennsylvania 5 661 Northeast 13 Gloucester Massachusetts 5 317 Northeast 28 78914 Newburyport Massachusetts 4 837 Northeast 17 41615 Portsmouth New Hampshire 4 720 Northeast 21 23316 Sherburne Massachusetts 4 555 Northeast 10 17217 Middleborough Massachusetts 4 526 Northeast 23 11618 New Haven Connecticut 4 487 Northeast 129 77919 South Kingstown Rhode Island 4 131 Northeast 30 63920 Taunton Massachusetts 3 804 Northeast 55 87421 Lancaster Pennsylvania 3 762 Northeast 59 32222 Richmond Virginia 3 761 South 204 21423 Albany New York 3 498 Northeast 97 85624 New Bedford Massachusetts 3 313 Northeast 95 07225 Beverly Massachusetts 3 290 Northeast 39 50226 Smithfield Rhode Island 3 171 Northeast 21 43027 Danbury Connecticut 3 031 Northeast 80 89328 Plymouth Massachusetts 2 995 Northeast 56 46829 Norfolk Virginia 2 959 South 242 80330 North Kingstown Rhode Island 2 907 Northeast 26 48631 Andover Massachusetts 2 863 Northeast 33 20132 Rochester New Hampshire 2 857 Northeast 29 75233 Petersburg Virginia 2 828 South 32 42034 Alexandria Virginia 2 748 South 139 96635 Farmington Connecticut 2 696 Northeast 25 34036 Hartford Connecticut 2 683 Northeast 124 77537 Londonderry New Hampshire 2 622 Northeast 24 12938 Gilmanton New Hampshire 2 613 Northeast 3 77739 Hudson New York 2 584 Northeast 6 713References Edit History 1790 Fast Facts U S Census Bureau Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken Taken in the Year 1790 Department of Commerce and Labor Bureau of the Census publisher Government Printing Office printed 1908 1908 1790 LCCN 07 35273 OCLC 2080540 all editions census gov Connecticut via Google Books University of California Maine via Google Books University of Michigan Maryland via Google Books University of California Massachusetts via Google Books University of California New Hampshire via Google Books NYPL New York via Google Books Stanford New York via Internet Archive Cornell North Carolina via Google Books Stanford Pennsylvania via Google Books University of California Rhode Island via Google Books University of Michigan Vermont via Google Books University of Virginia Virginia via Google Books University of Michigan a b History 1790 Overview U S Census Bureau 1790 Overview U S Census Bureau Dollarhide William 2001 The Census Book A Genealogists Guide to Federal Census Facts Schedules and Indexes North Salt Lake Utah HeritageQuest p 7 1790 Census 1930 Census Resources for Genealogists 1790 Census Heads of Families U S Census Bureau Slavery in Vermont Census Office United States 1909 A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth 1790 1900 p 47 Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States 1790 to 1990 U S Census Bureau 1998 Population of Connecticut Towns 1756 1820 Connecticut Secretary of the State State of Connecticut Archived from the original on January 13 2017 Retrieved April 13 2020 Regions and Divisions U S Census Bureau Archived from the original on December 3 2016 Retrieved September 9 2016 External links Edit Media related to 1790 United States Census at Wikimedia Commons Historic US Census data 1790 Census of Population and Housing official reports Population of 24 Urban Places 1790 Heads of Families at the First Census 1790 PDF U S Census Bureau Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1790 United States census amp oldid 1133421233, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
